{"product_id":"9781926936659","title":"Hoaxes and Hexes: Daring Deceptions and Mysterious Curses","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe \u003ci\u003eCanadian Oxford Dictionary\u003c\/i\u003e defines \u003ci\u003ehoax\u003c\/i\u003e as a “humorous or malicious deception,” and \u003ci\u003ehex\u003c\/i\u003e as “a magic spell.” In \u003ci\u003eHoaxes and Hexes\u003c\/i\u003e, Barbara Smith explores these intriguing reflections of human nature, showing our curious desire to believe in the impossible and explain the inexplicable. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHere are tales of swindlers, charlatans and imposters, among them the flamboyant 19th-century financier known as Lord Gordon-Gordon; David Walsh, author of the horrendous Bre-X gold-mine hoax of the 1990s; and the eccentric Josef Papp, who claimed to have crossed the Atlantic in a homemade submarine. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe persistent power of hexes is recorded in stories of cursed places— including a strange haunting in the Cypress Hills and a deadly Lake Superior lighthouse—and weird coincidences, such as the legendary Hollywood hex on Oscar-winning actresses. Whether you believe in the power of hoaxes or hexes or not, these bizarre stories show them to be a fascinating part of our history. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Heritage House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47157712027888,"sku":"9781926936659","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781926936659_p0.jpg?v=1763636108","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781926936659","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}