Synopses & Reviews
Jan Bondeson, M.D., focuses his medical expertise and insightful wit on the great unsolved mysteries of disputed identity of the last two hundred years. Did the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette really die in the Temple Tower, or did the Lost Dauphin reappear among the throngs of pretenders to the throne? And what does DNA testing reveal about the Dauphin's mummified heart? Who was Kaspar Hauser: an abused child, the crown prince of Baden, or a pathological liar? In this highly entertaining work covering the most famous cases of disputed identity, Jan Bondeson uncovers all the evidence, then applies his medical knowledge and logical thinking to ascertain the true stories behind these fascinating histories. "Bondeson examines hitherto neglected documents and adds his valuable medical knowledge....Entertaining studies of classic imposters and a public inclined to be gullible even before the age of TV."--
Synopsis
Most countries have their own national mysteries that have never been solved, enigmatic figures who have disappeared, pretenders who have surfaced to claim their rights, and many of these are now in the realms of folklore and legend. However, in this study, six case studies are reopened and re-examined using modern historical and medical science, including DNA technology. Among those investigated by Bondeson are the fate of the son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the identity of the German Kaspar Hauser, the faked death of Tsar Alexander I, and the alleged secret marriage of George III. A light-hearted read for the curious.
Synopsis
"A guilty pleasure....The Victorian-era courtroom antics alone are worth the price of admission."--
About the Author
Jan Bondeson, a physician, holds a Ph.D. in experimental medicine and works at the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology in London.