Tulipomania

\'A fascinating exploration of human greed and self-delusion and also a tribute to our ageless search for beauty\' DEBORAH MOGGACH.In 1630s\' Holland thousands of people, from the wealthiest merchants to the lowest street traders, were caught up in a frenzy of buying and selling. The object of the speculation was not oil or gold, but the tulip, a delicate and exotic bloom that had just arrived from the east. Over three years, rare tulip bulbs changed hands for sums that would have bought a house in Amsterdam: a single bulb could sell for more than £300,000 at today\'s prices. Fortunes were made overnight, but then lost when, within a year, the market collapsed.Mike Dash recreates this bizarre episode in European history, separating myth from reality. He traces the hysterical boom and devastating bust, bringing to life a colourful cast of characters, and beautifully evoking Holland\'s Golden Age. Σελίδες: 320, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0701, Διαστάσεις: 13.1x13.1cm