In "Devil Take the Hindmost," Edward Chancellor embarks on a riveting journey through the tempestuous seas of stock market speculation, charting its course from the distant shores of 17th-century Europe to the volatile markets of today. With a storyteller's flair for detail and a historian's commitment to depth, Chancellor unfurls the colorful tapestry of human greed, ambition, and folly. From the manic tulip mania that seized Holland to the dizzying heights of the dot-com bubble, this book is an odyssey through the speculative bubbles that have inflated—and burst—over the centuries, revealing the enduring and sometimes perilous allure of financial speculation. Chancellor's narrative is populated by a cast of characters as diverse as they are fascinating: from visionary geniuses and unscrupulous swindlers to ordinary individuals caught in the throes of economic upheavals. Through tales of highway robbers and the peculiar market for "female chastity" assurances, to the lofty intellectual struggles of Sir Isaac Newton against the madness of the crowd, "Devil Take the Hindmost" is more than just a history of financial speculation. It is a deep dive into the psychology of investing, a mirror reflecting the unchanging human nature that drives the market's flux. With meticulous research and captivating storytelling, Chancellor offers not just a history lesson, but a timeless commentary on the speculative spirit that continues to shape our world.