January pick of the month: “Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News” by Kevin Young

By Midtown Scholar Bookstore

Every now and then, a book comes along just at the right time to shine a light on our current society’s ills. Both prescient and timeless, Bunk: The Rise of Hoaxes, Humbug, Plagiarists, Phonies, Post-Facts, and Fake News is one of those books.

Written by the new Poetry Editor at the New Yorker, Kevin Young’s opus dissects the historical and social phenomenon that is the hoax and its most famous practitioners. From phonies, race, truthiness, and yes — fake news — Bunk is exhaustively researched and wildly entertaining, exploring hucksters from P.T. Barnum to Lance Armstrong and Donald Trump.

In what amounts to the most fascinating and brilliant part of the book, Young explores the complicated history that underscores the origins of the hoax and racism – illuminating hucksterism as an instrument for perpetuating white supremacy. With a poet’s voice and a literary critic’s eye, Young is up to the task, and Bunk was justifiably selected as National Book Award Finalist for Nonfiction.

It’s been a busy year for the acclaimed poet. Not only did he start his new job at the aforementioned New Yorker, but he became the new Director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture at the New York Public Library. With a new book of poetry coming out in April, Young has solidified himself as one of the premier poets, writers, and literary citizens working today.

The WITF Pick of the Month is available at Midtown Scholar Bookstore in Harrisburg.