What do you think?
Rate this book
Freak Like Me
Offers an uncensored, behind-the-scenes look at the country's most popular sideshow troupe, formed by the author, whose act includes eating razor blades, and featuring the talents of the Amazing Mr. Lifto and the Human Pincushion. Original.
- GenresNonfictionBiography
199 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1995
1 person is currently reading
56 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 27, 2025
Ik wil deze show zien
November 17, 2023
Jim Rose's Circus Sideshow is the only show I've ever seen which made me want to throw up, as well as clap and cheer.
Rose has collected sideshow performers or freaks like himself, and traveled the world, I saw him in Brisbane Australia. Rose outlines his experiences gaining and exhibiting his peculiar skills, and building group acts with other circus folk.
At the end, he lists his skills, and tells how they are all done.
This book is required reading for my 'Fat Hats- Street Performance' online course, coming soon to Mandarella Publishing at mandy partridge dot com.
Rose has collected sideshow performers or freaks like himself, and traveled the world, I saw him in Brisbane Australia. Rose outlines his experiences gaining and exhibiting his peculiar skills, and building group acts with other circus folk.
At the end, he lists his skills, and tells how they are all done.
This book is required reading for my 'Fat Hats- Street Performance' online course, coming soon to Mandarella Publishing at mandy partridge dot com.
June 9, 2024
I first read this as a freshman in high school, and it was like the bible to me. I carried a nail in my wallet for years after, for impromptu blockhead performances.
January 5, 2009
Picked this up off bookmooch from someone in the UK. I never saw Jim Rose but I'm pretty sure this will be interesting.
Just finished this last night. Very cool. I flew through it. I seem to really like non-fiction about things that were happening while I was growing up. It's like you live in this microcosm (your neighborhood) and you hear about things in the headlines that happen in other microcosms, but books like this give you a glimpse into the details of what was really going on.
The tour started in the early 90's and the book ends in 95. So while I was playing dungeons & dragons, reading Anne Rice, playing in 2 bands, graduating from college, and sleeping with my girlfriend's best friend (with and without permission). Jim Rose was touring europe learning to eat lightbulbs, lay on beds of nails and eat fire. Then he formed a legendary troupe of freaks and toured the entire world and wrote a book.
The book includes many (poor quality) pictures of the different acts and Jim Rose hanging out with William Burroughs, Eddie Veder, Roger Daltry etc... It covers the original shows, the lallapalozza tour and the Nine Inch Nails tour. Very cool stuff. Just to score some cool points I did go to the first Lallapalozza and a couple others, just not the one with Jim Rose.
Just finished this last night. Very cool. I flew through it. I seem to really like non-fiction about things that were happening while I was growing up. It's like you live in this microcosm (your neighborhood) and you hear about things in the headlines that happen in other microcosms, but books like this give you a glimpse into the details of what was really going on.
The tour started in the early 90's and the book ends in 95. So while I was playing dungeons & dragons, reading Anne Rice, playing in 2 bands, graduating from college, and sleeping with my girlfriend's best friend (with and without permission). Jim Rose was touring europe learning to eat lightbulbs, lay on beds of nails and eat fire. Then he formed a legendary troupe of freaks and toured the entire world and wrote a book.
The book includes many (poor quality) pictures of the different acts and Jim Rose hanging out with William Burroughs, Eddie Veder, Roger Daltry etc... It covers the original shows, the lallapalozza tour and the Nine Inch Nails tour. Very cool stuff. Just to score some cool points I did go to the first Lallapalozza and a couple others, just not the one with Jim Rose.
February 5, 2016
Pretty awesome stuff. Jim Rose explains how his burning need to entertain other people while causing himself physical pain -- as well as the need to stop selling new cars to people who can't afford them -- led to the creation of the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow. I wonder what a Jungian therapist would make of the constant recurrence of bugs in this guy's life...
August 28, 2008
this book is snake oil itself! horrible design, bad photographs... but, it's cheap and briefly details Jim Rose and his freaks, so...
September 12, 2016
An quick-but-entertaining read. Even for a jaded fuck such as myself.
January 17, 2016
Not a book for the weak of heart. Fascinating look into the world of traveling circus sideshow both the ups and downs.
Currently reading
August 18, 2009I never wanted to join the circus but I did want to run off with the carnival
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews