Bookverdict.com

Gr 6-Up It is unlikely that Barnum ever actually said "There's a sucker born every minute," but he freely admitted to being a master of the "humbug"a spectacle that both fooled and entertained the public. This highly readable biography uses primary sources, including Barnum's own words, to trace the man's roller-coaster life from his boyhood in Connecticut to his early career as the creator of the country's most famous "museums" (comparable to sideshows) to his later role as the master of enormously successful circuses, w...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Today's young readers are likely to associate the name of P. T. Barnum only with the circus that bears his name, and while he was indeed a pioneer of the big top, he had an equally indelible effect on the history of museums and zoology in this country. While Fleming lauds his many accomplishments, she does not shy away from the ethical issues—slavery, the mistreatment of animals, exploitation, and fakery—that, from a modern perspectiv...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Big-top pioneer Barnum had an equally indelible effect on the history of museums and zoology. This biography captures the spirit of the man a...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Writing is immediate and engaging. Careful research shows in the vivid d...Log In or Sign Up to Read More