P.T. Barnum: The Legend and the Man by Arthur H. Saxon

by A.H. Saxon

Excellent Book

Genres: Biography

Paperback

First published December 1, 1989

Reviews

[D.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't read a lot of biographies, so when I do I try to make them the best. If there's a better book on P.T. Barnum, I can't imagine it. Saxon's research was painstaking and thorough, and he provides equally thorough notes to reinforce what he's done. In spite of the amount of information provided in these pages, though, Saxon's writing is not dry, the book is never dull and even the less interesting bits (e.g., reviewing finances for later shows) are given only that amount of space necessary before becoming painful.
There aren't many books I've given 5 stars to, but this one absolutely deserves it. Including the notes & bibliography (as well as the Appendix investigating spurious Barnum stories), this volume comes in at over 400 pages. I read it all, and found myself missing it the next day.
I have only two criticisms: Saxon repeatedly mentions the 'Woolly Horse scandal' yet I don't remember him exploring it to any satisfying degree (understandable, perhaps, as he rightly spends more time on the man and less on his many, many 'deeds'); and his view of Barnum as a person is just a little too unbelievably clean. It's believable that Barnum was not the absolute scoundrel he's been painted as, but not quite so believable he was completely without flaws (barring a fairly ruthless business sense) as Saxon seems to suggest.
This is an absolute must-read for anyone with an interest in this man, the times he lived in, or even the unique world in which he moved. It was a time of giants, and Barnum clearly walked shoulder to shoulder with them all.

[Daniel Silliman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saxon is like the dean of Barnum studies so this serves as the standard work. This biography takes the everything-I-know approach and isn't much for narrative or thesis. But that has its uses and Saxon is also a pleasure to read—avuncular, personal, evidencing a personal intimacy (through his scholarship) with Barnum.

[Rachel]

Dnf pg 14