Barnum : an American life / Robert Wilson.
"P. T. Barnum was the greatest showman the world has ever seen: the cocreator of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and the man who made worldwide sensations of Jumbo the Elephant, General Tom Thumb, and the "Swedish Nightingale," Jenny Lind. He was the champion of wonder, joy, trickery, and "humbug." He was, as Barnum argues, one of the most important Americans of the nineteenth century. Nearly 125 years after his death, the name P. T. Barnum still inspires wonder. Robert Wilson's vivid new biography captures the full genius, infamy, and allure of the ebullient showman. From birth to death, Phineas Taylor Barnum repeatedly reinvented himself. He learned as a young man how to wow crowds, and built a fortune that placed him among the first millionaires in the United States. He also suffered tragedy, bankruptcy, and fires that destroyed his life's work, yet willed himself to rebuild and succeed again. As an entertainer, Barnum courted controversy time and again throughout his life--yet he was also a man of strong convictions, guided in his work not by a desire to deceive but an eagerness to thrill and bring joy to his audiences. He almost certainly never uttered the infamous line, "There's a sucker born every minute," instead taking pride in giving crowds their money's worth and more"-- Provided by publisher.
Record details
- ISBN: 9781432864255
- ISBN: 1432864254
- Physical Description: 607 pages (large print), 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 23 cm.
- Edition: Large Print edition.
- Publisher: Waterville, Maine : Thorndike Press, A part of Gale, a Cengage Company, [2019]
- Copyright: ©2019
Content descriptions
General Note: | "The text of this Large Print edition is unabridged. Other aspects of the book may vary from the original edition"-- T.p. verso. |
Bibliography, etc. Note: | Includes bibliographical references. |
Search for related items by subject
Subject: | Barnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor), 1810-1891. Barnum and Bailey. Circus owners > United States > Biography. Circus > United States > History. |
Genre: | Large print books. |
Available copies
- 2 of 2 copies available at Kenton County.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 2 total copies.
Other Formats and Editions
Show Only Available Copies
Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Status | Due Date |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Covington Branch | LT B B263w 2019 (Text) | 33126023966363 | Large Print Biography | Available | - |
Erlanger Branch | LT B B263w 2019 (Text) | 33126023966371 | Large Print Biography | Available | - |