Hubert's Freaks: The Rare-Book Dealer, the Times Square Talker, and the Lost Photos of Diane Arbus

by Gregory Gibson

Bob Langmuir is an obsessive dealer with a remarkable eye for treasure who makes the discovery of a lifetime when he chances upon a trove of never-before-seen prints by the legendary Diane Arbus. From the moment he purchases a trunk containing the archive of Hubert’s Dime Museum and Flea Circus—a midcentury Times Square freak show frequented by Arbus—and discovers some intriguing photographs, he knows he’s on to something. Furthermore, he begins to suspect that what he’s found may add a pivotal chapter to what is now known about Arbus and the “old weird America,” in Greil Marcus’s phrase, that Hubert’s inhabited.

Langmuir’s ensuing adventure, filled with bizarre coincidences, turns into a roller-coaster ride that takes him from memorabilia shows to the curator’s office at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Will the photos be authenticated? How will the Arbus estate react? most important, can Bob, who has seen more than a few promising deals head south, finally make his one big score?

Genres: Nonfiction, Photography, Art, History, New York, Biography, Americana

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

Reviews

[Antiabecedarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

alakazam!

this book is not what you think. several people I've brought this book up to insist it is fiction. NO! It is not fiction! It must be read. The cover is ugly, and belies the original excitement of such a volume-- the permanent sideshow/flea circus on times square begrudgingly managed by a black man who with his wife performs in african savage mask as the sideshow to the archetypal Collector, the "bookdealer" who comes into possession of the remains of said sideshow that first came into possession of another kind of junk dealer, Nigerian Royalty of the fleamarkets, via a storage facility auction... this is a sad story, and the side story is that the archetypal collector realizes that some of the odds and ends are photographs taken by Diane Arbus while she worked there, or worked the denizens there, on her Guggenheim grant... and the saga of the intertwining obsessions of the persons involved, etc etc...

kind of sensationalist in a way that does not need be, to start with, but the story gets rolling and the end is kind of unnecessary so it doesn't matter at all that it is anticlimactic-- the meat is tasty and totally fascinating.

[Peter Landau · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true story, or stories, of a fading freak show in Times Square, lost Diane Arbus photographs and a collector of ephemera, converge in this tale that is really about obsession and gone worlds. The internet plays a minor role in the research and sale of these materials but casts a larger shadow over the gulf between epochs. The past sought after with a singular passion and discovered in antiquated but preserved technology has moved into a digital realm that will not unlock its secrets as easily for future generations of treasure hunters.

[Bob Redmond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hubert's was a tiny theater on 42st street in New York City that, on its last legs in the post-war era, presented a flea circus, dime museum, and freak show. It closed up in the mid-60s but not before serving as a slummy institution for the counterculture, including photographer Diane Arbus.

Arbus and her short life is one narrative thread of HUBERT'S FREAKS. Another is the story of Bob Langmuir, an eccentric and rare book-dealer from Philadelphia. A third is that of Charlie Lucas, an African American performer who was the last manager of Hubert's.The star of the show, however, is Lucas' collection of memorabilia and photographs which ended up abandoned in a storage unit some 40 years later.

The story and characters prove that truth is stranger than fiction, and author Gibson does a creditable job with the tale. Mainly this is the story of the collector Langmuir, who finds the treasure trove, and his quixotic quest to convince some of the world's most prestigious museums and auction houses of its worth. Gibson has the same uphill battle with his plot: Langmuir has to be center stage, and yet how do you keep the historical heavyweight Arbus, not to mention the fascinating Lucas, as sub-plots?

It makes for some narrative dissonance,and the ending--being true to life--is a little unsatisfying. Nevertheless, overall it's a fascinating look at the lost era of the freak show, the high-end art world, and the artists and collectors who manage to bridge the two.

*

WHY I READ THIS BOOK: A book review in a publishing trade announced it a few years ago; I got a copy and it languished on my shelf until recently when I was sorting some books to purge, and it caught my eye.

