The World's Greatest Showman: The Life of P.T. Barnum

U.S. Landmark Books #64

by J. Bryan III

The life and times of P.T. Barnum, the "World's Greatest Showman," are chronicled in this engaging and insightful book. Written by J. Bryan III and published in 1956, this hardcover edition provides a fascinating look at the man behind the circus. From his early days as a struggling entrepreneur to his success with the Barnum & Bailey Circus, readers will learn about Barnum's many achievements and colorful personality. The book also delves into his personal life, including his family, relationships, and philanthropic endeavors. With its detailed research and lively prose, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the circus and one of its most iconic figures.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

182 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 1956

About the author

Joseph Bryan III was a journalist and writer who was born into the influential Bryan family of newspaper publishers and industrialists. He edited and wrote for many national publications, including the family-owned Richmond News Leader and Chicago Daily Journal, as well as Parade, Time, Fortune, Town and Country, Reader's Digest, the Saturday Evening Post, and the New Yorker. He wrote numerous articles on travel, humor, and celebrities, some of which evolved into books or reappeared as portions of his books. He served in all three branches of the U.S. military: first as a lieutenant in the field artillery of the army following his graduation from Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey, then in the navy during World War II (1939–1945) as a lieutenant commander assigned to naval air combat intelligence in the Pacific, and later as a lieutenant colonel in the air force. He also worked for the Central Intelligence Agency from the late 1940s until 1953. He lived in Washington, D.C., and at Brook Hill, an ancestral home in Henrico County.
Bryan's principal books included Mission Beyond Darkness (1945), written with Philip Reed about the U.S.S. Lexington in the South Pacific; Admiral Halsey's Story (1947), an authorized biography written with William F. Halsey; Aircraft Carrier (1954), based on a diary Bryan kept while aboard the U.S.S. Yorktown; The World's Greatest Showman: The Life of P. T. Barnum (1956), written for young readers; and The Windsor Story (1979), a dual biography of the duke and duchess of Windsor, written with Charles J. V. Murphy. He also published two volumes of short writings. The Sword over the Mantel: The Civil War and I (1960) features reminiscences and character sketches derived from his youth in Richmond, and Merry Gentlemen (And One Lady) (1985) contains memorable pen portraits of Fred Allen, Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, and other personalities of the Algonquin Round Table who flourished during Bryan's years in New York. His last two books, Hodgepodge: A Commonplace Book (1987) and Hodgepodge Two: Another Commonplace Book (1989), reflect his omnivorous reading, his love of travel, and his sense of humor.

Reviews

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

After watching the movie "The Greatest Showman" (a few times) I wanted to learn more about the life of P. T. Barnum and to see how closely his life was depicted in the movie. Very interesting to learn about his life and the tremendous amount of money he earned in the 1800's when these sums were even more unbelievable. Interesting read - 5 out of 10.

[Caleb Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book could have been the entitled "The world's greatest marketer and worst investor." I just took a marketing class, and I could line up how closely his strategies for publicity match up with what is now considered standard marketing techniques. He famously said that he didn't care what you said about him as long as you said it loudly and spelled his name correctly. He is the worst investor because he common put his money in companies that often, and could never work out an insurance policy that covered the cost of his damages, even after five devastating fires.

[Margaret Traudt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great account of the life of P. T. Barnum. He was a fascinating showman. It's amazing the number of "humbugs" he pulled on his audiences, but they didn't mind!

[Ted · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining and fascinating biography of P.T. Barnum, truely, the world’s greatest showman.

[ale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pt barnum t amo aunq seas un desquiciado

[Kathryn]

Excellent! Great book to learn history and the way finances worked in 1800/1900's. A time in history when a man or woman could become wealthy many times over if they had a sharp mind and a creative hand. Barnum was a lively creative person, museums and the circus have always interested me. Even more now. I enjoyed this book.