He called himself the "Prince of Humbugs." Today, most people remember him for his circus and for a cynical remark ("There's a sucker born every minute") that in fact he never made. It is less well known that P. T. Barnum (1 8 10-91) first made his mark as the proprietor of the American Museum in New York City. There, from 1841 to 1868, he combined freak shows and serious scientific exhibits, entertainment and edification, to produce "rational" amusement for a remarkably diverse audience. Recreating this chapter in the great showman's life, biographer A. H. Saxon describes Barnum's role in...