This is an accessible exploration of the enigma of the rumour, tracing it through history, beginning in Greek antiquity and culminating in a discussion of the rumour in the technological age. It uses examples from such diverse areas as the French Revolution, the poetry of Chaucer, the American Civil War, and the Internet, Monica Lewinsky and urban myths. The author examines the conditions that breed rumours and explores the way they have been represented in art and literature.