American Sideshow
by Marc Hartzman
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Book Summary Information
Author: Marc HartzmanEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2006-09-21
ISBN: 1585425303
Number of pages: 304
Publisher: Tarcher
Book Reviews of American Sideshow
Book Review: A broad overview that could use more depth
Summary: 3 Stars
American Sideshow is an encyclopedic guide to the performers, freaks and attractions that were found in the 10-in-1's and Single-O's that were found besides the circuses and along the fair midways across the nation until political correctness killed the entertainment that came from looking at a deformed person.
Like many encyclopedias, American Sideshow covers a wide range of topics, especially short biographies of hundreds of showmen and women. But also like many encyclopedias, the book lacks real depth. It never really digs into the life of the sideshow performer or even provides much depth about the bios of the attractions it intends to cover. It is simply a series of very brief biographical sketches of various performers interspersed with a sprinkling of general information about sideshows.
And given its structure as an encyclopedia rather than as a continuing narrative, the book really has no flow to it. Instead it jumps from one bio to the next, in no real order except, I suppose, alphabetical. Why not group people in the same shows together? Or group them by act? Or chronologically (done somewhat but not meaningfully in the current text).
The book just leaves the reader wanting more. More depth, more detail and more insight. The author has taken the reader to level 1 but the reader is left craving a trip to level 3 or higher.
If you want an introduction to the subject of sideshows and freaks, this is an OK place to start. Just understand that if the subject interests you at all, you are going to want to go well beyond what is in this text. Therefore I recommend it, but with some reservations.
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