The Wonders: Age of The Freak Show

My special guest tonight is author John Woolf who's here to discuss the fascinating history behind people who dawned their disabilities to the world for entertainment. Get his book The Wonder: The Extraordinary Performers Who Transformed the Victorian Age on Amazon.   A radical new history that rediscovers the remarkable freak performers whose talents and charisma helped define an era.   On March 23, 1844, General Tom Thumb, just 25 inches tall, entered the Picture Gallery at Buckingham Palace and bowed low to Queen Victoria. On both sides of the Atlantic, this meeting marked a tipping point in the nineteenth century, and the age of the freak was born.   Bewitching all levels of society, it was a world of curiosities and astonishing spectacle—of dwarfs, giants, bearded ladies, Siamese twins, and swaggering showmen. But the real stories—human dramas that so often eclipsed the fantasy presented on the stage—of the performing men, women and children, have been forgotten or marginalized in the histories of the very people who exploited them.   In this richly evocative account, John Woolf uses a wealth of recently discovered material to bring to life the sometimes tragic, sometimes triumphant, always extraordinary stories of people who used their (dis)abilities and difference to become some of the first international celebrities.   Through their lives we discover afresh some of the great transformations of the age: the birth of show business, of celebrity, of advertising, and of “alternative facts” while also exploring the tensions between the power of fame, the impact of exploitation, and our fascination with “otherness.”   ATTENTION: 2023 - SEASON: 8 We have a new feed for 2023 so to ensure you get new releases please make certain that you follow or subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast app.     Show Us Some Love! Copy and Paste our link in a text message to a friend or family member: https://www.mysteriousradio.com   Follow us on Instagram @mysteriousradio Follow us on TikTok mysteriousradioTikTok Follow us on Twitter @mysteriousradio Follow us on Pinterest pinterest.com/mysteriousradio Like us on Facebook Facebook.com/mysteriousradio   Want All Paranormal Episodes? Follow Our Podcast Paranormal Fears! Follow Paranormal Fears on Apple Podcasts Follow Paranormal Fears on Spotify Follow Paranormal Fears on Google Follow Paranormal Fears on Amazon Follow Paranormal Fears on Podcast Addict Follow Paranormal Fears on TuneIn Radio or in your favorite podcast app!