Review of "The Museum of Hoaxes" by Alex Boese

Alex Boese is the curator of this curious museum. He tells us right off that a "hoax" is always a lie or a deception. Then he informs us that the tale about the suicidal lemmings and the legend that Eskimos having one hundred different words for snow are both hoaxes. You have been duped, he says. I know I have.

Next we launch into the history of a slew of hoaxes that you may already know about, but many of them will be new information and astounding that anyone believed in them. Well, I did believe that the lemmings hurled themselves into the sea. I am sure you may have heard that a cross-dressing Ken doll appeared in a Toys 'R' Us store in Japan. Just wait until you read about the lady who was giving birth to rabbits. There are lots of hoax tales to read about and you may find this is a fascinating book as the hoaxes and urban legends have evolved along with the times.