Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is a study of crowd psychology by Scottish journalist Charles Mackay. The subjects of Mackay's debunking include witchcraft, alchemy, crusades, duels, economic bubbles, fortune-telling, haunted houses, the Drummer of Tedworth, the influence of politics and religion on the shapes of beards and hair, magnetizers (influence of imagination in curing disease), murder through poisoning, prophecies, popular admiration of great thieves, popular follies of great cities, and relics. Contents: • Volume 1: National Delusions: • The Mississippi Scheme • The South Sea Bubble • The Tulipomania • Relics • Modern Prophecies • Popular Admiration for Great Thieves • Influence of Politics and Religion on the Hair and Beard • Duels and Ordeals • The Love of the Marvellous and the Disbelief of the True • Popular Follies in Great Cities • Old Price Riots • The Thugs, or Phansigars • Volume 2: Peculiar Follies: • The Crusades • The Witch Mania • The Slow Poisoners • Haunted Houses • Volume 3: Philosophical Delusions : • The Alchemysts • Fortune Telling • The Magnetisers

"Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one..." Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is the original guide to behavioural psychology – and how manias, follies and superstitions begin, spread and (eventually) pass. A hugely entertaining tour through financial scams and stock market bubbles, alchemical quests and prophecy wars, duelling bouts and relic hunts, the book is as insightful and memorable today as when it was first published almost 180 years ago. This edition comes with an exclusive foreword by Russell Napier, author of Anatomy of the Bear. Harriman Definitive Editions offer the best quality editions of the best financial books of all time. Beautifully typeset in new designs, accompanied by forewords by the best modern financial writers, printed and bound in high-quality hardcovers on acid-free paper – they are essential long-term additions to the portfolio of every investor and trader.

"Men, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one..." Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is the original guide to behavioural psychology – and how manias, follies and superstitions begin, spread and (eventually) pass. A hugely entertaining tour through financial scams and stock market bubbles, alchemical quests and prophecy wars, duelling bouts and relic hunts, the book is as insightful and memorable today as when it was first published almost 180 years ago. This edition comes with an exclusive foreword by Russell Napier, author of Anatomy of the Bear. Harriman Definitive Editions offer the best quality editions of the best financial books of all time. Beautifully typeset in new designs, accompanied by forewords by the best modern financial writers, printed and bound in high-quality hardcovers on acid-free paper – they are essential long-term additions to the portfolio of every investor and trader.

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is a history of popular folly by Charles Mackay. The book chronicles its targets in three parts: "National Delusions," "Peculiar Follies," and "Philosophical Delusions." Learn why intelligent people do amazingly stupid things when caught up in speculative edevorse. The subjects of Mackay's debunking include alchemy, beards (influence of politics and religion on), witch-hunts, crusades and duels. Present day writers on economics, such as Andrew Tobias, laud the three chapters on economic bubbles.

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds is a history of popular folly by Charles Mackay. The book chronicles its targets in three parts: "National Delusions," "Peculiar Follies," and "Philosophical Delusions." Learn why intelligent people do amazingly stupid things when caught up in speculative edevorse. The subjects of Mackay's debunking include alchemy, beards (influence of politics and religion on), witch-hunts, crusades and duels. Present day writers on economics, such as Andrew Tobias, laud the three chapters on economic bubbles.