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Barnum's Own Story: The Autobiography of P. T. Barnum
P. T. Barnum's career of showmanship and charlatanry was marked by a surprising undercurrent of honesty and forthrightness. His exuberant autobiography forms a happy combination of all those traits, revealing the whole story of his world-famous hoaxes and publicity stunts. Here is a pageant of nineteenth-century America's gullibility and thirst for marvels, as told by the master of revels himself.
A born storyteller, Barnum recalls his association with Tom Thumb, his audience with Queen Victoria, and his trouble keeping Jenny Lind's angelic image intact during a trying tour. He tells of Jumbo, the most famous elephant in history, from the creature's heroic arrival in America to its tragic death in a railroad accident; of his attempts to transfer Shakespeare's house and Madame Tussaud's Waxworks from England to New York; and of his triumphant reentry into public life after financial failure and five disastrous fires had all but wiped him out. The true-life tale of a man of boundless imagination and indomitable energy, Barnum's autobiography embodies the spirit of America's most exciting boom years.
A born storyteller, Barnum recalls his association with Tom Thumb, his audience with Queen Victoria, and his trouble keeping Jenny Lind's angelic image intact during a trying tour. He tells of Jumbo, the most famous elephant in history, from the creature's heroic arrival in America to its tragic death in a railroad accident; of his attempts to transfer Shakespeare's house and Madame Tussaud's Waxworks from England to New York; and of his triumphant reentry into public life after financial failure and five disastrous fires had all but wiped him out. The true-life tale of a man of boundless imagination and indomitable energy, Barnum's autobiography embodies the spirit of America's most exciting boom years.
308 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 20, 2018
122 people are currently reading
983 people want to read
About the author
P.T. Barnum
174 books108 followersAmerican man Phineas Taylor Barnum established The Greatest Show on Earth in 1871; its major competition in 1881 merged to form the circus of James Anthony Bailey.
Phineas Taylor Barnum, a best remembered entertainer, promoted such celebrated hoaxes as the Feejee mermaid and founded later the Ringling brothers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._T._B...
Phineas Taylor Barnum, a best remembered entertainer, promoted such celebrated hoaxes as the Feejee mermaid and founded later the Ringling brothers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._T._B...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
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August 8, 2024THE GREATEST SHOWMAN IS BASED ON A TRUE STORY?!!?!!
OMG OMG OMG
I never read auto biographies but there’s a first for everything!
OMG OMG OMG
I never read auto biographies but there’s a first for everything!
July 10, 2021
With this being an autobiography it is a bit biased and kind of glossed over the fact PT Barnum was kind of an asshole, and exploited people. Aside from that though it was interesting to see how he came to be and how his name became so synonymous with Americana through the side shows and circus.
January 20, 2022
Inspiring - no other words for this book and this man.
Barnum - the legend!
Barnum - the legend!
August 13, 2025
I have a lot of feelings but I'll summarize it with, he's likely the greatest conman not the greatest showman. Never before has anyone had more misfortune, death, fires, and other events follow a single person. The poor animals.
December 22, 2021
I wrote my longest GoodReads review for this book and my iPad courteously erased the whole thing.
Very frustrating.
This book is phenomenal! What a person Barnum was. His joie de vive, or whatever it is, helped propel him to great longevity, 82 years, I believe. His treatment of humans and animals would never be accepted nowadays, but this was a century and a half ago. If he treated the people and animals he exhibited with the fairness with which he did business, I want to believe those people and animals were treated fairly for the brief time they survived in captivity.
I had always thought of Barnum as a circus, to find that Barnum & Bailey only mentioned in the last five pages was a big surprise. He was a showman, not a circus man. He made millions of people happy and exposed them to wonders they would never have seen. Fire was a prevailing theme in his life, fortunately, virtually no human loss of life in those conflagrations, but animals and money, incalculable amounts.
Very frustrating.
