2. Con Artists and Consumer Culture

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Acknowledgments ix
4. Introduction 1
5. 1. This Is the Dawning of the Age of Enlightenment . . . and Pranks 25
6. 2. Con Artists and Consumer Culture 54
7. 3. Spirits in the Material World 73
8. 4. Meet the Illuminati 94
9. 5. The Golden Age of Newspaper Hoaxes 114
10. 6. Political Pranksters 130
11. 7. Prank Blowback 150
12. 8. A Satanic Panic 183
13. 9. Showbiz Tricksters and the Pop Underground 217
14. 10. An Education in Pranks 254
15. Conclusion: Reflections of a Prankster 275
16. Notes 287
17. Bibliography 311
18. Index 333
19. About the Author 355