Description

"Charlatan" is a thoroughly entertaining and historical account of events that so captures the flavor of an era, and with such a wildly improbable cast of characters, it rivals "Ragtime." What intensifies its impact is that it's not fiction--in fact, you couldn't make up this kind of weird stuff! (Well, unless you're the Coen Brothers...maybe they'll be interested in the movie rights.) What struck me was the parallel between how easily an arch con man exploited an unwitting public looking for miracles then and the willingness of the American public today to be gulled by the contemporary cast of political and economic spinmasters. Brock's account perfectly illustrates the rise of public relations (corporations telling people what they think and what they want) to an art form. Plus you've got to love his masterful writing and wry observations.

Updated Jun 10, 2008