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 advertisements to do so, and with insight into the psychology employed to that end. All compiled in a monograph that is itself a shameless attempt to entertain and elucidate.

About the Author

Known to many as the gambler, Eddie Sawyer, on HBO's Deadwood, Ricky Jay has presented essays on US National Public Radio and has performed one-man theatre shows which have been turned into television specials for CBS, HBO and the BBC. His film roles include the villain Gupta in the James Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies. He is the author of the best-selling books, Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women, Dice: Deception, Fate and Rotten Luck and Jay's Journal of Anomalies.