Whoppers: History's Most Outrageous Lies and Liars

Interesting book - my 5th-6th graders also enjoyed the stories.

I'm a parent with a family of boys. This book is hard to put down. This family has devoured the book.The book is mostly non-political, in a way that makes it a refreshing change from most of 2015.The format of the book is fun. Each section begins with a questionnaire: have you ever told lies this big? It's a great teaser. Then each liar gets about three pages, usually an illustration, and a couple of boxes of historical trivia.The liars include:Mary Toft, gave birth to rabbitsJonathan Swift, eating human babiesP. T. Barnum, everythingGeorge Psalmanazar, FormosaWashington Irving, flat earth in Columbia's timeMedia, King Tut's curseHomer, Trojan horseClever Hans, mathH. L. Mencken, Millard Fillmore bathtubListerine, halitosisMitsubishi Ikeda, poop burgersMattie Griffith, escaped slaveryWilliam Henry Ireland, discovered new ShakespeareFrank Abagnale, everythingMillions Vanilli, singingJames Frey, everythingLonelygirl15, everythingCassie Chadwick, Carneige's love childAnna Anderson, Anastasia RomanovAnne Bonny and Mary Read, male impersonatorsDeborah Sampson, male impersonatorBenjamin Franklin, pen nameMary Ann Evans, pen nameCharles Ponzi, con artistVictor Lustig, con artistBernie Madoff, con artistLeo X, buy your way into heavenSun Myung Moon, tax cheatPeter Popoff, con artistMichael Mann, environmental con artistCharles Van Doren, quiz show cheaterRosie Ruiz, marathon cheaterLance Armstrong, bike cheaterLittle Blue AlienCrop CirclesAlien AutopsyCardiff GiantLoch Ness MonsterBigfootFairiesMarie Antoinette psychicsHaunted House investigatorsThe sideline facts are memorable and enhance the book. It's very well done.There's quite a bit of name calling, which jars the reader out of the mood of the book. George III is a "jerk," Ben Franklin's brother is a "jerkface," Lance Armstrong is a "jerk." None of the bi7chy women are called bi7ches, so that's a relief. Some of the name calling is too sexualized. George Eliot is a "cougar;" Anne Hathaway is a "cougar."The book does a great job of examining the Belief vs. Reason dichotomy.Two typos: p 126, " in a one area". Page 149, halfway down, should be "knowing," not know.The bibliography editorialized. No index, limited table of contents. More books like this, please.

A amazing read! This author knows, I mean knows her stuff. I mean the bit about Stephen Volk reminded me of Orson Wells War of the Worlds broadcast. If you want to find out about some of the worlds greatest hoaxes, lies, cheats, and scams this is the book for you!

Poorly written

When I opened the packaging, there was a gross sticky substance on the cover of the book.