From 1840 until 1940; freak shows by the hundreds crisscrossed the United States; from the smallest towns to the largest cities; exhibiting their casts of dwarfs; giants; Siamese twins; bearded ladies; savages; snake charmers; fire eaters; and other oddities. By todays standards such displays would be considered cruel and exploitativemdash;the pornography of disability. Yet for one hundred years the freak show was widely accepted as one of Americas most popular forms of entertainment.Robert Bogdans fascinating social history brings to life the world of the freak show and explores the culture that nurtured and; later; abandoned it. In uncovering this neglected chapter of show business; he describes in detail the flimflam artistry behind the shows; the promoters and the audiences; and the gradual evolution of public opinion from awe to embarrassment. Freaks were not born; Bogdan reveals; they were manufactured by the amusement world; usually with the active participation of the freaks themselves. Many of the "human curiosities" found fame and fortune; becoming the celebrities of their time; until the ascent of professional medicine transformed them from marvels into pathological specimans.
#1695713 in eBooks 2014-12-04 2014-12-04File Name: B00R7TERX8
Review
318 of 351 people found the following review helpful. Impossible to ReadBy Grumpy Whiny Old ManI ordered this book because I could not find my copy of the Revised Edition; a book that is worth reading and studying over and over. I thought so much of the book and its lessons that I decided to order the newest edition. The day before the new edition arrived I found my dog-eared; page-stained copy of Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain and revisited a couple of my favorite pages.Today the newest edition arrived. It might be a masterpiece in its genre; but Ill never know. The type face is so small I; literally; cannot read the side bars; and reading the body text is not much better. The amount of ink used for the impressions is minimal and adds to the difficulties. A book does no good if half of it cannot be read and the other half is difficult to read due to typeface or any other physical limits. A direct comparison of font size between the two books makes it very apparent it isnt just a grumpy whiny old mans grump of the day.Publisher should be ashamed. If I can read the last edition with no problems I think I should be permitted to read the latest edition just as easily.320 of 338 people found the following review helpful. This 4th edition is a disappointment.By Alyce HumphreyThe 89 edition is far superior to the 4th. In the 4th; the paper is thin enough to see through. Many of the drawing instructions are reproduced far too light and hard to see; much less to study. The chapter on color is GONE. Most of the interesting and informative margin notes are gone (though the space is still there); and the few that are there are in print so tiny its not easy to read. In chapter 6; the student is advised to lift lights to create shadows; but this is not really taught until chapter 10 on lights and shadows. Why is this thrust on the student in chapter 6 when they havent been taught it yet and may end up doing it in an incorrect way? And last; the index is incomplete; and I had to go through many pages in order to find things; since all the pages for a subject were not listed. The 89 edition is excellent.51 of 54 people found the following review helpful. Drawing workbookBy deanThis work book is outstanding. Lots of practical exercises that challenge you to do what you may not know that you could. It is very easy to read and understand as well as fun for someone trying to learn or get back into drawing.
