Extraordinary Popular Delusions and The Madness of Crowds

Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841) looks at how social manias and mass delusions sweep through societies, revealing the underlying patterns that drive everything from financial bubbles to witch hunts. Through vivid historical examples, it shows how normally sensible people can be swept up in collective madness, leading to devastating real-world consequences. 

• History buffs curious about how past patterns repeat in modern contexts
• Those concerned with the spread of misinformation
• Anyone interested in protecting themselves from scams or mass delusions

Charles Mackay (1814-1889) was a Scottish journalist, poet, and writer who worked as a correspondent for the Times, wrote extensively about the stock market, and served as editor of the Glasgow Argus. In addition to his groundbreaking work on mass psychology, he published several collections of poetry and histories, including Songs and Poems (1834), and A History of London, the Thames and its Tributaries or, Rambles Among the Rivers (1838). He received his doctorate from Glasgow University in 1848 for his contributions to literature and was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland.