As a librarian, I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this one is what drew me to the book. It looked wonderful on the table beside my reading chair in our dining room for the few years it took me to read it. (Please don't interpret that as a negative - I often read many books at a time and tend to rely on audiobooks when migraines interfere, and this unfortunately did not have an audio companion. I enjoyed every page!)

The collection of letters and short background snippets accompanying them gives the reader just enough information to peek behind the curtain of The Greatest Show on Earth and get a sense of the man in the center ring. While I had previously read biographies on Barnum and encountered a few of his more popular quotes and writings, this collection, spanning the majority of his life and exploring his interactions with family, friends, colleagues, and individuals of importance, was significantly more informative. There are layers of his personality and psyche exposed in this book through nothing more than his own words. Where his autobiography always felt a bit "staged" to me, there are aspects of himself that in these letters are "unedited" and somehow more telling of his true interests and character. (For better or worse.) The compilation is a true testament to thorough research, as Barnum curated his life and legacy as meticulously as he did his museums. He put great care into presenting his image and adjusting it to best fit his audiences, as a chameleon of personality to match leaders of business, religion, and politics, while building camaraderie with others in the entertainment world and appealing to his fans. I think I most enjoyed his words to his grandson, though. While still a Show Man, they held an endearing quality that helped to consider the balance between the worldly and powerful influencer and the elderly and story-loving man who worked to build the image that would outlive him.

The incredible depth and breadth of the content contributed to the length of time it took me to complete this reading. I found myself stopping after every few letters in order to research more about their context. It was such an enjoyable experience.