[Brayden · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read this year! This is a nonfiction book about an antiquarian book dealer's discovery of a lost collection of Diane Arbus photos. The book interweaves three stories: 1) the tale of how Arbus became familiar with a Times Square freak show exhibit called Hubert's Museum and her emergence as a serious photographer as a result of that experience at Hubert's; 2) the tale of the freaks working and living at Hubert's; and 3) the story of how Bob Langmuir, the book dealer, discovered the photos and tried to bring them to market. What's truly fascinating about the book is how Gibson weaves all of these characters together in what turns out to be a very personal story.

Arbus is knows for her highly original work that explored the intersection of society and its discontents (her subjects were often captured in such a way to highlight the ironies of "fitting in" our society). She is also famous for having committed suicide shortly after gaining fame as an artist. Langmuir was also a bit of a troubled person. Highly neurotic with considerable inter-personal relationship problems, Bob develops his own psychic connection with Arbus in the process of authenticating the photos and getting them to market. For a time, you wonder if his story will end the same as hers. However, this isn't a depressing story. It actually has much more to do with possibilities at redemption and change and leaves the reader with a good feeling.

I loved the descriptions of the freaks themselves. Jack Dracula, Woogie and her python, and the museum's curator Charlie are all characters I won't forget soon. Gibson, without getting oversentimental, makes us see the humanity of "freaks." I also loved the description of how the photography market works. I was completely enthralled, from beginning to end. Highly recommended!

[East Bay J · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fascinating true story of how a rare book dealer found an archive of documents and photos from an old Times Square freak show (including unseen prints of photos by Diane Arbus) and his quest to sell the archive. Sort of. That’s the simple version. This book is richly complex in its scope and Gibson’s writing is perfect for the task. It’s engaging, illuminating and smart. The Los Angeles Times called it, “A tale of remarkable suspense,” which is a little exaggerated. The Toronto Star said, “An irresistible and canny mash up of Bohemian slumming and high art posing.” Hubert’s Freaks is irresistible but I don't know anything about Bohemian slumming or high art posing. “A page-turner of the first order,” (Boston Globe) is more accurate but The New York Observers’ comment, “Strange and excellent,” is right on the money.

Serendipity: Gibson references Greil Marcus’ The Old, Weird America quite a bit in Hubert’s Freaks and that’s the book I’m going to read next. Believe it… or not.

[Andy W Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gregory Gibson does a wonderful job of telling the story of how three different groups of people's lives intersect and overlap in this tale that takes us inside the rare book trade, American sideshows, and the world of photography simultaneously.

The story is rich with detail without drowning the reader with minutiae. Gibson manages to keep the narrative moving at a decent pace while giving us time to get to know the players and their history.

A good read and would appeal to many people.

[Loel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put down this fascinating account of an antiquarian book dealer who found a trove of Diane Arbus's prints; it's nonfiction but held me as much as any thriller ever has. It's written in a strong straightforward style, is thoughtful and insightful.

[Loren Kantor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very cool story; bizarre, unique characters. The writer lacks a sense of dramatic buildup so the book does not read as a single cohesive narrative. In the hands of a talented screenwriter, this would be a wonderful film. As a book, it's worth reading but it could have been much better.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Always fascinated by the photographs of Diane Arbus, the title and back cover blurbs made this seem a nice purchase while browsing the Madison Frugal Muse used bookstore and the book certainly did not disappoint initially. Unfortunately it steadily loses steam as the primary narrative thread of the Rare Book Dealer's obsessive pursuit of the Arbus photos and related items from Hubert's Freak Show, a Times Square landmark moves farther away from Diane Arbus, the freak show culture and the world of photography as art and more into the personal tribulations of the Rare Book Dealer who is really the primary character. There are certainly fascinating aspects to the story told, particularly of the Time Square Talker and his fellow members of Hubert's Freak Show and Diane Arbus herself but as the emphasis moves away from them the momentum of the narrative arc slows down. Moreso, the author's entrance into the narrative as a active participant is jarring and further distracts from the focus of the book. All in all, I'm glad I read this book for its insight into Diane Arbus, the era of freak shows and some small insights into obsessive searching but some shifts of focus and loss of narrative momentum don't make it a candidate for rereading.

[John Arnold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. Fairly exciting read. Why didn't the author reveal the sum of money paid for Bob's lot of photos and ephemera? I was thinking it was 2 million.

I see other reviewers complained about the author's writing. Someone said it was "wonky" whatever that means. Someone said the writing is "flaccid" (whatever that means). Someone said lacks dramatic tension, peters out, disruptive writing. Someone complained that point of view is suddenly changed from third-person to first person and it was jarring. This book had drive and trucks on through to the end with plenty of keeps-you-reading-it energy. The unpredictable nature of the way the story gets told keeps this book very lively.I found the author to be a fine writer and his somewhat unconventional way of presenting the story made the book. Nothing sloppy nor annoying about the way it was written and nothing low-quality about his writing.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Many people have said that this book reads like fiction and I would have to disagree. It reads like non fiction. It tells us a story, but with so many facts crammed into the story, that it was easy to lose the story.

The book is basically about an old side show museum with live acts that almost got lost to history until photos by Diane Arbus were found, a collection was collected, and the journey to get it authenticated. Intermingled with this was the story of the man who found the pictures, his messy relationships that got in the way of his collection and his overcoming of mental challenges that also stood in his way.

It was interesting, so I finished it, but many times I lost who was who, and it was very hard to care about the people who were all a part of it. Of course one wants to be factually accurate, but getting every little detail in there detracted from what could have been a very compelling story.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I stumbled across this book while researching Hubert’s Dime Museum and Flea Circus. A listing for the museum popped up in Google Maps, and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out how I missed a “freak show” in the heart of Times Square over many visits to the city. Once I read the description of the book, I knew I had to read it. I’ve been fascinated with Diane Arbus for years so the addition of her into the mix really piqued my interest. I found the character study of Bob Langmuir entertaining, and his search for the provenance of the photos had me glued to the pages. However, the quick wrap-up of the ending was a real letdown. What happened to the photos? Where are they now? Who purchased them at auction and for how much? All of this was left pretty much unanswered. Maybe the author would consider a new addition with an afterword to wrap things up?

[Bruce Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting true story of eccentric dealer who comes across memorabilia of Times Square's Hubert Museum and original Diane Arbus photos of some of the freaks and sideshow artists. This place was directly across the street from Renee's New Victory Theater! The story concerns the dealer's methodical journey to market the material including his personal difficulties. Disappointing that the book didn't disclose the final appraisal and offer made by the dealer - after providing all the specific detail of each transaction that built the collection.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read for anyone wanting to know about archives, buyers and sellers of such, auction houses and museum curators, all of which the rare book dealer of this story, who finds undiscovered Diane Arbus photos, navigates. Putting a dollar value on archives is difficult and many offer their opinions rang true when I was trying to price my Holly Woodlawn archive. Unfortunately, nature took care of that when the inferno of the Eaton Fire came to town.

[John Krowka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing true story of a rare-book dealer who stumbles onto some old photos of a Times Square Freak show that were taken by Diane Arbus and his efforts to acquire and authenticate the collection. Many twists and turns as the sage unfolds.

[Jill Felice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun book, a book within a book about human eccentrics that any fan of Diane Arbus would enjoy,.too. Great lost history of the places of human curiosities that inspired and intrigued Arbus.

[Marvelitsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightfully written story of freaks book chasers image chasers and the New York Gallery and Museum world. Highly recommend for those interested in all the above.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hubert's Freaks drops the reader on the fringe of the antiquarian book market where Bob Langmuir, an obsessive book and art dealer, attempts to put together a collection of material from Charlie Lucas, a former sideshow barker/performer from Times Square. Among the findings are photos from Diane Arbus and journals about running the Hubert's freak show in New York City. The winding tale that Gregory Gibson follows takes the reader from turn-of-the-century traveling shows to New York of the 1950s and 1960s, to a rare book shop in Philadelphia's Rittenhouse Square. The story itself is an interesting exploration of the current antiquarian book market and museum acquisitions. The book is worth reading just to see how museums, auction houses, and collectors interact.

