Dan Rice: The Most Famous Man You've Never Heard of

by David Carlyon

Book Overview

Dan Rice had many lives. He was a pig presenter, a strongman, a lecturer, and a comic singer, all before joining the dazzling world of the circus. In 1855, he created Dan Rice's Great Show. Labeling himself the "Great American Humorist," he toured the country and spoke out on issues of the day before large crowds. Swept up in a new cult of celebrity, he rose to become one of the most famous -- and infamous -- men in America. He even ran for president...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1586482394
• ISBN13: 9781586482398
• Release Date: May 2004
• Publisher: PublicAffairs
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 0.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A very good book about a very interesting character

This book fills in a gap in historical research about an exciting time for the American Circus. The book is extremely readable and extremely well researched. I highly recommend it for anyone interested in the circus, the Civil War, or history.

EXCELSIOR!

Indispensable for any fan of circus or clowning and important and highly intriguing for anyone interested in the evolution of American popular entertainment, DAN RICE: THE MOST FAMOUS MAN YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF is an exemplary biography. Culled from an unbelievable amount of research, this is the story of the rise and fall of one of the acknowledged masters and true geniuses of American circus comedy. It cuts through the mythology and humbug to give you the far more interesting story of a man who embodied his era and rose to a level of national prominence that few comedians (let alone circus clowns) ever come close to. Even if you have never heard of Dan Rice, you will find this book an absolutely fascinating read from start to finish. If you love the American circus and it's clowns, this book is a little slice of heaven. -- EXCELSIOR!

Excellent!

An excellent book about an amazing American! Dan Rice is an important part of Americana and also a fascinating individual. I highly recommend this book.

Thorough and Fascinating

Just as the clever subtitle says, not many people know who Dan Rice is. What a shame! I was one of those new to Dan Rice but Carlyon (himself a modern day Dan Rice) does an excellent job of bring this public figure to life and makes you realize the major role he played in the entertainment, political, and social canvas of the 19th century.

a fascinating read

I really enjoyed this book. Not only was it entertaining, but I learned alot. Carlyon did a great job of bringing to life nineteenth century America. It was well researched and superbly written.