Always a natural companion to capitalism, bankruptcy has become much more prevalent in the public consciousness since the global financial crisis. This volume, from an international set of scholars, focuses on bankruptcy in early modern Europe, when its frequency made it not only an economic problem but the great personal and social tragedy it has become. "This book should provide an essential starting point for the comparative historical analysis of one of the central features of capitalism. In addition, it suggests the rich sources that the records of economic failure can provide for historians to answer a wide array of questions."-Bradley A. Hansen, Department of Economics, University of Mary Washington