Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds

"Of all the offspring of Time, Error is the most ancient, and is so old and familiar an acquaintance, that Truth, when discovered, comes upon most of us like an intruder, and meets the intruder’s welcome."

Charles Mackay, the author of this quote wrote a wonderful book about, well, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds. In it he recounts several economic bubbles (and probably exaggerates them), the swirl of insanity around witch hunts, strange philosophies and general nuttiness that men are heir to.  The link above goes to The Gutenberg Project, but I liked this book so well I bought my own portable copy of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.

Choose one, but do read this.  It will keep you sober when all others are drunk with enthusiasms.