Devil Take the Hindmost
A History of Financial Speculation

Great mix on history of financial markets, psychology of speculation and biggest bubbles of all times. Three main lessons for me: - roots, motives and patterns for excessive speculation were always same, from Ancient Rome until today - If it's too good to be true- it's a bubble (unfortunately, desire......more

Very poorly written and designed book. It is one of the few books I have picked up and have decided not to power through and finish. The author doesn't provide relevant information that is useful to the context of each chapter. He goes on and on about random things at the worst times. His writing at......more

There have been numerous excellent books on financial market bubbles and busts. Such books excel in either explaining the factors that cause extreme price movements (behavioral and/or policy) or describing the vivid details of the frenzy on the ways up and down or proscribing policy steps to avoid t......more

This history of financial speculation is an interesting look at one of the many negative aspects of human nature. We are a species of gamblers, and speculating in the stock market allows us to gamble while fooling ourselves into thinking that we are contributing something to the economy. Chancellor......more

Very solid, entertaining, and incisive history of financial crises, kind of a more narrative version of Kindlebeger's Manias, Panics & Crashes. I read both as part of my history studies in grad school, and for my first book, "The Case of the Cleantech Con Artist: A True Vegas Tale."......more