A detailed explanation of how Visa and MasterCard work and are regulated.
A debut economic textbook breaks down the world of electronic payments.
A payment system is one in which funds are easily transferred between lenders and borrowers, or payers and payees. The two largest international payment systems are Visa and MasterCard, both of which are built around branded credit cards. These systems have become increasingly important in the internet age, where card members are able to buy, sell, lend, and borrow around the world. With this book, Artimovich seeks to offer an explanation of the ever more complex workings of these payment systems, which, despite their ubiquity, are not clearly understood by most people. “Strangely enough, too many professionals in the e-commerce market don’t have a clear idea as to how the card payment systems work,” writes the author at the beginning of the volume. “Perhaps my foremost task in this textbook is to encourage young minds to create new technologies in the field of card payments.” Though Artimovich’s focus is on the way these systems exist online—and particularly the experience of using them in Europe—he offers a fairly wide-ranging introduction to payment systems in general, from the origins of credit cards in the early 20th century to the ways Visa and MasterCard continue to evolve in the present day. Particular areas of interest include the rules that govern payment systems and issues of fraud and security. By the last page, the author hopes readers will understand all the forces at work behind their next online purchase. Artimovich proves to be well-acquainted with his topic, and the book succeeds in showing readers just how much they didn’t know about international payment systems. But the author’s prose is often clunky and he rarely provides basic term definitions that would greatly aid readers in following his argument. Large sections of the text are quoted verbatim from a (better written) book by Visa’s founder, Dee Hock, while later sections adopt the legalese of regulations (“A Chargeback must be processed no later than 120 calendar days from the last date that the Cardholder expected to receive the merchandise or services”). There is certainly much useful information to be gleaned here—especially by those already familiar with the industry—but the volume is a bit too opaque and inconsistent to function as a practical textbook.
A detailed explanation of how Visa and MasterCard work and are regulated.Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 239
Publisher: Time Tunnel Media
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.
Greed, depravity, and serial murder in 1920s Oklahoma.
During that time, enrolled members of the Osage Indian nation were among the wealthiest people per capita in the world. The rich oil fields beneath their reservation brought millions of dollars into the tribe annually, distributed to tribal members holding "headrights" that could not be bought or sold but only inherited. This vast wealth attracted the attention of unscrupulous whites who found ways to divert it to themselves by marrying Osage women or by having Osage declared legally incompetent so the whites could fleece them through the administration of their estates. For some, however, these deceptive tactics were not enough, and a plague of violent death—by shooting, poison, orchestrated automobile accident, and bombing—began to decimate the Osage in what they came to call the "Reign of Terror." Corrupt and incompetent law enforcement and judicial systems ensured that the perpetrators were never found or punished until the young J. Edgar Hoover saw cracking these cases as a means of burnishing the reputation of the newly professionalized FBI. Bestselling New Yorkerstaff writer Grann (The Devil and Sherlock Holmes: Tales of Murder, Madness, and Obsession, 2010, etc.) follows Special Agent Tom White and his assistants as they track the killers of one extended Osage family through a closed local culture of greed, bigotry, and lies in pursuit of protection for the survivors and justice for the dead. But he doesn't stop there; relying almost entirely on primary and unpublished sources, the author goes on to expose a web of conspiracy and corruption that extended far wider than even the FBI ever suspected. This page-turner surges forward with the pacing of a true-crime thriller, elevated by Grann's crisp and evocative prose and enhanced by dozens of period photographs.
Dogged original research and superb narrative skills come together in this gripping account of pitiless evil.Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-385-53424-6
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.
A compendium of charts, time lines, lists and illustrations to accompany study of the Bible.
This visually appealing resource provides a wide array of illustrative and textually concise references, beginning with three sets of charts covering the Bible as a whole, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These charts cover such topics as biblical weights and measures, feasts and holidays and the 12 disciples. Most of the charts use a variety of illustrative techniques to convey lessons and provide visual interest. A worthwhile example is “How We Got the Bible,” which provides a time line of translation history, comparisons of canons among faiths and portraits of important figures in biblical translation, such as Jerome and John Wycliffe. The book then presents a section of maps, followed by diagrams to conceptualize such structures as Noah’s Ark and Solomon’s Temple. Finally, a section on Christianity, cults and other religions describes key aspects of history and doctrine for certain Christian sects and other faith traditions. Overall, the authors take a traditionalist, conservative approach. For instance, they list Moses as the author of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) without making mention of claims to the contrary. When comparing various Christian sects and world religions, the emphasis is on doctrine and orthodox theology. Some chapters, however, may not completely align with the needs of Catholic and Orthodox churches. But the authors’ leanings are muted enough and do not detract from the work’s usefulness. As a resource, it’s well organized, inviting and visually stimulating. Even the most seasoned reader will learn something while browsing.
Worthwhile reference stuffed with facts and illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2005
ISBN: 978-1-5963-6022-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2010
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
