In 1630s Holland thousands of people from the wealthiest merchants to the lowest street traders were caught up in a literal frenzy of buying and selling. The object of the speculation was not oil or gold, but the tulip, a delicate and exotic bloom which had just arrived from the east (where it had been the talisman of generations of Ottoman sultans). Over three years, rare tulip bulbs changed hands for sums that would have bought a house in Amsterdam: a single bulb sold for more than £300, 000 at today¿s prices. Fortunes were made overnight, but then lost when, within a year, the market collapsed ¿ with disastrous consequences. 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. A highly readable blend of history, horticulture and economics.