Product Description

Another long out of print classic book based on Mannix's personal acquaintance with sideshow stars such as the Alligator Man and the Monkey Woman, etc. Read all about the notorious love affairs of midgets; the amazing story of the elephant boy; the unusual amours of Jolly Daisy; the fat woman; the famous pinhead who inspired Verdi's "Rigoletto"; the tragedy of Betty Lou Williams and her parasitic twin; the black midget, only 34 inches tall, who was happily married to a 264-pound wife; the human torso who could sew, crochet and type; and bizarre accounts of normal humans turned into freaks-either voluntarily or by evil design! 88 astonishing photographs and additional material from the author's personal collection.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #93446 in Books
• Published on: 2000-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 124 pages

From the Back Cover
Originally printed in a small edition and withdrawn by the publisher after one month, this book (out of print for nearly 20 years), is brought back to eye-popping life with many new photos.

About the Author
Daniel P. Mannix was the author of numerous books, including Those About To Die, Memoirs of a Sword Swallower, The Wolves of Paris, as well as many magazine articles. He died in 1997.

Customer Reviews

for the oddity lover
My sister, ever since I lent her "Geek Love," is really into books set in carnivals, circuses, or with sideshow characters. This book, my first foray into nonfiction, was definitely something different.

I was surprised to see upon shipping that it is actually more like a textbook than a paperback novel. It is larger in order to show more details in the photos, and like other reviewers mentioned, some of the photos are extremely graphic. This book is not appropriate for children. Also, the narrative is somewhat lacking. The writing is fine, especially because it humanizes sideshow folk, but the photos often don't match up to what is being said on that page, and sometimes photos don't have back story within the text.

That said, my sister loved it. She liked getting the real story about these real people, and how they interacted with others and amongst themselves. It was a great birthday present, and I'm glad I chose it for her!

wow
this book is an ok read. not enough pictures of the characters he refers to. pictures are of random freaks. x-rated if you are thinking of this for a child. makes you wonder if you dare to have children!

Captivating look at the human oddities of carnival shows
Originally released in 1976, 'Freaks: We Who Are Not As Others' is a bit dated in that many of the people mentioned have since passed on. When first released, the book was quickly pulled for reasons I can only guess at, foremost it probably being too graphic for the times. Its large size and many pictures more than make up for its slimness (only 120 pages).

Author Daniel Mannix gives us and inside and personal look at the old-fashioned "Ten-In-One" show: the Freak Show. Mannix worked in the carnival business and personally knew many of the people he speaks about, such as Pricilla The Monkey Girl and Emmett The Alligator Man (who were happily married). Before "political correctness" and phrases like "Differently Abled" came along, the Ten-In-One was often a haven and a home for those born with birth defects.

Midgets, dwarves, giants, obese folk, "the human skeleton", bearded women, co-joined twins, those born without arms or legs, pinheads, hermaphrodites, skin conditions, the double-jointed, and deformities - all were welcomed at the Ten-In-One and many made a great deal of money at it. This isn't a book making fun of these oddities, its book that celebrates their differences, their lives, and their ability to love.

Mannix's prose is informative and conversational, the stories are true (though he admits a few have questionable roots), and the many pictures are captivating, graphic, and ... well, freakish. I found the book so absorbing that I read it through in one sitting. There's a lot of history addressed, from the court jesters of historic kings to an intimate look at the most famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng, to the reasons why its an insult to call a dwarf a midget or a midget a dwarf. Mannix keeps the book thoughtful and respectful while giving insight into the origin and history of the Freak Show.

Whether curious or simply researching, this is one of the best books ever written about the old-fashioned sideshows. If your interested in the subject, then don't miss out on this informative and graphic story of a group of amazing people living in the amazing world of the carnival. Enjoy!