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The Great Pretenders: The True Stories Behind Famous Historical Mysteries
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.
Hardcover
First published February 1, 2004
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About the author
Jan Bondeson
41 books62 followersOutside of his career in medicine, he has written several nonfiction books on a variety of topics, such as medical anomalies and unsolved murder mysteries.
Bondeson is the biographer of a predecessor of Jack the Ripper, the London Monster, who stabbed fifty women in the buttocks, of Edward 'the Boy' Jones, who stalked Queen Victoria and stole her underwear, and Greyfriars Bobby, a Scottish terrier who supposedly spent 14 years guarding his master's grave.
He is currently working as a senior lecturer and consultant rheumatologist at the Cardiff University School of Medicine.
(from Wikipedia)
Bondeson is the biographer of a predecessor of Jack the Ripper, the London Monster, who stabbed fifty women in the buttocks, of Edward 'the Boy' Jones, who stalked Queen Victoria and stole her underwear, and Greyfriars Bobby, a Scottish terrier who supposedly spent 14 years guarding his master's grave.
He is currently working as a senior lecturer and consultant rheumatologist at the Cardiff University School of Medicine.
(from Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
May 5, 2018
This book "only" goes into depth in 6 cases and they are all cases of people trying to prove they are royalty or noble birth.
What Bondeson does is give what is actually know to have happened historically and then start relaying the appearance of the person (or in many cases, multiple claimants), the various people that agreed he/she was who they said they were as well as the people who didn't. The multiple litigations with various witnesses and antics of the pretender and both sides of the case. Finishing each chapter with a clarification/explanation of why this person could or could not be who they claim to be.
For the most part these people are praying on the hopes of family and loyal followers who are basically unwilling to accept an unexpected and tragic death of a popular and loved notable person.
Even in the cases only touched on in the final chapter, Bonderson does not state with certainty that 'this is the answer'. He gives the reader the facts as he has discovered them and in the end, gives the reader the option of making their own decision.
What Bondeson does is give what is actually know to have happened historically and then start relaying the appearance of the person (or in many cases, multiple claimants), the various people that agreed he/she was who they said they were as well as the people who didn't. The multiple litigations with various witnesses and antics of the pretender and both sides of the case. Finishing each chapter with a clarification/explanation of why this person could or could not be who they claim to be.
For the most part these people are praying on the hopes of family and loyal followers who are basically unwilling to accept an unexpected and tragic death of a popular and loved notable person.
Even in the cases only touched on in the final chapter, Bonderson does not state with certainty that 'this is the answer'. He gives the reader the facts as he has discovered them and in the end, gives the reader the option of making their own decision.
March 26, 2018
Interesting subject matter, dry writing. The subject matter is imposters; people who have pretended to be famous lost individuals like The Lost Dauphine, or Anastasia. But it reads like a particularly boring research paper by an earnest and studious student.
The only part that relieved the tedium was the part about the reaction of the public and media to the DNA testing of the blood on Kasper Hauser's underwear-page 112. The situation wasn't funny, but the angry letters and the jokes made at the time struck me as very funny. Then, of all things, there is a discovery after the book has gone to press and it concerns the DNA results of Kasper Hauser's underwear - page 289. Poor Kasper Hauser was murdered, stabbed in the chest, and the blood ran down his abdomen, we think, but then maybe not. The bigger mystery is this, why was Kasper important enough to be murdered?? I didn't buy the "Evil Vagabond" theory. I thought the theory advanced by Dr. Hesse, that Kasper suffered from epilepsy and epidermolysis bullosa, made the most sense. Of course the growing up in the dark shed story was confabulation. But none of the theories make sense of why someone sought him out to murder him.
Anyway, historical cases of imposture and the evidence blah, blah, blah......., I appreciated learning the history, it really was interesting once I finished reading the boring writing and could just think about the cases. But, here is the thing, I just want to know who murdered Kasper Hauser and why.
The only part that relieved the tedium was the part about the reaction of the public and media to the DNA testing of the blood on Kasper Hauser's underwear-page 112. The situation wasn't funny, but the angry letters and the jokes made at the time struck me as very funny. Then, of all things, there is a discovery after the book has gone to press and it concerns the DNA results of Kasper Hauser's underwear - page 289. Poor Kasper Hauser was murdered, stabbed in the chest, and the blood ran down his abdomen, we think, but then maybe not. The bigger mystery is this, why was Kasper important enough to be murdered?? I didn't buy the "Evil Vagabond" theory. I thought the theory advanced by Dr. Hesse, that Kasper suffered from epilepsy and epidermolysis bullosa, made the most sense. Of course the growing up in the dark shed story was confabulation. But none of the theories make sense of why someone sought him out to murder him.
