Hoaxes, Humbugs and Spectacles: Astonishing Photographs of Smelt Wrestlers, Human Projectiles, Giant Hailstones, Contortionists, Elephant Impersonat

This outrageous book presents a large selection of vintage photographs portraying the bizarre, the unusual, or the historically significant. Garnered from museums and archives all over America, these photographs remind us that "spectacles" were once spectacular and quite often funny. From a tightrope walker making his way across Niagara Falls, to Houdini's astounding feats, to smelt wrestling, each photograph is accompanied by a caption, giving background on the people and events depicted.