Among central banks Italy's has played an outsized role in creating conditions for the growth of the real economy, and so it's fitting that a renowned economic historian should offer a history of the bank. Gianni Toniolo's A History of the Bank of Italy examines its monetary policies and management of banking crises as well as lesser-known aspects such as its role in the war economy and its relations with the National Fascist Party. The picture that emerges is one of accelerations and setbacks, of exemplary and less becoming conduct, of protagonism and marginalization, all leading to the formation of an institution equipped to meet the challenges of the post-World War II period. This book offers a comprehensive picture of Italy's economic history, tracing the long-term evolution of central banking across countries and different institutional settings.