Book Review: ‘Barnum: An American Life’

A fascinating man revealed in a well-researched book

A sculpture of P.T. Barnum, 1887, by Thomas Ball, Seaside Park, Bridgeport, Connecticut. Public Domain

Phineas Taylor (“P.T.”) Barnum (1810–1891), of Barnum & Bailey Circus fame, almost certainly never said “there’s a sucker born every minute.” He did, however, say “I don’t believe in duping the public, but I believe in first attracting and then pleasing them.”

Robert Wilson’s biography “Barnum: An American Life” shows his subject often walking a fine line between these points of view on his way to becoming one of the most distinctive individuals of the 19th century. Best remembered for his showmanship, Barnum was also an author, publisher, lecturer, philanthropist, and politician.

The Showman

Barnum, Wilson says, always targeted his entertainment toward the middle class, but never regarded his audiences as people to be taken advantage of. He saw them as hardworking souls who deserved unusual and wondrous entertainment, all in a family-friendly environment. If an exhibition, such as the display of the remains of a so-called mermaid, wasn’t quite what it seemed, then as long as the audience enjoyed the experience, what was the harm?