I, Libertine was a hoax book that made up by a late night radio presenter called Jean Shepherd.
He made up the book and the author after he observed that new york was run by lists. He told all his listners to go out and ask for the book "I, Libertine" by Frederick R. Ewing. The whole thing snow balls and the book starts to appear on best seller lists gets banned by some churches and all sorts.
There is more on it here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Libertine and on the link an mp3 of a 1968 radio show with Jean Shepherd himself telling the story which is really funny and well told.
Comments
Comedy! I wonder what else you could get the radio aware public to do? I remember one famous american presenter (was it Stern?) on the drive time show convinced everyone that one of the main freeways was closed and everyone was coming off it. Aparently, it was mostly empty!