VITA HISTORICA
Scandal!
Scandal! History
in Tabloids before Tabloids
Lahtinen, Anu: Skandaali!
Historian parhaat lööpit. Illustrations by Mika Lietzén.
Published by Atena, Jyväskylä
2006. (currently available only in Finnish)
Chaos! Fraud! Ignominy! Murder!
This startling book takes a totally x-rated look at the History Before
the Era of Tabloids (B.E.T.). Taking it that there would have been tabloids
in the stone ages or middle ages, what news would have been picked up
by virtous representatives of the yellow press of the time? What kind
of scandalous front-page news might have been made up about Tutankhamen,
Sokrates, Joan of Arc or the six wives of Henry VIII? You don't need to
wonder anymore - just check out this book!
From the dawn of humanity to the turbulent years of the Great Revolution,
Scandal! explores a hand-picked selection of historical scandals,
tragedies, and shocking incidents - front-page stories as they would have
appeared to the contemporary readers. Pictured as never before, the clamorous
cover designs of Luxor Sun, Lady Mirror and many others
offer schoking headlines - together with witty and accurate information
about selected cases. Combining historical expertise and the logic of
the tabloid world, this book makes the past look surprisingly familiar
- and exciting. It may even give some new insights into the present day
media culture.