Phoenix: The Whispering Gallery: Leaves from a Diplomat's Diary

First published in 1926, this celebrated hoax became an immediate bestseller—and the subject of a famous court case. The originally anonymous author put forth delicious, intimate recollections of his friends and acquaintances in the highest social and diplomatic circles all across Europe. From the "Napoleon of Fleet Street" to warriors, empire builders, and despots (Lenin and Mussolini), these hilarious and illuminating descriptions actually revealed how these movers and shakers manipulated the public and their associates alike. "One of the most audacious literary confidence tricks of the twentieth century."—Michael Holroyd.