Author Unknown - Hardcover

An engaging and witty adventure inside the world of literary sleuthing which combines traditional scholarship with modern technology to solve some of the most intriguing literary and criminal mysteries of our time. What on earth could Shakespeare, the Unabomber, the author of Primary Colours, the murder of JonBenet Ramsay and Thomas Pynchon possibly have in common? The answer is Don Foster, Professor of English at Vassar College. After realizing that everyone's use of language is as distinctive as their DNA, Foster developed an astonishing ability to identify the writer behind almost any so-called Questionable Document. Now, in this enthralling book, he explains his revolutionary methodology and takes us inside his most intriguing cases. Foster's unique methods first came to light when a front-page New York Times article featured his discovery that a previously unattributed poem was written by William Shakespeare. A few months later, Foster solved the mystery that had obsessed America - and the UK - for months when he identified Joe Klein as the author of Primary Colors. His remarkable skills have also been put to use in cases involving the Unabomber, Thomas Pynchon and Monica Lewinsky. Here, he tells these stories and others in riveting detail. Author Unknown invites the reader to sit at Foster's elbow as he sifts through anonymous documents looking for the clues that whisper the author's name. This book will fascinate anyone interested in detection, writing and the mysteries of language.

Don Foster is an English professor at Vassar College.