{"product_id":"a-story-of-ambition-in-50-hoaxes","title":"A Story of Ambition in 50 Hoaxes","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe con artists in this book pursued a variety of ambitions-making money, winning wars, mocking authority, finding fame, trading an ordinary life for a glamorous one-but they all chose the lowest, fastest road to get there. Every hoax is a curtain, and behind it is a deceiver operating levers and smoke machines to make us see what is not there and miss what is. As P.T. Barnum knew, you can short-circuit critical thinking in any century by telling people what they want to hear. Most scams operate on a personal scale, but some have shaped the balance of world power, inspired explorers to sail uncharted seas, derailed scientific progress, or caused terrible massacres. A HISTORY OF AMBITION IN 50 HOAXES guides us through a rogue's gallery of hustlers, liars, swindlers, imposters, scammers, pretenders, and cheats. In Gale Eaton's wide-ranging synthesis, the history of deception is a colorful tour, with surprising insights behind every curtain. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFountas \u0026amp; Pinnell Level Z+\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Phillip Hoose","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42828195102781,"sku":"9780884484929","price":22.46,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0597\/7689\/2989\/files\/9780884484929_882e23ba-b170-413d-827e-85fb3a627f79.jpg?v=1766950085","url":"https:\/\/www.palmleaf.com.au\/products\/a-story-of-ambition-in-50-hoaxes","provider":"Palmleaf","version":"1.0","type":"link"}