Supposedly stolen post-mortem by his vindictive physician, the prized piece of celebrity memorabilia referred to in the book's title has circled the globe since 1821, only to end up in a suitcase under a bed in New Jersey. Inspired by this saga, Perrottet brings us 53 of the choicest tawdry tales from history. There are the French impotence trials c1657, lesbian and prostitute nuns, ancient Greek temples of sex, decadent parties for the immediate family members of those executed by the guillotine, and condoms c1600. Includes somewhat tongue-in-cheek reference charts, one showing the current location of historical figures' body parts, and three others which detail Imperial Roman sleaze, the wretchedness of the impressionists, and the dastardly acts of robber barons. Sources for further reading accompany each entry. Perrottet is the author of Pagan Holiday; On the Trail of Ancient Roman Tourists and The Naked Olympics; the True Story of the Ancient Greek Games. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)