Quotes from Mike Dash

psychopaths have a narcissistic and grossly inflated view of their self-worth and importance, a truly astonishing egocentricity and sense of entitlement, and see themselves as the centre of the universe, as superior beings who are justified in living according to their own rules.

The pack of all disasters has moulded together and fallen on my neck." FRANCISCO PELSAERT

Who Wants to Be Stabbed to Death?" "What a godless life is that which has been lived here." FRANCISCO PELSAERT

the disease killed eight thousand...between its first appearance in October 1635 and its eventual disappearance in July 1637...The appalling impact of the plague had two significant consequences. One was that it created a shortage of labor and thus resulted in a rise in wages as employers competed for man-power.

Solo en Little Italy quebraron veinticinco bancos, y su bancarrota costó a doce mil clientes los ahorros de toda su vida. Cientos de pequeñas empresas se fueron a pique. Solo las que estaban bien consolidadas, bien dirigidas y bien administradas tuvieron posibilidades de sobrevivir.

Ley Seca no tuvo ningún efecto perceptible en la demanda de cerveza, vino y licores; especialmente en Nueva York, donde se estimaba que las 16.000 tabernas que existían en la ciudad antes de la aprobación de la Ley Volstead habían sido reemplazadas por 32.000 bares clandestinos.