What is a hoax? Dr. MacDougall (Professor of Journalism at Northwestern University) defines it as "a deliberately concocted untruth made to masquerade as fact," and proceeds to recount some of the most fascinating and amazing frauds ever perpetrated in the history of the world. Witty, entertaining, and thoroughly documented, this book covers hundreds of deceptions from history faking, to practical jokes, publicity stunts, confidence schemes, faked art objects, journalistic hoaxes, scientific fakes, medical frauds, and many more in every field of human activity.

This title is no longer in print.