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P.T. Barnum: America's Greatest Showman
If Abraham Lincoln was the great moral force of his age, Phineas Taylor Barnum was its great provider of joy. As one of the earliest practitioners of "the show business," Barnum dedicated his long career to alleviating the “severe and drudging practicalness” he considered the chief defect of American civilization. His remedy? A prodigious swarm of divas, minstrels, circuses, museums of curiosities, beauty pageants, sideshows, fat-baby and poultry contests – whatever it took to entertain his fellow citizens while making him one of his country’s first millionaires.
With P.T. America’s Greatest Showman, the Messrs Kunhardt rediscover the genius and vision of an unmatched impresario and entrepreneur. In vivid words and spellbinding pictures (more than 500 photographs, engravings, and color lithographs from 41 different archives), we meet a man of complex motives, a master of merchandise, an inveterate self-promoter often reviled for his opportunism. We meet the man who did NOT say "There’s a sucker born every minute"; whose best friends were clergymen; whose autobiography sold more than a million copies; who took a public leap through a flaming hoop to prove to the ASPCA that his performing horses were in no danger; who (allegedly) plotted with Samuel Clemens to lease a comet’s tail to take a million passengers on a guided tour of outer space. We meet the man who built his reputation – and his fortune – largely on the exoticism of others, but whose crowning moment as a member of the Connecticut state legislature came in a speech in favor of the constitutional amendment to abolish "A human soul is not to be trifled with. It may inhabit the body of a Chinaman, a Turk, an Arab or a Hotentot – it is still an immortal spirit!"
There is no denying Barnum’s abiding influence, more than a century after his death, on our popular culture. For better AND for worse, we owe America’s irrepressible infatuation with show biz largely to him.
With P.T. America’s Greatest Showman, the Messrs Kunhardt rediscover the genius and vision of an unmatched impresario and entrepreneur. In vivid words and spellbinding pictures (more than 500 photographs, engravings, and color lithographs from 41 different archives), we meet a man of complex motives, a master of merchandise, an inveterate self-promoter often reviled for his opportunism. We meet the man who did NOT say "There’s a sucker born every minute"; whose best friends were clergymen; whose autobiography sold more than a million copies; who took a public leap through a flaming hoop to prove to the ASPCA that his performing horses were in no danger; who (allegedly) plotted with Samuel Clemens to lease a comet’s tail to take a million passengers on a guided tour of outer space. We meet the man who built his reputation – and his fortune – largely on the exoticism of others, but whose crowning moment as a member of the Connecticut state legislature came in a speech in favor of the constitutional amendment to abolish "A human soul is not to be trifled with. It may inhabit the body of a Chinaman, a Turk, an Arab or a Hotentot – it is still an immortal spirit!"
There is no denying Barnum’s abiding influence, more than a century after his death, on our popular culture. For better AND for worse, we owe America’s irrepressible infatuation with show biz largely to him.
358 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 1995
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 9, 2015
After I got done reading this I had to do a check to make sure the authors were not related to P.T. Barnum because along with his picture on almost every other page is a definite liking for the man.
"America's greatest showman" is not mere hyperbole. By bringing together a living cabinet of curiosities he became famous worldwide. From Tom Thumb, nowadays politically correctly known as vertically challenged to Jumbo the elephant whose name became synonymous with anything of major proportions, Barnum assembled first in his museum and later in a circus the largest collection of oddities the world had ever seen.
Over the years, Barnum believed the end justified the means. So if he exaggerated or created false background about one of his exhibits, the people were still getting their money's worth by seeing everything else. To set the record straight: a rival had an obviously fake giant on display that he claimed was dug up in Bora Bora or wherever. A short time later Barnum had a similar fake buried on a farm at night then concocted a tale about a farmer finding it while working in a field. To much hoopla, Barnum had the so-called giant added to his display. To which a newspaper reporter wrote "Mr. Barnum must think there's a sucker born every minute."
