Product Description
Hardcover in jacket, published by Brownhills , London, 1973 Very Special People - a history of what were once referred to as circus or sideshow 'freaks', especially in the USA and from the late 19th century onwards in particular.
In the subject of real-life persons with unusual anatomical variations: conjoined twins, dwarfs, pituitary giants, hypertrichosics, Proteus syndrome sufferers, microcephalics, &c. However, Very Special People offers more in-depth detail on certain historical individuals than I've read elsewhere, as well as a generous black-and-white photo section at the beginning of the book.
Drimmer documents the lives of famous human oddities, conjoined twins, dwarfs, pituitary giants, hypertrichosics, Proteus syndrome sufferers, microcephalics, and many more seeking to transform their image from that of "freaks" in a sideshow to that of individual human beings who are making the best of their handicaps (or occasionally- as in the case of the three-legged man, gifts). With chapter titled things such as "Little People" for famous dwarfs and "Hairy People" for bearded women the book's tone is not overtly serious, , and indeed it was probably disguising exploitation with a crueller 'look at the freak' underlying tone.
Many people were the subject of exploitation of various types, slavery, and depression. P.T Barnum comes off as a simultaneously being a saint and a shyster and all of the individuals are shown as being sort of jolly, even if evidence says that they weren't. Similarly, some of the medical and social commentary has altered greatly in the near 50 years since publication.