Encyclopedia of Hoaxes

Farmington Hills, Michigan, U.S.A.: Gale Group. New. 1993. Hardcover. 0810384140 .*** FREE UPGRADE to Courier/Priority Shipping Upon Request *** – – *** IN STOCK AND IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE FOR SHIPMENT - FLAWLESS COPY, PRISTINE, NEVER OPENED 347 pages; clean and crisp, tight and bright pages, with no writing or markings to the text. -- DESCRIPTION: Library Journal: "This encyclopedia is in many ways similar to Facts on File's Hoaxes and Scams ( LJ 8/93): it covers much the same ground and even looks nearly identical in layout. Gale's book, however, eschews cons and scams and focuses strictly on hoaxes, which it defines as intentional deception. In spite of this criteria, many nonhoaxes appear, such as the uncontrollable rumors concerning the Proctor & Gamble logo, the War of the Worlds broadcast, and research by sincere if misguided individuals. In one section, seven pages are spent in a scientific refutation that Noah's Ark could ever have existed, an incongruous piece to appear here. Stein (Univ. Of Rhode Island) takes his subject seriously, giving the book a lecturing tone, and he employs an overkill of italics, perhaps to assure that readers not miss any points. Some entries, written by contributors, are signed, and a list of sources concludes each section. The book is organized into 27 subject categories (e. G. , art hoaxes, literary hoaxes) and concludes with a bibliography that is nothing more than a reprinting of the source notes, again by subject. Inexcusably, the volume is laced with typos, mispunctuations, and proofreading oversights. Of the recent titles on hoaxes, Facts on File's is preferred." .-- James Moffet, Baldwin P. L. -- with a bonus offer-- .