The Humbugs of the World

The Humbugs of the World, subtitled "An Account of Humbugs, Delusions, Impositions, Quackeries, Deceits and Deceivers Generally, in All Ages" is a book about hoaxes by famous American businessman P. T. Barnum. Barnum tells tales of some of the world's greatest deceits, cheats, cons, and delusions, all of which go under the definition of "humbug". He takes the reader on a tour of flakes through history, describing the ways in which even the brightest fell for the conmen and hucksters of their times. The book also shows just how little changes through the centuries, and how many of the descriptions of cons, swindles and quacks are as relevant today as in Barnum's time.