P.T. Barnum. Does the name ring a bell? Most of us have heard of this guy before, but how many of us truly know all there is to know about the life of this tremendous, stupendous showman? Hold onto your hat cause we’re about to find out more through a book called The Great And Only Barnum by author Candace Fleming.
P.T. Barnum Bio
Why aren’t there more kids’ book about Barnum out there? Probably because he wasn't a very good man or a very bad man, just a very talented man who had quite a few problems. The kind of guy who loved kids and loved booze, fought for the right for blacks to vote and owned a slave. Basically, any book about Barnum would have to give the good with the bad, And not many writers have the guts to do something like that.Luckily, Candace Flemming does. So here’s the short version of the story of P.T. Barnum …
When he was a kid Barnum fell in love with practical jokes. Born in 1810, he eventually got into the business of showmanship, starting out by exhibiting a woman he claimed had been George Washington’s nurse. From there he went on two build two museums of wonder and buffoonery, tour the 19th century pop star Jenny Lind, serve on the Connecticut state legislature and help to create the greatest show on earth: the Barnum and Bailey Circus. Love him or hate him, there’s no denying that Barnum was a uniquely American character with a truly interesting life.
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