Scandal!: Private Stories of Public Shame - Tapa dura

An encyclopedia of scandal and intrigue. Containing the facts on events that those in public life both in Europe and the USA would much rather were private, this book includes occasions when the "spin" of Britain's New Labour government has spun out of control - not that the Conservatives are spared either, of course - and chronicles those named in Congressional hearings into the Reagan administration's guns-for-drugs fiasco have retained influence and political power. Hollywood and the unreal world of celebrity provide fertile ground for gossip, much of it - such as the way that film director Roman Polanski's past has come back to haunt him - hush, hush and strictly on the QT. And while we understand more than ever that being economical with the truth is a basic political skill, scandals involving eminent political players - from Bill Clinton to Gary Condit and from Jeffrey Archer to Steven Byers - have shown that politicians can still surprise us with their fallibility and humanity. Meanwhile, the 21st century has seen the results of ongoing financial impropriety at the heart of corporate America where revelations - such as those concerning Enron and Arthur Anderson - give lie to the idea that accountants are boring! In addition to giving the reader enough dirt to dine out on, this book also takes a look at what ingredients make a good scandal in our jaded age. From paedophile priests protected by ecclesiastical establishments around the world, to family members - from Billy Carter to Jenna and Noel Bush - who embarrass their presidential clans, "Scandal!" has it all.

Colin Wilson has been a major influence in the areas of esoteric thought and true crime. From his debut with The Outsider in the 1950s, which led to friendships with many literary figures of the day. Wilson has never been afraid to surprise his readers. Wilson's career has spanned the publication of over sixty books, including The Occult, A Criminal History of Mankind and From Atlantis to the Sphinx. He lives in Cornwall. Damon Wilson's first book was The Encyclopaedia of Unsolved Mysteries (published 1987). Since then he has written over a dozen titles on subjects such varied as spontaneous human combustion, alien encounters, serial crime, espionage and religious cults. He is currently working as journalist and as a creative writing consultant. He lives in London.