Anyway, historical cases of imposture and the evidence blah, blah, blah......., I appreciated learning the history, it really was interesting once I finished reading the boring writing and could just think about the cases. But, here is the thing, I just want to know who murdered Kasper Hauser and why.
March 13, 2008
This book is not even remotely what I thought it was going to be and it was a delightful surprise. While it does address "historical mysteries" it would be more accurate to say it addresses cases of false identity in the 1800s-1900s. Lost of long lost heirs, tsars posing as monks and Lords posing as shopkeepers.
Each chapter starts with the story as it unfolded at the time and then moves to the expert opinions and the facts of the cases as we know them now. The author does a fantastic job summarizing and in places synthesizing the existing information into a coherent and entertaining whole. Just enough detail for a casual reader and it never falls into the trap of becoming too much like the kind of book you'd only read if you were either VERY interested in the subject or were having to write a research paper on it. I MUST find more of this author's work. It's so rare to find a light and breezy voice in this sort of ambitious, sweeping non-fic work.
Each chapter starts with the story as it unfolded at the time and then moves to the expert opinions and the facts of the cases as we know them now. The author does a fantastic job summarizing and in places synthesizing the existing information into a coherent and entertaining whole. Just enough detail for a casual reader and it never falls into the trap of becoming too much like the kind of book you'd only read if you were either VERY interested in the subject or were having to write a research paper on it. I MUST find more of this author's work. It's so rare to find a light and breezy voice in this sort of ambitious, sweeping non-fic work.
September 21, 2010
A fascinating look at several of the most famous cases of 'pretenders' in (mostly) 19th century Europe: everything from the Lost Dauphin of France, to Kaspar Hauser, to a potential Duke of Portland.
The latter leads to one of my favorite sentences in a book in a long time:
"Its principal actors were a duke who liked solitude, a shopkeeper who liked big bushy beards, a lady who liked beating people up with her umbrella, a homeopathic doctor who liked to imitate a performing bear, and an Australian carpenter who liked money. A clever private detective was employed to resolve the question that was consuming all England with curiosity: was the shopkeeper really the duke in a false beard?"
The latter leads to one of my favorite sentences in a book in a long time:
"Its principal actors were a duke who liked solitude, a shopkeeper who liked big bushy beards, a lady who liked beating people up with her umbrella, a homeopathic doctor who liked to imitate a performing bear, and an Australian carpenter who liked money. A clever private detective was employed to resolve the question that was consuming all England with curiosity: was the shopkeeper really the duke in a false beard?"
March 28, 2023
Six historical mysteries, mostly from the nineteenth century, are explored here:
1) The 'Lost Dauphin' of France, aka Louis XVII
2) Kaspar Hauser
3) Tsar Alexander I
4) Princess Olive
5) The Tichborne Claimant
6) The 5th Duke of Portland
The title is something of a misnomer, as in only two of the cases (#1 and #5) did actual pretenders surface. #2 is a tragic mystery which later had another story attached to it, #3 is supposedly a story of a faked death, while #4 & #6 are tales of outright grifters.
Each of these was interesting in their own right, and the author brings medical evidence (historic and contemporary) to the table in an attempt to solve the mysteries. The 5th Duke of Portland deserves a book unto himself, because he pretty much is a case in point for eccentric aristocrats with more money than sense.
The author touches on twentieth-century pretenders, and the fact that the phenomenon continues to this day, even with all the advancements in medical and forensic technology. The fact that some people can still just spin a good tale and get away with crazy shit is pretty amazing.
1) The 'Lost Dauphin' of France, aka Louis XVII
2) Kaspar Hauser
3) Tsar Alexander I
4) Princess Olive
5) The Tichborne Claimant
6) The 5th Duke of Portland
The title is something of a misnomer, as in only two of the cases (#1 and #5) did actual pretenders surface. #2 is a tragic mystery which later had another story attached to it, #3 is supposedly a story of a faked death, while #4 & #6 are tales of outright grifters.
Each of these was interesting in their own right, and the author brings medical evidence (historic and contemporary) to the table in an attempt to solve the mysteries. The 5th Duke of Portland deserves a book unto himself, because he pretty much is a case in point for eccentric aristocrats with more money than sense.
The author touches on twentieth-century pretenders, and the fact that the phenomenon continues to this day, even with all the advancements in medical and forensic technology. The fact that some people can still just spin a good tale and get away with crazy shit is pretty amazing.
February 15, 2016
Good for what it was, but I expected to hear a few stories that weren't included in detail, like Princess Anastasia's. The author touches on her and more modern pretenders in the last chapter, but mostly focuses on historical characters. I didn't find it especially hard to follow, but I have a good general knowledge of history. Unfortunately, these sort of "pretenders" no longer surface as often due to DNA evidence, which makes it even more hilarious when they do, but refuse testing. Overall, not my favorite Bondeson work, but if you like his writing, it's an interesting departure from his usual subjects.
