Hoaxes and Hexes: Daring Deceptions and Mysterious Curses

by Barbara Smith

Overview

The Canadian Oxford Dictionary defines hoax as a “humorous or malicious deception,” and hex as “a magic spell.” In Hoaxes and Hexes, Barbara Smith explores these intriguing reflections of human nature, showing our curious desire to believe in the impossible and explain the inexplicable.

Here are tales of swindlers, charlatans and imposters, among them the flamboyant 19th-century financier known as Lord Gordon-Gordon; David Walsh, author of the horrendous Bre-X gold-mine hoax of the 1990s; and the eccentric Josef Papp, who claimed to have crossed the Atlantic in a homemade submarine.

The persistent power of hexes is recorded in stories of cursed places— including a strange haunting in the Cypress Hills and a deadly Lake Superior lighthouse—and weird coincidences, such as the legendary Hollywood hex on Oscar-winning actresses. Whether you believe in the power of hoaxes or hexes or not, these bizarre stories show them to be a fascinating part of our history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781926936659
Publisher:	Heritage House
Publication date:	03/29/2011
Series:	Amazing Stories
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
File size:	331 KB

About the Author

Barbara Smith is the bestselling author of more than 25 books. Keenly interested in Canadian social history, she writes on a variety of topics, from folklore to true crime. She has taught writing-related courses in schools from elementary to university level and for private industry. Barbara lives near Victoria, BC with her husband, Bob.

Table of Contents

Prologue 7

Introduction 9

Chapter 1 Famous Hoaxes 11

Chapter 2 Great Frauds and Swindlers 33

Chapter 3 Daring Imposters 47

Chapter 4 Spiritualism 67

Chapter 5 Out of This World 84

Chapter 6 No Hex Like an Old Hex 96

Chapter 7 Spooky Spots 110

Chapter 8 Sports and Entertainment Hexes 125

Bibliography 137

Index 140

Acknowledgements 143