This book is phenomenal! What a person Barnum was. His joie de vive, or whatever it is, helped propel him to great longevity, 82 years, I believe. His treatment of humans and animals would never be accepted nowadays, but this was a century and a half ago. If he treated the people and animals he exhibited with the fairness with which he did business, I want to believe those people and animals were treated fairly for the brief time they survived in captivity.
I had always thought of Barnum as a circus, to find that Barnum & Bailey only mentioned in the last five pages was a big surprise. He was a showman, not a circus man. He made millions of people happy and exposed them to wonders they would never have seen. Fire was a prevailing theme in his life, fortunately, virtually no human loss of life in those conflagrations, but animals and money, incalculable amounts.
February 21, 2025
This is an edited conglomeration of multiple of Barnum’s autobiographical works, but his style of writing about independent chunks of his life makes it seem like one single work. It’s an incredibly interesting life from a completely different time period of western history. It feels longer than necessary, but I don’t regret reading it.
It was also fun to realize just how incredibly not-accurate The Greatest Showman is.
It was also fun to realize just how incredibly not-accurate The Greatest Showman is.
September 4, 2025
P.T. Barnum was an incredible man. The successes he achieved and his zest for life were astounding.
At the end of his life though he was sure of what mattered most and he states it in this quote at the end of this book. "...I am glad to know that though this is indeed a beautiful, delightful world to those who have the temperament, the resolution, and the judgment to make it so, yet it happily is not our abiding-place; and that he is unwise who sets his heart so firmly upon its transitory pleasures as to feel a reluctance to obey the call, when his Father makes it, to leave all behind and to come up higher, in the Great Future, when all that we now prize so highly (except our love to God and man) shall dwindle into insignificance.
At the end of his life though he was sure of what mattered most and he states it in this quote at the end of this book. "...I am glad to know that though this is indeed a beautiful, delightful world to those who have the temperament, the resolution, and the judgment to make it so, yet it happily is not our abiding-place; and that he is unwise who sets his heart so firmly upon its transitory pleasures as to feel a reluctance to obey the call, when his Father makes it, to leave all behind and to come up higher, in the Great Future, when all that we now prize so highly (except our love to God and man) shall dwindle into insignificance.
November 11, 2025
Ok, with caveats
Listened to entertainment value, without really thinking about what I would hear. Barnum’s story is interesting, and I did learn how Bailey came along, and how Barnum and Bailey’s Circus became a thing. Listening to a book like this, written in its time, involves suspending judgement, to a degree, as it is documenting what was. Towards the end though, it became uncomfortable, hearing about the elephants, and some sad things that happened, and even people as cultural exhibits, that I found myself disengaging. So, listen with those caveats in mind.
Listened to entertainment value, without really thinking about what I would hear. Barnum’s story is interesting, and I did learn how Bailey came along, and how Barnum and Bailey’s Circus became a thing. Listening to a book like this, written in its time, involves suspending judgement, to a degree, as it is documenting what was. Towards the end though, it became uncomfortable, hearing about the elephants, and some sad things that happened, and even people as cultural exhibits, that I found myself disengaging. So, listen with those caveats in mind.
January 4, 2025
Before picking up P.T. Barnum’s Own Story, I knew little about the man beyond the surface – a circus, a showman, and maybe some tall tales. What I discovered was a roller coaster of ambition, failure, reinvention, and relentless belief in the extraordinary. Barnum’s life reads like a blueprint for the American Dream, filled with highs and lows that seem too wild to be true – yet they are.
Barnum wasn’t just about entertainment; he was a master of self-promotion, a risk-taker who turned controversy into curiosity and skepticism into ticket sales. His story makes you realize how much of success is about perseverance and creativity. From launching museums filled with oddities to orchestrating grand tours for “General Tom Thumb” and later building the famous circus empire, Barnum had a knack for captivating audiences and redefining what people thought was possible.