October 13, 2021
A fascination with Kaspar Hauser made me give this book a second glance (this well-researched book says he was NOT the Prince of Baden). And then there's the legendary rumor, never laid to rest, of France's lost dauphin, Louis XVII--did he survive the tower? Sadly, no. There are other stories of lesser known royalty, morganatic marriages and questionable bloodlines. But none have fanned more curiosity than the story of Kaspar Hauser and the possibility that a Bourbon family tree exists to this day.
December 16, 2009
Suffers the same fate as virtually every other book about unexplained historical cases...it doesn't explain them. I can't blame the book for failing to meet my unrealistic expectations, but you know what? I'm going to anyway.
Written by a British doctor, and reads like it. Could have used some crappy TV re-enactments.
Written by a British doctor, and reads like it. Could have used some crappy TV re-enactments.
June 10, 2012
I think I'd have liked this book better had I known more of the pretender stories before I read it. I was interested to read about Kasper Hauser, but most of the rest I knew nothing about, and the book is written in a fairly dry way. Since I did like the Hauser chapter, despite the dry writing, someone who knows more background information might like the whole book.
January 8, 2009
More on frauds throughout history - Louis XVII, pretenders to various thrones, missing persons turning up years later (and much altered), and the very fascinating Kaspar Hauser.
November 8, 2024
Also in this volume the author proves his talent for picking out interesting historic cases: the lost Dauphin, false Dauphins all over the world, Kaspar Hauser, the Emperor and the hermit, the Duke of Baker Street, Anastasia... some of those characters are still known today and their cases as mysterious as back then. With interesting photos and illustrations. Well researched, intriguing and highly recommended.
July 31, 2022
Great fun and sensible book about some of the famous cases of people pretending to be long lost royals, etc. I don't think it is really a spoiler to say that none of them ever turn out to be who they claim to be.
January 10, 2019
Served my purposes well, it was exactly what I needed. Quick but well researched stories of historical mysteries and people pretending to be someone they aren't.
November 19, 2020
While I admire the premise, it never cohered into an historical interlude as originally set up.
November 16, 2011
The great pretenders details the cases of 6 historical mysteries, aka cases of historical impersonation. Each chapter, which presented a case, included the known (and claimed) information, opposing viewpoints, as well as the author's opinion. Easily a book to pick up and read a chapter at a time, though I could have done without the inclusion of the author's opinion. Give me the facts and then let me make up my mind. The writing was a bit sloggy at times, but I would definitely look up the author's other works at some later date.
December 30, 2014
It was interesting to learn about all of the different historical mysteries discussed by Bondeson in this book, especially since I had not heard of most of them before picking it up. My only criticism is that some of the stories got a bit confusing for me, and I felt a little lost. It felt like you needed to do your own research and know the back stories before reading his descriptions of the mysteries. Other than that, it was a pretty interesting read.
January 7, 2011
This was a fun read for those who are fascinated by true historical mysteries. The author uses modern science and careful review of available documents to lead the reader to the most rational conclusions - mostly debunking the 'pretenders.' The fun part is where there's enough room for doubt for those of you who harbor suspicions that you're descended from long lost royalty!
September 6, 2012
Really enjoyed this one. It's a collection of mysteries, but it's also real people and real history! I think I always wanted to believe the claiments, but even if they are shot down with science I don't feel disappointed. The author does have a good handle on medical vocabulary. I really want to read his other books!
August 25, 2013
This was a lot of fun and very interesting, particularly because I knew of only a few of the cases discussed. I was more familiar with some of the examples mentioned at the end of the book. I was particularly pleased by the author's critical and logical evaluation of the available evidence, regardless of how spurious it appeared to be.
March 9, 2009
This was not as good as it should have been. I slugged through it, then quit before reading the last chapter. The title made it sound like the mysteries had been figured out, but all he did was list the possibilities. It was frustrating!
December 24, 2009
Profiles of historical figures who have had pretenders impersonate them after their deaths. Fascinating subject that isn't fully explored by the author, a man of limited talents, but a fun read nonetheless.
January 7, 2009
Very interesting to read about "what really happened".
October 20, 2013
I had never heard of most of these pretenders but it was a fascinating read. It is amazing the lengths people will go through for money or fame.
March 17, 2013
Fun read, nothing really knew about the cases with which I am familiar, but the Hauser chapter was fascinating. That being said, the true geek will want to dive right into more substantial texts.
June 30, 2015
A fun read about people pretending to be people they aren't and their ultimately futile efforts to be believed.
June 26, 2013
Quite intriguing, although the author sometimes shows an unfair bias when discussing the French Revolution.
July 4, 2013
Weren't there more interesting pretenders in history for author to pick on?
November 6, 2015
Exactly the book I needed. Fun and highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews