So I'm a complete noob when it comes to gold, understanding its value, the history of it, etc.

However I have been keeping up with whats going on with China, Russia and they're plan on getting all countries within the BRICS to start using a basket currency backed by Gold. I've also been paying attention to African countries and they're new discovery of gold.

With all this being said, I'm posting to get a better understanding of the below topics:

1. What podcasts would you guys recommend for me to quickly get up to speed on the history of gold

2. What books would you recommend me for me to understand the history/importance of gold both within the US and worldwide

3. Are there companies that I could invest in here in America (or as an American investing internationally) that partake in the production of gold?