Reading his journey made me wonder – how influential would Barnum be in today’s digital age? With social media at his fingertips, his talent for crafting irresistible narratives could easily place him among the biggest influencers. I can picture his viral campaigns, larger-than-life stunts, and ability to constantly reinvent his personal brand in real-time.
As someone drawn to the art of performance and engagement, I found myself taking notes. Barnum’s strategies – from leveraging the press (even bad press) to understanding that people want to believe in wonder – are timeless. I’m inspired to channel that same showmanship into the modern world, blending storytelling, technology, and spectacle to stand out.
P.T. Barnum’s Own Story isn’t just a biography. It’s a manual for dreamers, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to create magic in their own lives. If you haven’t read it yet, prepare to step into the mind of one of history’s greatest entertainers – and maybe walk away with a few ideas to build your own show.
Barnum wasn’t just about entertainment; he was a master of self-promotion, a risk-taker who turned controversy into curiosity and skepticism into ticket sales. His story makes you realize how much of success is about perseverance and creativity. From launching museums filled with oddities to orchestrating grand tours for “General Tom Thumb” and later building the famous circus empire, Barnum had a knack for captivating audiences and redefining what people thought was possible.
Reading his journey made me wonder – how influential would Barnum be in today’s digital age? With social media at his fingertips, his talent for crafting irresistible narratives could easily place him among the biggest influencers. I can picture his viral campaigns, larger-than-life stunts, and ability to constantly reinvent his personal brand in real-time.
As someone drawn to the art of performance and engagement, I found myself taking notes. Barnum’s strategies – from leveraging the press (even bad press) to understanding that people want to believe in wonder – are timeless. I’m inspired to channel that same showmanship into the modern world, blending storytelling, technology, and spectacle to stand out.
P.T. Barnum’s Own Story isn’t just a biography. It’s a manual for dreamers, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to create magic in their own lives. If you haven’t read it yet, prepare to step into the mind of one of history’s greatest entertainers – and maybe walk away with a few ideas to build your own show.
February 18, 2023
This is an autobiography of P.T. Barnum from a young boy growing up through his success as “the greatest showman”. He lived from 1810-1891. You can almost hear him tell the stories, one after the other, somewhat similar to a Mark Twain or even more like the Wizard of Oz telling stories to Dorothy and company in the 1939 film of the same name. The book is long winded with events and rates more of a 3.5 for me.
The stories ramble one to the next being somewhat difficult to follow but are peppered with funny colloquialisms and turns of the phrase. Though never actually documented, you can hear that mantra he is forever bound to of, “there is a sucker born every minute”.
One has to have a nostalgic love of the circus and vaudvillian life to be able to read story after story after story without quitting through this nearly 500 page book. I found it interesting, the economics of the time, with so many making a living peddling their acts for public amusements, inventions and snake oils from from city to city.
He goes into great detail with photos and drawings of his museums, his curiosities and even his ledgers for how much Jenny Lind brought in. Hearing about all the fires and tragedies to his museums and animals through the years was discouraging, particularly thinking of dozens of animals trapped and burned at various times. Still if you have an interest in the way circuses used to be (and are pretty much outlawed for animal cruelty in the US today), he had quite a life. I was hoping to get through all 500+ pages but got distracted about 300 pages in and skimmed through the rest. I may pick it up to read the rest one day.
This “prince if humbugs” as he was sometimes addressed, may have fooled me in his stories as well, being able to spin a good yarn, but even if that, it was an extraordinary life.
The stories ramble one to the next being somewhat difficult to follow but are peppered with funny colloquialisms and turns of the phrase. Though never actually documented, you can hear that mantra he is forever bound to of, “there is a sucker born every minute”.
One has to have a nostalgic love of the circus and vaudvillian life to be able to read story after story after story without quitting through this nearly 500 page book. I found it interesting, the economics of the time, with so many making a living peddling their acts for public amusements, inventions and snake oils from from city to city.
