One of the New York Times "Notable Books" and a Los Angeles Times "Best Book of the Year, " Jay's brilliant excursion into the history of bizarre entertainments is now available in paperback.[...]
An informal history of sensational, scientific, silly and startling attractions based on 17th, 18th and 19th Century Broadsides from the collection of Ricky Jay. With some observations on the convention of promoting such appearances, and digressions on the manner and method of printing advertisement[...]
Adapted from his popular NPR series "Jay's Journal, Four Minute Yeggs" features one-page anecdotes of mind-bending performers (limbless jugglers, piano-playing parrots, unkempt Londoners) paired with engravings, mezzotints, and broadsheets from the author's remarkable collection.[...]