'My Life as a Fake'

Frederick C. Ewing, "I, Libertine." In the mid 1950s, legendary New York radio personality Jean Shepherd, who turned listeners on to Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and many other emerging writers, urged listeners to go to their local bookstores to demand "I, Libertine," the story of a 17th century English rake by a noted expert of 18th century erotica. Neither the book nor the author existed, but Shepherd's gag created a sensation, writes Eric Fettman at www.sniggle.net. "A Columbia student submitted a review of 'I, Libertine' as his thesis -- a B-plus. A Rutgers professor returned one meticulously footnoted paper on the fictitious Ewing with a note commending the student on his 'superb research.' " The book was banned in Boston, and "New York Post gossip columnist Earl Wilson published a blurb, claiming he'd 'had lunch with Freddy Ewing yesterday,' " Fettman writes. The Wall Street Journal uncovered the hoax several weeks later, but Shepherd got the last laugh: He and a friend were paid by Ballantine Books to write the book, which came out in 1956.

~ from Memorable Literary Hoaxes ~