The Arts of Deception: Playing with Fraud in the Age of Barnum

Ingenious automatons which appeared to think on their own. Dubious mermaids and wild men who resisted classification....
BD$97.77 BMD
BD$97.77 BMD
SKU: 9780674005914
Product Type: Books
Please hurry! Only 825 left in stock
Author: James W. Cook
Format: Paperback
Language: English
Subtotal: BD$97.77
10 customers are viewing this product
The Arts of Deception: Playing with Fraud in the Age of Barnum by Cook, James W.

The Arts of Deception: Playing with Fraud in the Age of Barnum

BD$97.77

The Arts of Deception: Playing with Fraud in the Age of Barnum

BD$97.77
Author: James W. Cook
Format: Paperback
Language: English

Ingenious automatons which appeared to think on their own. Dubious mermaids and wild men who resisted classification. Elegant sleight-of-hand artists who routinely exposed the secrets of their trade. These were some of the playful forms of fraud which astonished, titillated, and even outraged nineteenth-century America's new middle class, producing some of the most remarkable urban spectacles of the century.

In The Arts of Deception, James W. Cook explores this distinctly modern mode of trickery designed to puzzle the eye and challenge the brain. Championed by the Prince of Humbug, P. T. Barnum, these cultural puzzles confused the line between reality and illusion. Upsetting the normally strict boundaries of value, race, class, and truth, the spectacles offer a revealing look at the tastes, concerns, and prejudices of America's very first mass audiences. We are brought into the exhibition halls, theaters, galleries, and museums where imposture flourished, and into the minds of the curiosity-seekers who eagerly debated the wonders before their eyes. Cook creates an original portrait of a culture in which ambiguous objects, images, and acts on display helped define a new value system for the expanding middle class, as it confronted a complex and confusing world.

Author: James W. Cook
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Published: 07/15/2001
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.13lbs
Size: 9.20h x 6.12w x 0.91d
ISBN: 9780674005914


Review Citation(s):
Library Journal 05/01/2001 pg. 106
Choice 02/01/2002 pg. 1104

About the Author
Cook, James W.: - James W. Cook is Assistant Professor of History and American Culture at the University of Michigan.

Returns Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.

Shipping

We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

Related Products

Recently Viewed Products