Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions - Volume 3

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Mackay, Charles, 1814-1889

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions - Volume 3" by Charles Mackay is a historical account written during the mid-19th century. The book delves into the bizarre and often absurd beliefs and irrationalities that have captivated humanity throughout history, particularly focusing on the delusions associated with alchemy, fortune-telling, and other esoteric practices. The opening of this volume introduces the concept of discontent as a driving force behind the flawed pursuits of people seeking remedies for life's certainties, such as death and ignorance of the future. Mackay sets the stage for an in-depth exploration of historical figures and their pursuits of the philosopher's stone and the elixir of life. The narrative begins by listing various alchemists and their misguided beliefs, accompanied by tales of their relentless quests and the societal implications of their pursuits. Through these accounts, Mackay emphasizes that the folly of past generations should serve as an enlightening lesson for the present, revealing the strange and often humorous fabrications of the human mind in its search for meaning and fulfillment. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by An Anonymous Project Gutenberg Volunteer and David Widger

Notes:

Reading ease score: 63.4 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraordinary_Popular_Delusions_and_the_Madness_of_Crowds

Release date is 1997-04-01