Description
What do the Trojan Horse, Piltdown Man, Keely Motor Company, and Ponzi Scheme have in common? They were all famous hoaxes, carefully designed and bolstered with false evidence.
The con artists in this book pursued a variety of ambitions—making money, winning wars, mocking authority, finding fame, trading an ordinary life for a glamorous one—but they all chose the lowest, fastest road to get there. Every hoax is a curtain, and behind it is a deceiver operating levers and smoke machines to make us see what is not there and miss what is. As P.T. Barnum knew, you can short-circuit critical thinking in any century by telling people what they want to hear. Most scams operate on a personal scale, but some have shaped the balance of world power, inspired explorers to sail uncharted seas, derailed scientific progress, or caused terrible massacres. A HISTORY OF AMBITION IN 50 HOAXES guides us through a rogue’s gallery of hustlers, liars, swindlers, imposters, scammers, pretenders, and cheats. In Gale Eaton’s wide-ranging synthesis, the history of deception is a colorful tour, with surprising insights behind every curtain.
Fountas & Pinnell Level Z+
Reviews
"This highly entertaining and unusual book takes a fresh and sophisticated approach to world history. Brief but informative sections detail hoaxes and unsolved mysteries from ancient times to the present, and from the familiar (the Trojan Horse) to the more obscure (the 1971 discovery of alleged Stone Age tribe the Tasaday). A fascinating read for high schoolers and adults. Extensive source notes are appended. Glos., ind. Subjects: General and World History; Swindlers and swindling; Hoaxes; Behavior—Truthfulness and falsehood" — Horn Book
"The hoaxes here are colorful by far. Eaton doesn't sensationalize them; the stories [are] allowed to speak for themselves, and they display great grip. There is a hoax for every mood: cheat, propaganda, assault, cruelty, inventions of merit, a more nuanced appreciation of art, and marvel. We have met the hoaxsters, and they are us: family stories, human progress, and often enough the pinball nature of our history." — Kirkus
"In a broad-ranging and fascinating study of artifice, Eaton raises intriguing questions about human instincts, especially the ones to deceive and believe. Simultaneously available: A History of Travel in 50 Vehicles. Ages 12–up." — Publishers Weekly
Also By: Gale Eaton 
A Story of Ambition in 50 Hoaxes: From the Trojan Horse to Fake Tech Support
Paperback, 2019
Starred Youth Services Book Review
What do the Trojan Horse, Piltdown Man, Keely Motor Company, and Ponzi Scheme have in common? They were all famous hoaxes, carefully designed and bolstered with...
A Story of Civilization in 50 Disasters: From the Minoan Volcano to Climate Change
Paperback, 2019
A Story of Medicine in 50 Discoveries: From Mummies to Gene Splicing
Paperback, 2019
Starred Youth Services Book Review
Vigliani and Eaton’s high-interest exploration of medicine begins in prehistory.
Also By: Phillip Hoose
A Story of Travel in 50 Vehicles: From Shoes to Space Shuttles
Paperback, 2019
Starred Youth Services Book Review
Paula Grey explores how creative thinkers—sometimes collaborating, sometimes competing, and always building on the work of their predecessors—have envisioned new...
A Story of Ambition in 50 Hoaxes: From the Trojan Horse to Fake Tech Support
Paperback, 2019
Starred Youth Services Book Review
What do the Trojan Horse, Piltdown Man, Keely Motor Company, and Ponzi Scheme have in common? They were all famous hoaxes, carefully designed and bolstered with...
A Story of Civilization in 50 Disasters: From the Minoan Volcano to Climate Change
Paperback, 2019
A Story of Medicine in 50 Discoveries: From Mummies to Gene Splicing
Paperback, 2019
Starred Youth Services Book Review
Vigliani and Eaton’s high-interest exploration of medicine begins in prehistory.
A History of Travel in 50 Vehicles
Hardback, 2019
Paula Grey explores how creative thinkers—collaborating or competing and always building on the work of their predecessors—have envisioned new ways to move about in the world.