Barnum was also fond of practical jokes. Told that the crowd wasn't moving fast enough through one of his tents, he had a sign put up that said "this way to the egress." Thinking they were on their way to a new exhibit, people soon found themselves outside.
There's a definite pro-Barnum bias in this book. Any potential negative meets with a "yeah but that's not so bad" attitude or it's countered by a positive. My opinion is a guy who brought smiles to millions of kids faces and gave people happy memories they'll never forget can't be all bad. If you like reading about the big top and want to know what passed for the unusual and mysterious 150 years ago, this is the book for you.
"America's greatest showman" is not mere hyperbole. By bringing together a living cabinet of curiosities he became famous worldwide. From Tom Thumb, nowadays politically correctly known as vertically challenged to Jumbo the elephant whose name became synonymous with anything of major proportions, Barnum assembled first in his museum and later in a circus the largest collection of oddities the world had ever seen.
Over the years, Barnum believed the end justified the means. So if he exaggerated or created false background about one of his exhibits, the people were still getting their money's worth by seeing everything else. To set the record straight: a rival had an obviously fake giant on display that he claimed was dug up in Bora Bora or wherever. A short time later Barnum had a similar fake buried on a farm at night then concocted a tale about a farmer finding it while working in a field. To much hoopla, Barnum had the so-called giant added to his display. To which a newspaper reporter wrote "Mr. Barnum must think there's a sucker born every minute."
Barnum was also fond of practical jokes. Told that the crowd wasn't moving fast enough through one of his tents, he had a sign put up that said "this way to the egress." Thinking they were on their way to a new exhibit, people soon found themselves outside.
There's a definite pro-Barnum bias in this book. Any potential negative meets with a "yeah but that's not so bad" attitude or it's countered by a positive. My opinion is a guy who brought smiles to millions of kids faces and gave people happy memories they'll never forget can't be all bad. If you like reading about the big top and want to know what passed for the unusual and mysterious 150 years ago, this is the book for you.
March 4, 2019
An excellent, thorough account of the man behind the show. Recommended to anyone who has an interest in Barnum, the circus, business/marketing, or 19th century American history. Written in an engaging, accessible style that stays true, at the same time, to quality research and content, this book is a win on all counts. One of the main delights, too, is the myriad of photos included, each captioned and telling mini-stories. The one downfall of the book is the size and weight of the book itself, which make it difficult to make this a portable read.
I fell in love with Barnum almost immediately, and if I had a time machine, a visit to his museum would be high on my list. He is a genius of entertainment, advertising, and business sense. He treated his employees well, providing frequent promotions and raises; he knew how to get the right people in the right places, and he knew the value of his own presence.
Writing a review on this book is as difficult as summing up the life of such a man. Simply an excellent biography. Simply an excellent man.
I fell in love with Barnum almost immediately, and if I had a time machine, a visit to his museum would be high on my list. He is a genius of entertainment, advertising, and business sense. He treated his employees well, providing frequent promotions and raises; he knew how to get the right people in the right places, and he knew the value of his own presence.
Writing a review on this book is as difficult as summing up the life of such a man. Simply an excellent biography. Simply an excellent man.
December 26, 2017
Fantastic biography of a very complex character. Barnum was a brilliant marketer and understood the nature of 1800s Americans probably better than anyone. Very progressive businessman though a flawed human being. What makes this book so great is the hundreds of pages of photos from Barnum's museum and circus days that accompany the text. Highly recommended for all.
April 6, 2018
I doubt if I would have had much interest in reading a biography of P.T. Barnum if it hadn't been for the delightful movie recently released, "The Greatest Showman". The movie left me with an interest to learn more about this man whose name I had heard from my childhood was connected with the best circus ever.
The movie just touched the surface of the character of the man. He was truly an amazingly talented man who exhibited an ability to follow his vision for what people wanted and how to deliver it to them in a way they could never have imagined. We enjoy learning of unusual talent in whatever field and Barnum's talents with entertainment, advertising, and humbug were extraordinary. And he was a good man.
The book appeared to be thoroughly referenced and reportedly has 500 photos which definitely doubled the experience.
