DD 001-005.999 Tony; The Great Pretenders 001.95 BON

"The Great Pretenders" By Jan Bondeson is a collection of essays based on the mysterious lives of several well known cases of identity thief. One may think identity theft is a relatively new thing thanks to the internet. However, the author, who is also a medical professor in Wales, proves that it's an activity that's being going in Europe at least since the waning days of the French Revolution, when almost 200 people claimed to be the missing Dauphin of France.
Other cases of fraudulent claimants include a Siberia Holy Man who was believed to be the deceased Emperor of Russia, Alexander I; Young Kaspar Huaser, a teenager whose sudden appearance in Germany and claim to be imprisoned in a dungeon his entire life, led many to be believe he was the Crown Prince of Baden; and the disappearance of one Sir Roger Tichborne and the man who 20 years later claimed to be him, just 200 lbs heavier and unable to speech his native language of French.
The most interesting essay in The Great Pretenders is Bondeson's examination into the popular British rumor that King George the First was secretly married at age 13, to a woman 15 years his senior named Hannah Lightfoot. If the rumor is true, George and Hannah had a child who later moved south. Meaning that our current British Royal family is not Elizabeth and her son Charles, but a black, South African family by the name of Rex.
Bondeson's book was a rather interesting read. He presents clear interesting facts and is a master of dialogue. However, each essay has a bunch of characters and at times, it's hard to keep folks straight. I don't know if this is history's fault or the author's. But it is a fascinating read and I would like to read some of Bondeson's other books, especially his Feejee Mermaid and Other Essays Natural and Unnatural Marvels.