Book excerpt: The financial crisis of 2008 aroused widespread interest in banking and financial history. In an attempt to better understand the magnitude of the shock, there was a demand for historical parallels. This volume provides the material for such a reflection by presenting the state of the art in banking and financial history. Contributions to this volume analyse banking and financial history in a long-term comparative perspective. Lessons drawn from these analyses may well help future generations of policy makers avoid a repeat of the financial turbulence that erupted in 2008.