The movie just touched the surface of the character of the man. He was truly an amazingly talented man who exhibited an ability to follow his vision for what people wanted and how to deliver it to them in a way they could never have imagined. We enjoy learning of unusual talent in whatever field and Barnum's talents with entertainment, advertising, and humbug were extraordinary. And he was a good man.
The book appeared to be thoroughly referenced and reportedly has 500 photos which definitely doubled the experience.
February 11, 2018
After seeing The Greatest Showman, I wondered what the real PT Barnum was like. This book is apparently an accompaniment to a Discovery Channel documentary. It covers Barnum's entire life, good (he invented show business) and bad (cruelty to animals, children). One of the things that most surprised me since it's in the musical Barnum as well as The Greatest Showman was that Barnum did not have an affair with singer Jenny Lind. There is also a less romantic portrait of Charity Barnum. She and PT were in love all her life. But she doesn't seem encouraging of his business ventures, and she is a hypochondriac. The photos are plentiful and amazing, and were collected by the authors' father/grandfather.
February 3, 2014
overall good, would've liked to learn more about the performers
June 2, 2018
I was so lucky. I saw the movie "The Greatest Showman" and became curious about Barnum's life. I first bought the Nook Book "The Life of P.T. Barnum written by himself", published in `1854. It locked up on page 126 and I could not go further. Got a refund and re-ordered the Nook book and the same thing happened. So I went to the library and found this book and it was great - his entire life in detail and many pictures. I learned about the 3 fires of his Museum in New York City and a fire that destroyed his home which was a palace. He opened the Museum in 1941, but didn't get involved in the traveling circus until the 1870s. He did however go on tour with various acts both in the US and in Europe. Am glad I found out more about him.
May 15, 2018
This book was more like a school textbook than I was expecting. I was looking for a story of his life, and this was hard to follow chronologically. It was broken up by decades, but then each page was a subject of his life like people he worked with or traveling. It was chock full of pictures, though, so I was willing to keep reading. After reading, I decided I liked the version of Barnum they portrayed in The Greatest Showman more than the real life Barnum, but he is still admirable for all his forward thinking.
February 13, 2018
The movie The greatest Showman inspired me to seek out this biography about P.T. Barnum. Exquisite illustrations and a thoroughly researched and conveyed history of his life made this a physically cumbersome and slow moving book but I greatly enjoyed it. Barnum was a truly unique human and his museums and circuses triumphs of ingenuity, creativity, and the execution of big, big dreams. Fascinating!
August 21, 2018
I read this book after suffering through the Hugh Jackman film "The Greatest Showman." As a result, I now know more about P.T. Barnum that I ever wanted to know but I definitely think the true story of his life would have made a far better movie.
January 28, 2019
This book is comprehensive and has lots of cool picture, but it is poorly written and offers little in the way of context or critical insight into the Barnum's changing views, his drive, or the popular sentiments that made him the most famous man of his time.
February 9, 2025
Lavishly illustrated but not very well written bio of Barnum. Was written to accompany a television bio of Barnum not by but similar to a Ken Burns many years ago. Barnum live is presented as a series of vignettes of at best three or four pages rather than as an actual biographical study.
January 7, 2018
A fund read with lots of great pictures. More overview than detailed, but still a good introduction to Barnum.
January 16, 2018
This book was very interesting. It had a lot of information and oodles of photos.
February 1, 2018
Written in an easy to read way with a lot of info and pictures.
March 26, 2018
Clearly and thoroughly. Pictures are valuable enough and the stories are interesting. Helpful in making a representation
October 17, 2018
Fascinating guy, interesting book.
January 22, 2018
I really enjoyed this book and I am sure it had something to do with having just seen The Greatest Showman and loving that movie! But I loved all the research, the wealth of pictures and historical facts and quotes! This man was so interesting. I think he is a marketing and PR genius and it was fun to get to know his real story!