He goes into great detail with photos and drawings of his museums, his curiosities and even his ledgers for how much Jenny Lind brought in. Hearing about all the fires and tragedies to his museums and animals through the years was discouraging, particularly thinking of dozens of animals trapped and burned at various times. Still if you have an interest in the way circuses used to be (and are pretty much outlawed for animal cruelty in the US today), he had quite a life. I was hoping to get through all 500+ pages but got distracted about 300 pages in and skimmed through the rest. I may pick it up to read the rest one day.
This “prince if humbugs” as he was sometimes addressed, may have fooled me in his stories as well, being able to spin a good yarn, but even if that, it was an extraordinary life.
December 21, 2024
Thoroughly readable but very much "of its time". A lot of detail about his exploitation of enslaved people, minorities, disabled people, and a huge amount of animal cruelty (particularly whales and sea life, and later monkeys, and elephants). Animals in his exhibits frequently die extremely quickly or suffer a lot of abuse from poor living conditions, stress, or ill treatment but it's apparently just expected and no problem because when they die, he can just go and get a new one...
Undoubtedly also a biased and rose-tinted account as an autobiography and includes a lot of contradictions, though whether he was self-aware enough to realise it is unclear. For example, he spends most of the book talking about how he's conned money from the general public with lottery schemes and fanciful descriptions of his displayed exhibits (e.g. calling some sort of fish/monkey exhibit a "real mermaid") or giving other elaborate and untrue backgrounds, but later in the book says something along the lines of "I've always known you must be truthful with visitors which is why I've been so successful". He also widely promoted temperance while still drinking wine (and I think also beer) as he didn't feel that counted due to Europeans saying it was good for your health.
Overall, many well-paced and very interesting stories of a highly unusual and interesting man that did a great deal to shape America into the consumerist and celebrity-focused nation it is today.
Undoubtedly also a biased and rose-tinted account as an autobiography and includes a lot of contradictions, though whether he was self-aware enough to realise it is unclear. For example, he spends most of the book talking about how he's conned money from the general public with lottery schemes and fanciful descriptions of his displayed exhibits (e.g. calling some sort of fish/monkey exhibit a "real mermaid") or giving other elaborate and untrue backgrounds, but later in the book says something along the lines of "I've always known you must be truthful with visitors which is why I've been so successful". He also widely promoted temperance while still drinking wine (and I think also beer) as he didn't feel that counted due to Europeans saying it was good for your health.
Overall, many well-paced and very interesting stories of a highly unusual and interesting man that did a great deal to shape America into the consumerist and celebrity-focused nation it is today.
July 8, 2024
Excellent memoir by P.T. Barnum. If you have seen The Greatest Showman you will be in for a surprise. The movie took great liberties with his life. I love the movie but it’s not accurate and a condensed story. Barnum’s father was a Tailor, Farmer, tavern keeper and grocer. Barnum’s father did die young but Barnum was not alone. His mother was still alive as was his five siblings and a grandfather. Barnum’s wife Charity was a Tailor and nothing was mentioned of her family. Tom Thumb was not part of the circus that was later in Barnum’s life. Jenny Lind did not have a thing for Barnum and quit the shows after doing 95 mostly because of those around her. She paid Barnum 25,000 for quitting the tour and 7,000 for cancelled shows. The reason Barnum went broke is not in the movie and came years after the Lind concerts. Barnum had five fires over the years burning down his museums and the last animal barn. Long book and drags in parts but pretty good. Tom Thumb Died in 1883. Jenny Lind died in 1887 and Barnum died in 1891. Barnum never mentions the American Civil War which happened during his life.
