The Century of Deception: The Birth of the Hoax in the Eighteenth Century
Zoomicon-zoom-in
The Century of Deception: The Birth of the Hoax in the Eighteenth Century

The Century of Deception: The Birth of the Hoax in the Eighteenth Century

By
Ian Keable (Author)  

Hardback

In Stock

Quantity

Also available on eBook for £10.99. Click here to purchase from Rakuten Kobo

In 1749, a newspaper advertisement appeared declaring that a man would climb inside a bottle on the stage of a London theatre. Although the crowds turned up in their hundreds to witness the trick, the performer didn't. Over the following decades, elaborate jokes and fanciful tales would continue to bamboozle people across England. In The Century of Deception, magician and historian Ian Keable tells the engrossing stories of these eighteenth-century hoaxes and those who were duped by them. The English public were hoodwinked time and time again, swallowing whole tales of rapping ghosts, a woman who gave birth to rabbits, a levitating Frenchman in a Chinese Temple and outrageous astrological predictions. Not only were the hoaxes widely influential, drawing in celebrities such as Samuel Johnson, Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Swift, they also inflamed concerns about 'English credulity'. Illustrations, unspecified
Ian Keable is a professional magician who has won several awards for his unique brand of comedy magic. He has made numerous appearances on television and has presented programmes for BBC Radio. His publications include Stand-Up: A Professional Guide to Comedy Magic and Charles Dickens Magician: Conjuring in Life, Letters and Literature.
  • Contributor: Ian Keable
  • Imprint: The Westbourne Press
  • ISBN13: 9781908906441
  • Number of Pages: 320
  • Packaged Dimensions: 156x234mm
  • Format: Hardback
  • Publisher: Saqi Books
  • Release Date: 2021-10-07
  • Binding: Hardback
  • Biography: Ian Keable is a professional magician who has won several awards for his unique brand of comedy magic. He has made numerous appearances on television and has presented programmes for BBC Radio. His publications include Stand-Up: A Professional Guide to Comedy Magic and Charles Dickens Magician: Conjuring in Life, Letters and Literature.

Delivery Options

Home Delivery

Store Delivery

Free Returns

We hope you are delighted with everything you buy from us. However, if you are not, we will refund or replace your order up to 30 days after purchase. Terms and exclusions apply; find out more from our Returns and Refunds Policy.