Overview

You don't need to be wearing a tinfoil hat to accept that Lincoln was assassinated by a conspiracy-it's a historical fact. But these days the phrase conspiracy theory has become synonymous with labyrinthine plots and nebulous clues hidden in blown-up photos and arcane paintings. The simple suggestion of a conspiracy is often dismissed by the mainstream media as if inherently impossible. That's What They Want You to Think sorts through the most well-known theories-both historically accepted and summarily dismissed-to provide an overview of the real, the possible, and the paranoid. Conspiracies covered include Pearl Harbor, JFK, MLK, Lincoln, Princess Diana, John Lennon, Roswell, Freemasons, Watergate, 9/11 and more!

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9780760341247

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Reviews

<p> This lively book looks at a variety of conspiracy theories--many well-known, others not so much--from a historical, investigative point of view. Simpson approaches theories about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, for example, by laying out the accepted version of events, then briefly analyzing how some alternative theories either jibe with or depart from the historical record. Discussing the notion that NASA faked the moon landings, he shows how many of the theory's key allegations are the results of wishful thinking and a lack of scientific knowledge on the part of the theorists. The scope of the book is limited to conspiracy theories that have some vague substance to them (hence, David Icke's claim that the world is secretly run by shape-changing reptiles is dismissed), and Simpson adopts an evenhanded reasonableness to demonstrate the tenuousness of the theories. It's also worth noting that some of the theories in the book are legit. There really was a conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln, just not the one some people have imagined. Well worthwhile. - Booklist

Author Information

Paul Simpson is currently the editor of Star Trek Magazine, the official licensed magazine of the long-running TV and movie franchise. He is the author of many books on pop culture, including the official books charting the making of Farscape, Smallville, and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, as well as The Bond Files, and a biography of Nicole Kidman. (West Sussex, England)

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