August 14, 2021
P.T. Barnum is known for managing his circus later in his life, but he should be known as a writer too as his autobiography was also quite entertaining. Had I been born over 100 years earlier, I would have enjoyed attending his American Museum in NYC. His first museum was in the heart of what is now the financial district of Manhattan. In his museum, he had curiosities and animals and anything goes to entertain viewers. He had performances at his museum and he wanted to make sure everything was family-friendly so as not to offend audiences. His museum eventually mysteriously burnt down and he opened a new museum, but when that too burnt down, he took a break for a while and then entered up sponsoring his traveling circus show, originally by horse and wagon and later by train transportation. Later he partnered with James Bailey. Barnum became very rich and famous entertaining people and he took advantage of advertising and publicity to make people curious and compelled to see what he had to offer.
February 22, 2018
This was a HARD ONE to get through...way too long...way too over-the-(big) top of SHEER number of stories Barnum shares. Two stars versus one because the stories *were* a bit interesting (especially about General Tom Thumb, the first elephants, and the humbug-ery he pulls on everyone).
Barnum certainly lived an interesting life...and he shares every single story in this book (which is, granted, a compilation of two stories he wrote about his life). You learn very little about the man's family or family life - I don't know if his family even knew him because of the amount of travel he did. The man really liked himself, as well. I think that's one of the reasons I couldn't handle a lot of this book - he was so self-congratulatory that it made me crazy.
We chose this for book club because so many members enjoyed the movie. Do yourself a favor. Go ahead and see it. There's really no need to read this book unless you consider yourself an UBER-fan.
Barnum certainly lived an interesting life...and he shares every single story in this book (which is, granted, a compilation of two stories he wrote about his life). You learn very little about the man's family or family life - I don't know if his family even knew him because of the amount of travel he did. The man really liked himself, as well. I think that's one of the reasons I couldn't handle a lot of this book - he was so self-congratulatory that it made me crazy.
We chose this for book club because so many members enjoyed the movie. Do yourself a favor. Go ahead and see it. There's really no need to read this book unless you consider yourself an UBER-fan.
August 14, 2019
PT Barnum, a truly complicated and fascinating man, tells his story in a breezy and entertaining fashion. As a known humbug you have to take his words with a grain of salt, but his autobiography paints a conflicting portrait to the reputation he has garnered in the 21st century. (He both purchased a slave and fought for the abolition of slavery.)
He doesn't shy away from the more controversial aspects of his life (although in 1886, they probably didn't seem so controversial), but he does spin them in a most positive light. By his writing, you can tell this was a key aspect of his personality though (also an arguably earned confidence...or possibly arrogance...in himself). He was ever the optimist and it truly seemed to be his mission to spread positivity to everyone he could...and also to make some money.
He doesn't shy away from the more controversial aspects of his life (although in 1886, they probably didn't seem so controversial), but he does spin them in a most positive light. By his writing, you can tell this was a key aspect of his personality though (also an arguably earned confidence...or possibly arrogance...in himself). He was ever the optimist and it truly seemed to be his mission to spread positivity to everyone he could...and also to make some money.
April 14, 2022
Last winter we had watched the film 'The Greatest Showman' and it got me wondering about the real life of P.T Barnum. This book takes you through the life of this famous showman in all sorts of ways. From his unassuming youth, to his first museum, and then world tours, you will travel many miles. He was a showman for sure, but also a gambler of sorts, a swindler, and a mystery. His honesty, faith and curiosity shine through the pages. It can be a bit hard to follow as he jumps back in forth in dates a bit. Also, the pictures are amazing but do not always coincide with the current chapter so that can be a tad confusing. This book is fascinating and intriguing on many levels. And it will bring a different appreciation to museums, zoos and the circus. P.T. Barnum, what a character!
August 6, 2018
This was a real enjoyable read, for those interested in Barnum's real life exploits after the 'Greatest Showman' this is an interesting book and is a real good insight into life and business at this time.
The tone was good, the subject matter interesting and although he sometimes jumped about a bit in time it was easy to follow and made for good reading. Not sure if it was just my ebook copy but some of the images seemed dumped in place towards the beginning of the book with no relevance. This did improve but there were still moment of 'why is this picture here?'.
