{"product_id":"9780007161782","title":"The King, the Crook, and the Gambler : The True Story of the South Sea Bubble and the Greatest Financial Scandal in History","description":"\u003cstrong\u003eThe King, the Crook, and the Gambler\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor(s): Malcolm Balen\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn unscrupulous Englishman had the notion for a company that would establish a lucrative trade in silver and spices between England and the Americas. What the investors didn't know was that the South Sea Company barely owned a ship. In this gripping account, Malcolm Balen reveals the true story of how a simple stock-share scheme became a Dickensian web of political and financial intrigue that threatened to overturn two monarchies and topple the British government. Set in the mazy back alleys of the newly inaugurated financial districts of 1720s London and Paris, \u003cem\u003eThe King, the Crook, and the Gambler\u003c\/em\u003e is a lively, fast-paced, and surprisingly epic history of how the South Sea Bubble escalated into a catastrophe that made the fortunes of few and the ruin of many -- and has proved the model for every financial bubble since.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eReview(s):\u003cbr\u003e“A great ripping yarn.”\u003cbr\u003e“Brilliant.”\u003cbr\u003e“Balen displays both understanding and incredulity in his account of the infamous 18th century trading scandal…a remarkable story.”\u003cbr\u003e“Balen reminds us that the murky tale of the first bubble stands as a cautionary tale for our time.”\u003cbr\u003e“Bristles with contemporary resonance...Balen has a felicitous turn of phrase and the pace never flags.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eISBN:  9780007161782\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ","brand":"Harper Perennial","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":41034030579918,"sku":"9780007161782","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0600\/7029\/7806\/products\/9780007161782.jpg?v=1647744784","url":"https:\/\/pickwickbookshop.com\/products\/9780007161782","provider":"Pickwick Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}