Bio
Charles Mackay was a Scottish poet, journalist and prolific author best remembered for Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, a lively chronicle of mass delusion that remains a touchstone for studies of crowd psychology and popular superstition. He published widely—songs and poems (including the enormously popular "Cheer Boys Cheer"), historical sketches, travel writing, a historical romance and expansive recollections—combining reportage, wit and a knack for narrative that appealed to a broad readership. As an editor and correspondent he helped shape Victorian public opinion, bringing a reporter’s eye to literature and history and translating contemporary events into accessible prose. Though some of his etymological speculations were disputed by scholars, his talent as a storyteller and cultural critic secured a lasting place for his work in popular literature and social commentary.
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