Volume 28, Number 21 & 22 · January 21, 1982
The Mantle of Munchausen
By John Richardson
King of the Confessors
by Thomas Hoving
Simon and Schuster, 365 pp., $16.95
'A likable scamp' is how the headmaster of Eaglebrook described his pupil Thomas P.F. Hoving. And, to judge by this memoir—the first of a series to be devoted to Hoving's greatest coups—a scamp he has remained. But likable? He seems too pleased with himself for that. 'I had always,' he brags, 'been able to lie convincingly.' 'I had the ability to disguise my worst traits. I too could be devious without qualms.' Empty boasts. Hoving, as we will see, is the least plausible of liars. One of the puzzles of his career is why he continues to indulge in mischief that is so easy to detect.
Review, 5264 words
To read the full text of this piece, please choose one of the following options:
|
If you are already a subscriber to the Review's electronic edition, please sign in: |
To subscribe to the electronic edition, please press the button below. |
To purchase access to this article for $3, please press the button below. |