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Podcast: Dan Snow's History Hit
Episode: The Magic Circle & Hoaxes in History
Description: Hoaxes and magic were widespread in 18th century Britain. From a woman who claimed to birth rabbits, to a man who said heβd climb into a bottle in front of a live audience, many of the claims sound laughably unbelievable to us today. But at the time, these sorts of hoaxes were widely influential, even drawing in celebrities of the day such as Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Swift. This episode, Dan is joined by joined by historian and magician, Ian Keable, who details some of the most bamboozling hoaxes of the 18th century and why the public fell for th...