Charlatan

Pope Brock talked about his book Charlatan: America’s Most Dangerous Huckster, the Man Who Pursued Him, and the Age of Flimflam, published by Crown. In his book he chronicles the life of John R. Brinkley, whose dubious medical practice was the impetus for the institution of the American Medical Association as regulator of national medical standards. Mr. Brinkley, who also ran for governor of Kansas, launched the earliest partisan attack ads on broadcast airwaves and in his desire to reach a larger audience of potential patients created a radio transmitter that introduced country music to a great portion of the nation.

This event was hosted by The Book Stall at Chestnut Court in Winnetka, Illinois. close