June 3, 2008
I'm a native of Bridgeport, CT, where Barnum lived and worked for much of his life, and I've been fascinated -- possibly obsessed -- with Barnum since I was about 7 years old.
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I did like it, but I remain of two minds about the format. The text is broken in to brief, easy-to-digest sections -- perfect for my dwindling attention span, so I appreciated that. But at times, I wondered if there was perhaps more information that the authors had omitted, in order to stick to their chosen format.
On the other hand, the brief sections do allow for the use of far more images than would have been included in a more traditionally organized biography. Every page features several images from the era -- photographs, newspaper clippings, handbills, etchings, and more, all of which truly serve to illustrate the text, rather than being mere window dressing.
Despite the seemingly brief text, this book is hardly a light, fast read. I read very fast, and it took me more than a week to get through this book. There is a lot of information here, presented very palatably.
I think Barnum himself would have liked this book! I expected it to be more of a traditional biography, and was caught off guard. I'd like to read the other Barnum biographies and maybe come back to this one for the purpose of deciding which one seems definitive.
I wanted to like this book more than I did. I did like it, but I remain of two minds about the format. The text is broken in to brief, easy-to-digest sections -- perfect for my dwindling attention span, so I appreciated that. But at times, I wondered if there was perhaps more information that the authors had omitted, in order to stick to their chosen format.
On the other hand, the brief sections do allow for the use of far more images than would have been included in a more traditionally organized biography. Every page features several images from the era -- photographs, newspaper clippings, handbills, etchings, and more, all of which truly serve to illustrate the text, rather than being mere window dressing.
Despite the seemingly brief text, this book is hardly a light, fast read. I read very fast, and it took me more than a week to get through this book. There is a lot of information here, presented very palatably.
I think Barnum himself would have liked this book! I expected it to be more of a traditional biography, and was caught off guard. I'd like to read the other Barnum biographies and maybe come back to this one for the purpose of deciding which one seems definitive.
October 10, 2011
I was directed to this book because I wanted to learn more about Barnum, General Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren after reading "The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb: A Novel". In that respect, it was a little disappointing, there wasn't a lot of detail on those particular people. In another respect, it was very interesting. It is chock full of interesting period photography of Barnum's "Living Curiosities", as well as copies of ads and newspaper articles representing the perspective of the day. It honestly deals with the fact that Barnum was a reflection of the time in regards to his performers. He was sometimes insensitive, opportunistic, and racist in his dealings with different people. But, he was also genuine friends with many of his performers who frequently came to his aid during the various ups and downs of his career.
December 10, 2018
A few things about Barnum surprised me:
-his religious leanings involved pastors as friends, support of many churches and charities
-it seems that he truly cared for his animals and children, payed them fairly and exploiting them is not the proper word to describe his treatment
-he truly was a promoter and would admit that he was entertaining; meaning that his "oddities" were not always what was billed but wanted to give people their money's worth.
I saw some pictures in this book of things I had never heard of before...you'll have to get it yourself to find out what they are!
-his religious leanings involved pastors as friends, support of many churches and charities
-it seems that he truly cared for his animals and children, payed them fairly and exploiting them is not the proper word to describe his treatment
-he truly was a promoter and would admit that he was entertaining; meaning that his "oddities" were not always what was billed but wanted to give people their money's worth.
I saw some pictures in this book of things I had never heard of before...you'll have to get it yourself to find out what they are!
February 20, 2012
A giant book about P.T. Barnum; full of period photos, in an easy to read format. What more do you need? Loaded with interesting anecdotes such as Barnum NOT actually saying, "there's a sucker born every minute." Barnum practiced "cons" (such as the "egress"), but they were always light-hearted cons. Ones that left the "victims" feeling snookered but amused.
November 12, 2008
A fascinating book about the man who invented or at least made famous circuses in the US. His history is fascinating.
August 30, 2013
Non-fiction. He was such a show man. Book has lots of pictures.
July 4, 2015
mediocre writing great story
August 9, 2007
Wonderful photographic record of a wonderful era. And lots of freaks, naturally.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews