On October 30. 1938 thousands of Americans panicked when the breaking news on their radios was believed to be that of an actual alien invasion when, in fact, it was a radio drama based on H.G.Well’s play, War of the World. Hysteria swept the nation, and the police and state patrol phone lines were jammed in Trenton, and throughout the state of New Jersey, as residents called for help, and made desperate pleas for authorities to check on their relatives living in the area. Few listeners realized that the dramatic reporting was that of actor H.G. Wells and his Mercury Theatre players.
In this nonfiction title author Gail Jarrow shares in gripping detail the famous War of the Worlds radio broadcast from 1938, examining the artists behind the broadcast, the broadcast itself, the aftermath, and the repercussions which remain relevant today, including the current controversial issue of “fake news”.

Filled with primary sources, Spooked! contains archival photographs and images, a timeline, bibliography, and an index. Spooked! makes a good resource for discussions about fake news, propaganda, and the role of media.