The Book of Brilliant Hoaxes

A collection of the greatest practical jokes, both sophisticated and simple, perpetrated by seasoned professionals, opportunists, artful dodgers and wily rogues, from the worlds of art, theatre, cinema, newspapers, television and radio through to the sciences, academia and politics. For example: in 1935 hundreds of art lovers gathered around a corned beef model of Van Gogh's ear at the Museum of Modern Art in New York; in 1973 Spike Milligan convinced thousands of BBC listeners that humans could catch Dutch Elm Disease; and in 1980 the BBC World Service caused consternation around the globe with their story that Big Ben was going to be changed to a digital face.