The writing is pedestrian and at points a little jarring. At one point the author suddenly interjects himself into the story for no reason that is important to the story of Bob Langmuir. I found the writing and the short chapters too disruptive to be completely consumed by the story of the obsessive book dealer who has a mental breakdown while trying to trace a sideshow barker's life. There was enough interesting material to keep me reading, but I never felt completely involved in the plot. It's a good read for those interested in the history of African-Americans in sideshows and the pre-Disney Times Square.

[Audacia Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

The depth of nerdiness in this book might be too much for some, since it's about a quirky antiquarian book dealer who starts collecting African Americana, buys a collection of the personal papers of a performer from the Hubert's Museum and discovers some Diane Arbus photos. It's a book about paper, and archives, and the weird world of fine art, archives, museums, archives, and "collectibles." Which might sound boring and obscure, but it isn't. The story is really well told and the depth of the details is fascinating.

I really love the choice the author made to expose the workings of the story, to make the archive and the research process into The Story. Gibson could've chosen to write a history about Hubert's Museum or the history of sideshows in New York and used the materials that he writes about in the book to do that. That would've been a fun book that I would buy, because I will read anything about the history of the circus, sideshows, and freakshows. But the metastory, the layers on top of that story, are extremely fascinating. Gibson writes about all his characters in a deeply involved, lush way - so deeply involved that you won't be surprised by the point at which Gibson himself steps into the story a little more than halfway through the book. You just can't make this stuff up, and thanks to the weird world of American history, you don't have to.

[Carye Bye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty awesome up to the last chapters... i will get to that but first to the good stuff:

I found this book in a free box and knew not much about the New York freak show Hubert's Museum that existed from 1920s to 60s but this book ended up weaving other interesting stories-- the famed photographer Diane Arbus spent a great deal off time visiting the snake charmers, faux African Savages, and other live oddities. Then there's the story of a rare book collector who comes upon this suitcase of lost photographs and papers from the Museum.

All subjects I find fascinating and the book weaves today all the stories in short but interesting chapters.

However the end chapters just made me mad.

Suddenly the author inserts himself into the story and tons of what seem to be be unnecessary personal details are played out in too much detail about the collector and his wife who are going through a divorce and also the family members of the couple who ran the Freak Show for a time.

It lost me and I didn't want to know this personal info that didn't seem too important and seemed to talk about living people that even with possible name changes didn't really need this dirty laundry aired outside. So I skimmed the end.

Almost wanted to add this book to my permanent bookcase, but the flawed ending means I will pass it on!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a neat story, which kept me reading even though I didn't love the writing. Which in itself is kind of interesting: how does someone who can clearly write a fine sentence, and who has this really fascinating story with neat characters, ever-so-slightly miss the mark? It's not terrible writing, just a bit flaccid—there's a marked lack in dramatic tension and managing of the plot, which is such a shame because Gibson uncovered a real gift of a good story.

And in the end I'm glad I kept going, because Gibson's obvious affection for his protagonist really carried the day. Basically, I wanted to find out what happened to him. Ultimately, I wouldn't NOT recommend the book, but I would make sure to add the caveat that the writing's on the slack side.

The insight into the archivist's/collector's POV kept me going as well, both because I write about archives and have a would-be hoarder's fascination with the pathology of collecting. It actually hijacked the narrative sometimes, but again—once I let go of my expectation that it tell a cohesive story, I kind of enjoyed those asides.

[Clarissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe I just misunderstood what the book was about when I picked it up, but this book left me very disappointed. From the title I assumed it was a book about Hubert's Museum/Freakshow and it's performers and displays. It is NOT. It is the story of a modern book dealer who happens to uncover a stash of unseen prints by Diane Arbus. This book includes bits about the history of Hubert's and the bio of Arbus, but not enough of it. Also I would have loved MORE PICTURES in the book (to be fair there are licensing issues with the estate of Arbus to deal with). It is basically the true life story of a guy who owes a book shop, get's hooked up with one woman, marries another, get's devorced, has a huge complicated divorce in between jumping through hoops to get the Arbus pictures authenticated. Not that interesting, with an ambiguious ending...

