Conspiracy theories are deeply embedded in the U.S. psyche. More than a third of voters believe a secretive power elite is conspiring to rule the world. Half think there Oswald did not act alone. 7 percent say the landing on the moon was faked. As the National Security Agency scandal most-recently illustrated, such fears sometimes have roots in reality. But where do you draw the line between healthy scepticism of official accounts and paranoia? EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CONSPIRACIES explores this timely and enduring question.
Conspiracy theorists have been a force across the political spectrum in the United States from the Colonial era to the present. Conspiracy theories played major roles in conflicts from the Indian wars of the 17th century to the labour battles of the Gilded Age, from the American Revolution to Watergate, TWA Flight 800, September 11, the scandals of Dominque Strauss-Kahn and Edward Snowden.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CONSPIRACIES will be an up-to-date, provocative, visual guide to these enduring ideas, the people behind them, and their role shaping public opinion. The chapters will not prove or disprove the theories, but instead will highlight the most important ones and engage curious readers in the ongoing debate about conspiracies. Using photographs, artwork, informative charts, timelines and infographics, the book will illustrate ideas with strong images and easy-to-digest text. It will follow naturally in the footsteps of such Time-Life titles Mysteries of the Unknown and Mysteries of the Criminal Mind, which probe history in unexpected ways for curious readers.
