Other editions of book Struggles and Triumphs; or, Forty Years' Recollections of P.T. Barnum written by himself

"A visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation." -'The Greatest Showman' movie website."Not only readable, but absolutely fascinating ... brilliant." -Herald of Health, 1870“What a book!” –The Atlantic, 1922 "Delicious egotism which pervades ... characterized by Mr. Barnum's strongly marked and thoroughly American individuality." -The Eclectic Magazine, 1870 P.T. Barnum was hailed as an icon of American spirit and ingenuity, and was perhaps the most famous American in the world. The circus business was the source of much of Barnum’s enduring fame. He established "P. T. Barnum's Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome", a traveling circus, menagerie and museum of "freaks", which adopted many names over the years.Starting in 1842, Barnum opened the first of the great "museums" of curiosities and freaks, adding immeasurably to the gaiety of New York life. He exhibited the tiny Charles Sherwood Stratton so successfully that he became, as "General Tom Thumb," a world-famous figure. In 1850, Barnum imported Jenny Lind for a concert tour beginning at Castle Garden (later the Aquarium in Battery Park), which more than prefigured the later exploits of S. Hurok. When past sixty, Barnum opened in Brooklyn "The Greatest Show on Earth," the first great American traveling circus. .In his 1879 book “Struggles and Triumphs: Or, Forty Years' Recollections of P. T. Barnum,” Barnum (1810 –1891) narrates his early history as Clerk, Merchant and Editor, and his later career as a Showman. Barnum was the greatest showman of all time, the American from Bethel, Connecticut, whose eccentricities and oblique, cynical approach to humanity transformed entertainment into a big, incredibly profitable business. Such a work is this autobiography of P. T. Barnum, so well known on both sides of the Atlantic for the personal vicissitudes through which he has passed during a long public career, for his indefatigable energy of character, and for his triumph over obstacles and misfortunes which might well have appalled and discouraged even the sternest battler in "the struggle for existence." Retired from the dust of the arena, and resting upon his laurels, he has spent the leisure moments of a green and vigorous old age in recalling the past with its checkered experiences, and drawing from it such lessons as will amuse, interest, and benefit those who are to follow in his footsteps. Of the various vicissitudes through which Mr. Barnum has passed the whole world more or less knows, and to show how perfectly natural and confidential he is with the public, quoting from the preface what he himself says of his work. "It is the matured and leisurely review of almost half a century of work and struggle and final success, in spite of fraud and fire—the story of which is blended with amusing anecdotes, funny passages, felicitous jokes, captivating narratives, novel experiences, and remarkable interviews—the sunny and sombre so intermingled as not only to entertain, but convey useful lessons to all classes of readers." The Greatest Showman is a 2017 American historical period drama musical film directed by Michael Gracey in his directorial debut, written by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon and starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, and Zendaya. The film is inspired by the story of P. T. Barnum's creation of the Barnum & Bailey Circus and the lives of its star attractions. Hugh Jackman is cast as P. T. Barnum, an ambitious showman and entrepreneur. At the 75th Golden Globe Awards, the film received three nominations: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actor – Musical or Comedy (Jackman), and Best Original Song ("This Is Me"), winning the latter.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Written with the same energy and imagination Barnum brought to all his endeavors, this autobiography is a manual on getting rich, an occasional sermon on the merits of Christianity, and a survey of popular entertainment. When the first version was published in 1855, it became an immediate bestseller. Read today, it is not only a wonderful portrait of the most colorful figure in nineteenth-century American life but also a fascinating document of his times. He schemed to entrance the American people—to shock, amuse, and surprise them. And he succeeded. P.T. Barnum introduced the American public to Tom Thumb, the Siamese twins Chang and Eng, and the Swedish Nightingale, Jenny Lind. He made Americans open their eyes in amazement at thousands of “oddities,” some real, some manufactured. Struggles and Triumphs is the life story of America’s first purveyor of pop culture—a man who indulged in outright chicanery and yet managed to retain an image (most of the time) of unassailable moral rectitude.

Phineas Taylor Barnum, popularly known as P.T. Barnum, released his own biography in 1855, titled The Life of P.T. Barnum, which includes his "golden rules for money-making."This edition is a 1888 reprint, containing essentially the same account as the original and includes a number of images and illustrations. This volume can be well regarded as a manual of "showmanship" and moneymaking, given the notorious American businessman's trade and success in his chosen profession. It is quite ironic that someone who is, at the core, sort of a coward and averse to certain inconveniences, would make his stamp in history and society as a master in frauds and hoaxes via his famed Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The book also displays the author's eccentricity and coarseness, as well as near-sociopathic inclinations in full splendor. As such it is an amusing read, albeit long winded at times. However, the small text may challenge one's vision and makes this tome quite lengthy. What's most interesting about this autobiography is that it is not wholly an account of the author's life. It also has self-help elements that make this book double as a "marketing" and "racketeering" manual, as earlier mentioned. Those who admire Barnum's legacy, as well as those looking to be entertained by real life experiences of a historical figure of an intriguing reputation will do well to pick up this book.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

Excerpt from Struggles and Triumphs, or Forty Years' Recollections of P. T. BarnumSecond preface. Since the first pub this volume numerous striking incidents in my life occurred, which have mdueed the addition of several chap a well as the revision of certain portions of the text which.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.