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is written in an unusual fashion. It meanders around jumping from subject to subject, one time period to another, yet if you stick with it, it rewards you with an interesting tale. Particularly for those interested in the workings of the art world, or the rare book world and also for those who are interested in unusual characters - because none of the event would have taken place if not for the odd nature of each and every individual involved. There is something that sticks with you. Near the end of the book, the authors says, "Scholarly treasure hunters return to us the valuable things we inadvertantly discarded." And he quotes Diane Arbus as saying, "The are our symptoms and our monuments. I want simply to save them, for what is ceremonious and curious and commonplace will be legendary."

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book isn't a towering masterpiece of genius or anything, but it was a very engaging, entertaining read. I appreciate the way Gibson uses the coincidental coming together of all of the elements in the story as a starting point to follow a lot of different interesting threads. He did an especially good job of drawing a very vivid picture of the life and day-to-day motivations of a rare book dealer, which I actually found really interesting. It feels all too uncommon in today's starstruck environment to read an in-depth profile of a non-celebrity's life and I actually appreciate reading that kind of a biography at least as much as learning more about Diane Arbus and the forgotten freakshow scene of an earlier era of NYC, although those parts of the book are really fascinating too.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this story until about 3/4 of the way through, when it suddenly shifted the voice from 3rd person to first. Disconcerting. And then there is no conclusion; it just peters off. I get that this is real life, there are no real endings; but a book should still have a conclusion, a way that the book (not life) ends.
The first 3/4 of the book, though, is well written and a fascinating story. My favorite type of non-fiction - not grand, but a slice of life with an interesting twist. A good writer - Tracy Kidder comes to mind - can take almost any story and make it interesting. This story isn't just any story; it is an odd and fun discovery. Just be prepared to be let down as it runs out of steam.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great work of non-fiction about an antiquarian book dealer's discovery of long lost Diane Arbus photographs as he assembles the archives of New York's most popular dime museum, literally a "freak show" of oddballs, "savages," and misfits. This book is excellent in its research, giving a rich history of New York's carny culture as well as a decent mini-biography of Diane Arbus that traces the evolution of her work. The book is also great chronicle of one man's attempt to create a historical archive based on photographs, diaries, newspaper clippings, etc, and his frustrating attempts to market it to various museums and historians.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a thrilling ride! This book is such a page-turner and had me on the edge of my seat (or bed) waiting to see where the author would take me next - from the weird, eccentric world of the freak show through to the murky nastiness that hides behind the respectable facade of the art world. By the end, I felt I knew all the characters in the book: art dealers, gallery owners, curators, the "freaks" themselves,Diane Arbus and especially the protagonist, Bob Langmuir. There was a movie, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman as Bob, in the offing at one stage and I'm really disappointed that was never made. However there is a great documentary waiting for someone to make.

[Suzanne Shumaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I liked this book but It was really slow at the beginning for one it took me forever to get through it. The book just didn't catch my interest. I also felt that the author left out parts that were necessary but on the other hand added information that wasn't.

I actually read this book for the library book club and we all agreed on that point. We also agreed that the title was misleading as to the content. The book doesn't talk about the freaks, it talks about the acquisition of the Diane Arbus photos and memorabilia from Hubert's Flea Museum.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A strange little book, about a collectibles dealer that nobody's ever heard of. (Turns out, he's a friend of the author. I didn't find out about it until the book suddenly and unexpectedly switched to the first person more than three quarters of the way in.) Some interesting stuff, but it's one of those books where the subject matter doesn't come across as being as important as the author thinks it is. A good read, though. It's too bad they didn't get permission to include some of Diane Arbus' photos in the book; it would have really enhanced it.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from the library because I recently watched Fur and am learning all that I can about Diane Arbus. One of my obsessive phases. The writing style was a bit goofy and apart from the Diane Arbus info, the majority of the book was about someone I had never heard of. At first, I was a little bored and confused but as the pages turned, I became more appreciative. Interesting look into Hubert's history, the world of professional photography, and the psychotic musings of a book dealer.