Barnum's Own Story The Autobiography of P. T. Barnum

P. T. Barnum's career of showmanship and charlatanry was marked by a surprising undercurrent of honesty and forthrightness. His exuberant autobiography forms a happy combination of all those traits, revealing the whole story of his world-famous hoaxes and publicity stunts. Here is a pageant of nineteenth-century America's gullibility and thirst for marvels, as told by the master of revels himself.
A born storyteller, Barnum recalls his association with Tom Thumb, his audience with Queen Victoria, and his trouble keeping Jenny Lind's angelic image intact during a trying tour. He tells of Jumbo, the most famous elephant in history, from the creature's heroic arrival in America to its tragic death in a railroad accident; of his attempts to transfer Shakespeare's house and Madame Tussaud's Waxworks from England to New York; and of his triumphant reentry into public life after financial failure and five disastrous fires had all but wiped him out. The true-life tale of a man of boundless imagination and indomitable energy, Barnum's autobiography embodies the spirit of America's most exciting boom years.

Phineas Taylor "P. T." Barnum (1810–1891) formed the circus that came to be known as The Greatest Show on Earth. A brash, larger-than-life entrepreneur, he transformed the nature of commercial entertainment in the 19th century, from his private museum of curiosities to his big-top extravaganzas. Barnum introduced audiences to General Tom Thumb, Jumbo the elephant, and Jenny Lind, "The Swedish nightingale," among other sensations. He concluded his career by serving two terms in the legislature of his home state, Connecticut, and as the mayor of Bridgeport.

Editor's ForewordI. Early BoyhoodII. Clerk in a Store: Ivy IslandIII. More Experiences as a Country ClerkIV. In Business for MyselfV. Brief Editorial Career: Removal to New YorkVI. My Start as a Showman: Joice Heth, "Signor Vivalla"VII. Experiences as a Travelling ShowmanVIII. Hard Times in New York: On the Road AgainIX. The American MuseumX. The Model of Niagara: The "Fejee Mermaid"XI. The Road to RichesXII. General Tom ThumbXIII. General Tom Thumb in LondonXIV. In FranceXV. In BelgiumXVI. In England AgainXVII. At HomeXVIII. The Jenny Lind EnterpriseXIX. The Nightingale in New YorkXX. On Tour with Jenny LindXXI. More Incidents of the TourXXII. Close of the CampaignXXIII. Other Enterprises: "Woolly Horse," "Buffalo Hunt"XXIV. Work and PlayXXV. The Jerome Clock Company EntanglementXXVI. Clouds and SunshineXXVII. Rest But Not RustXXVIII. Abroad AgainXXIX. In Holland: Home AgainXXX. The Art of Money-GettingXXXI. Richard's Himself AgainXXXII. Menagerie and Museum MemorandaXXXIII. More About the MuseumXXXIV. Mr. and Mrs. General Tom ThumbXXXV. Political and PersonalXXXVI. Bennett and the HeraldXXXVII. Public LecturingXXXVIII. The New MuseumXXXIX. East Bridgeport: Seaside Park, New HomesXL. Rest only Found in ActionXLI. Hippodromical, Hymeneal and MunicipalXLII. Foreign and Domestic: The Great AllianceXLIII. Two Famous ElephantsXLIV. The White ElephantXLV. Death of Jumbo: AliceXLVI. My Fifth Great FireConcluding Note