Pranksters: Making Mischief in the Modern World
"The story of how mischief-makers hope to change the world one prank at a time...McLeod’s renditions of his own pranks bring sparkle and humor to the serious message of his book."-Kirkus Reviews,"Throughout history, Western society has been thrown into confusion, disarray, and laughter by the work of hucksters and con artists.  Pranksters reveals how these mischief makers have left an educational and entertaining mark on our modern social and political life.  Writer and filmmaker, Kembrow, a prankster himself, argues that these actions underscore larger, pointed truths by disrupting the daily flow of approved information and news."-utne.com,"From Jonathan Swift's 'A Modest Proposal' to the modern 'hacktivists' of anonymous 'spoofing' corporations and governments, McLeod, the man who actually trademarked the phrase 'Freedom of Expression,' examines hoaxes, pranks, and successful feats of trickery that inspire widespread public amazement and reinforce the need to critically assess miraculous stories or occurrences.  He shares thoughtful insights into both lighthearted hoaxes like the Feejee mermaid and well-known darker pranks, such as the 17th century Illuminati conspiracy created by a college student or the 1980s 'Satanic Panic.'  Benjamin Franklin (who borrowed liberally from Swift) and P.T. Barnum are notable, famous tricksters, but McLeod's description of the lonely, blind phone-phreakers who created their own 'electronic social net-work' in the 1960s speaks to the primary need for expression and connection commonly found among the perpetrators.  McLeod entertains and engages readers with everything from Thomas Paine to T-Pain in this clever mix of historical figures' imaginative pranks and modern attempts to capture public attention."   -Publishers Weekly,An occasional prankster himself, McLeod (communication studies, Univ. of Iowa; Creative License) uses sly humor to explore the ways in which public opinion has been and can be manipulated by some unlikely deceptions.  With looks at Rosicrucians, secret societies, spiritualists, conspiracies, John Birchers, Merry Pranksters, and a vast array of printed and broadcast hoaxes, McLeod weaves a tale of fantasies that sparked social commentaries and persisted for years or sometimes centuries.  The author concludes with a description of his participation in a number of pranks and his perspective about his success and failure communicating his message....Verdict Students of media or publishing history in the West will appreciate the comprehensive survey of untruths and their enduring legacy.  -Library Journal,Barbara Ferrara, Chesterfield Cty. P.L., VA"It's fantastic! Finally, a book that rescues the critically important art of the prank. Thanks toPranksters, we finally understand what we've been trying to do all these years. No joke! Read it, and get out there and apply it!"-The Yes Men,