The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum by Candace Fleming

 

Bibliographical citation:  Fleming, C. (2009). The Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. 151 pages. ISBN: 9780375841972.

Awards: ALA Notable Children's Books (2010), Best Fiction for Young Adults (2010), YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults (2010).

Author's website: http://www.candacefleming.com/

Annotation: This is the story of Phineas Taylor Barnum's childhood, family, marriage, and how he started out on the road of fame and success.  Always a showman, readers can experience Barnum's roller coaster journey through life with all its ups and downs.

Personal Reaction: Growing up in Connecticut as a young boy, Phineas Taylor Barnum (named after his grandfather) was aware that his grandfather, called Uncle Phin by everyone, was known for his outlandish jokes and pranks.  Nobody was safe from his pranks, not even P.T. Barnum, who was known as "Tale" back then.   Born into a large family who struggled a bit financially, Tale was taught early the lessons of hard work and saving his pennies.  He was also taught, thanks to his grandfather's pranks,  how to be a prankster himself.  Tale was naturally good at enterprising and finding ways to make money.  He could add up large numbers in his head without delay despite his erratic education.  Since his father frequently needed Tale to help him on the farm, he wasn't always in school.  However, during those times, he was considered well off with the education that he did receive.  When his father became ill and died rather suddenly, Tale was only fifteen and found himself having to work hard to pay his father's debts and make sure that his mother and many siblings were well fed and dressed.  Not fond of physical labor, Tale took a job in his Uncle's store in order to support his family.  It is here that he learned of ways to earn extra money.  Tale always had creative ways of generating income, such as lotteries and prize drawings. 

Married at the age of 19, Taylor became a father a few years later.  It was then that he decided to move his family to someplace exciting and stimulating-New York City.  Taylor always had excess energy, and when he arrived in New York, he put that energy to work and started calling himself Barnum.  Always intrigued by the mysterious and unusual, it is in New York that Barnum became involved in exhibitions, realizing that people enjoyed harmless hoaxes and it could make him money.  This small seed blossomed into the American Museum, a place where Barnum could exhibit all sorts of interesting animals, fossils, people and many other rare sights for tourists to experience. Barnum became a rich and powerful man overnight.  Never wanting to wait for anything, he would get an idea and run with it, whether it was rebuilding the museum after a fire, or building a mansion for his family.  The circus was his next venture, and although many saw Barnum as a "deceiver," he worked hard to make sure that his exhibits and shows were places that were morally decent and appropriate for families.  Barnum also showed concern for his animals and did his best to make sure that they were well attended and cared for.  These are the reasons that people flocked to all of his exhibitions. 

Barnum was a mover and a shaker and did not let any dust gather under his feet.  He spent time traveling all over Europe to find new acts and animals for his projects and it was during this time that his wife Chastity died.  Only 13 weeks later in February 1874 while in England, Barnum secretly married the daughter of one of his closest friends.  It wasn't until September that Barnum brought his new bride, Nancy, to the United States where they were married in front of family and friends.  The secret marriage wasn't discovered until 120 years later when the marriage certificate was revealed. 

P.T. Barnum is a name that has become legend and is always associated with all that is mysterious, thrilling and  outrageous.  Up until a few months before his death at the age of 81, Barnum was still going and traveling with the Barnum and Bailey Circus in London.  Not only does this comprehensive and fascinating biography give readers an in-depth look at the man behind all of his fantastic shows and exhibits, but it provides a true history of showmanship and the circus here in the United States.  Barnum's story is told in such a way that you can feel his energy and drive to provide entertainment and to make people laugh.  The marvelous photographs of the man himself, his family, and his many ventures throughout his life add to this noteworthy narrative. 


Front/Back Matter: Acknowledgements, Table of Contents, Bibliography, Finding Barnum on the Web, Source Notes by Chapter, Picture Credits, Index.

*Bibliographical citation information, award information, as well as image retrieved from www.bwibooks.com (Titletales).