A sad book in places but generally remained upbeat throughout and made for a pleasant read.
The tone was good, the subject matter interesting and although he sometimes jumped about a bit in time it was easy to follow and made for good reading. Not sure if it was just my ebook copy but some of the images seemed dumped in place towards the beginning of the book with no relevance. This did improve but there were still moment of 'why is this picture here?'.
A sad book in places but generally remained upbeat throughout and made for a pleasant read.
April 24, 2018
The book was really good and showed the tricks and cunning business sense of Barnum. It also showed how he used the media of the day to advertise his museums, shows,etc. he seemed to be quite good at it. Through many set backs he continued on and succeeded. It appears he really did I’ve what he did and really did try to give the people their money’s worth of entertainment. Also, he saw a positive in others that most people might have seen as misfortune such as being a dwarf, etc. It’s worth the read.
October 5, 2018
What an interesting story. Nothing at all like the movie, thank goodness! Barnum was a man of integrity & goodness with an indomitable spirit. He survived through 5 fires that destroyed home & museum/circus, yet kept plunging ahead knowing that good can only come out of it! While there were a few chapters that held quite boring statistics & data, the rest of it was very entertaining. I'm so glad I was able to finish this book literally minutes before it was digitally returned to the library.
December 29, 2022
This is a terrific autobiography by P T Barnum. He was for the most part an honorable man who had a way of making money and loosing it. 5 times he lost huge amounts of money and capital through fire. He also lost lots of money, but refused loans from friends. He traveled to England and all around
america and really cared about his fellow man, often giving lots of money to charities. Though he started off very poor he died with an estate of $4 million.
america and really cared about his fellow man, often giving lots of money to charities. Though he started off very poor he died with an estate of $4 million.
April 29, 2024
Loved this book. The writing style/vocabulary takes you back to the 1800's. Such an amazing life told in great detail by the man himself, P.T. Barnum. Interesting also, how his life was so intertwined with other well known persons of those days. Hearing the actual first-hand accounts of people and events I've heard of/about but only loosely, was ... rewarding?? Overall, highly recommend. The Audible version was a spot-on voice perfect for this story.
January 23, 2025
Interesting book written by Barnum himself. It is written in the language of the times (mid/late 1800's) so that makes it a beautiful read. But it turns out, after reading it, I learned that Barnum is a manipulative scammer. Getting to know him through this book makes me not like him at all! Was hard to finish after learning about all his sneaky tactics to get whatever he wanted!
June 5, 2009
All right he was a braggart. He was grandious. He was a crooked genius.
But, he never said "There's a sucker born every minute."
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Victorian era, oddities, or entertainment.
But, he never said "There's a sucker born every minute."
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the Victorian era, oddities, or entertainment.
March 18, 2018
How the Greatest Showman Went On & On
Even fire after fire didn't dissuade PT Barnum from rebuilding - never mind early "failures" that turned out to be building blocks of his success. There's nothing like the man himself sharing his journey.
Even fire after fire didn't dissuade PT Barnum from rebuilding - never mind early "failures" that turned out to be building blocks of his success. There's nothing like the man himself sharing his journey.
October 23, 2024
Truly a great inside look to the man who for over 80 years brought joy and the unseen wonders of the world to every corner of the globe. His autobiography lends a unique truth to who he was from the source. A wonderful read; thank you Mr. P.T. Barnum!
January 15, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Barnum's autobiography. He was a brilliant marketing genius, showman and businessman. This was one that I savored as I worked my way through the chronicles of his business life.
January 25, 2020
Very interesting as a whole, but lots and lots of details that weigh down the story.
October 10, 2021
Some parts were interesting. Other parts were not so much, especially all the name calling and chapters about persons I have never heard of from 150-200 years ago.
December 15, 2021
It was interesting to me I always found the circus to be such a happy place
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews