Customer Reviews

Eyeing the Flash: The Education of a Carnival Con Artist

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"Eyeing the Flash" is a fascinating coming-of-age story of a young man learning about life through the bramble bush of the Carnival midway. Equally as fascinating as the story the book tells, however, is the book itself. Consider: It purports to be a true story. But it purports to be the true story a a boy who made his mark by learning how to lie, swindle, and con gullibles marks by telling purportedly true stories. The characters in it are much too outrageous and colorful to have actually existed, But the characters are much too outrageous and colorful to have been made up. The town the story takes place in, Mineralton, Michigan, doesn't exist. But there is (or was) a Mineral Hills. The author is Peter Fenton and the main character's name is Peter Fenton, so it could really be a memoir and true. But Peter Fenton, the author, was a reporter for The National Enquirer, a publication known for, at the very least, coloring its stories when not blowing them up out of whole cloth. In short, the grifts, cons, and swindles Fenton describes in this delightfully funny book are real. But the question has to be asked: Are they all confined to the space INSIDE the covers?
Whatever the answer, the fun to be had in (and for) the asking is immeasurable.

Years ago a friend and I got "clipped" playing "the Swinger" and "Football" when a carnival rolled into our small S. Dakota town. While a valuable life-lesson was learned, I'd always wondered how they did it. The workings of these and other "games" are revealed in this insiders look at Carnie culture. Bottom line: _nobody_ wins, unless the operator allows it.

A fascinating, funny, and often depressing read.

As a life-long urbanite, I have to gain insight into the culture of small town USA through books and the occasional film that covers the subject (a simple country drive just doesn't do it). I chose this book for that reason and found it a teasure trove of information about a way of life previously unknown to me: world of the traveling carnival. Thanks to the author, I now know what "flash" and "slum" are (the best and worst carnival prizes, respectively). Plus "hanky panks," "alibis" and "flat stores" (different types of fixed games). All this within a laugh-out-loud memoir by an author who'll have you rooting for him to sting the next "mark."

In Eyeing the Flash, the teenaged Peter Fenton is introduced by "Jackie Barron" to the world of the carnival. Though Fenton rose quickly through the ranks of the carnival con artists, he didn't make a career out of scamming marks; he pursued a college education and became a writer, working for the National Enquirer for 15 years. I imagine that some of the tricks he learned in the carnivals came in handy at the Enquirer. I'm not just cracking on the supermarket tabloids there--I think in any kind of creative endeavor with a commercial bent there's an element of "marksmanship" that's not so far removed from the carnivals.

Shortly after meeting Barron, Fenton is introduced to gambling, and the pair soon run a clandestine casino out of Barron's basement, gleefully stripping their classmates of all their cash. Fenton, who was not the most popular guy in the school, learns that he's a lot brighter than the star basketball players, whose gifts on the court and in school can't help them in the casino, where Fenton and Barron--thanks to a thorough knowledge of math--have the edge. It's an unlikely sort of underdog story, and I'm guessing that you won't see an adaptation of that chapter as a movie of the week on the Hallmark Channel.

That episode highlights a theme that runs through the book--gambling and con artistry as a great equalizer: the jocks might get all the fame, but it is the scammers who get the fortune.

Fenton has a number of interesting adventures with Barron, eventually going on the road with him. He treats the reader to an insider's view of the various attractions of the traveling carnival, ranging from kids games to flat-out gambling games. You've got to read it to get the full flavor, but I'll give you a quick summary: they're all crooked. Even if you do win a prize, it's usually less than the price of one shot, anyway.

The memoir builds slowly to its climax, a thrilling contest of conning whose resolution is doubly appropriate (though I'm not going to spoil the ending for you). All in all, it's a good look at carnival life in Middle America in the 1960s, and a reminder that, though they never get an even break, suckers can't get enough of a shot at a "sure thing."

I read about this book in a trash magazine (don't ask me which one - I read them all.)
Anyway, after reading the review, I thought I might just buy it and see what all the hub-bub was about.

Eyeing the Flash : The Making of a Carnival Con Artist was probably one of the weirdest stories I've read in a long time. Peter manages to take you through his childhood, and introduces you to characters that you would never thought you would ever be introduced to. The characters are colorful and seedy. (Not that you would ever want these people as friends, or for that matter, acquaintances.)

I didn't know what to expect from this book, but found myself, again, reading it in ONE FELL SWOOP.

You know how you are dying to taste some new food, then it tastes bad, but you insist that your friend try it too? There you go.

kat
www.rendgraphics.com

As a student & 'mark' of the real Jackie Barron, Eyeing the Flash captured my interest. I wanted to know the ingredients in this Carnie's background that made him who he is and contributed to his success. It's also quite interesting that Fenton was a writer for the National Enquirer. This fact leaves you guessing how much of the book is actually truth or fiction and adds a bit of mystery to the story. Fenton's book is like a carnival ride; enjoyable, light, easy, satisfying and for the most part straightforward. The book doesn't go into great detail about the backgrounds of these colorful characters (or the carnival games for that matter) so I never became too invested in the characters. Fenton tells you just enough but not too much. Nevertheless, I will never look at a carnival in exactly the same way again. My wife actually took me at one point to the real King Animal Land Park in Richmond, MI.

The buddy relationship between two young men on the precipice of adulthood, the traveling carnival world, some great dialogue and some good actors...and this might make a good movie! The young man who was good with numbers goes on to become a CPA and an advisor to major blue chip corporations. Although the book isn't a great example of a healthy family business, it does demonstrate that Jackie's family were entrepreneurs, tenacious and developed a certain work ethic. Just like in the carnival, a certain amount of jive, presentation, sweet talk, and customer service are important qualities in a successful business.

I have spent most of my life in small towns and have encountered my share of carnivals and carnies. This book provided me with a look behind the midway, combining a fascinating coming of age story with an engrossing picture of carnival life. If you've ever wondered what it would have been like to run away with the carnival or circus, you can find out in this vivid non-fiction book.

What wonderful memories this excellent book brought back to me.I was born in 1935,so the second half of the 40's and all the 50's were the time of my youth.WWII had ended,the Nazis and the Japs had been defeated.Everyone knew who were the good guys and who were the bad guys.Words like dissenters,objectors,demonstrators,anti-this and anti-that, simply didn't exist.There were no "marches" by people who opposed just about everything.The marches that took place had been in support of the country and the troops;now everyone was positive and wanted to get on with rebuilding their lives.We all had enough with the doom and gloom and wanted to have some fun again.We had worked for it and now deserved it.
All kinds of entertainment became popular;Movies,Sports,Music,Cars,Drive-Ins,Restaurants,Vacations,Radio Shows and even TV.This was a great time to live in the US and Canada ,everyone seemed to be able to find a job,and believe it or not, Politics and Politicians were not ever present in our daily lives,like they have become today.It was Politicians and Politics that created the mess that became WWII; but it was the people who ended it, and after the war they took control back and resulted in an explosion of happiness and prosperiety.In other words,they took control of their lives rather than allowing government and politics to control them.Where and why did it all go so wrong?
No better example of this is the Circus and travelling Fairs ,Shows,or what we called the "Carney".
I grew up in a small town where we anticipated the Circus coming to town each summer and setting up for a week. To put it mildly, it was a major event for young and old alike.Particularly for the youth,especially when they got to go by themselves.The great anticipation of posters all atound town for weeks before the Circus arrived and the excitement of the Circus Train arriving and unloading all the equipment,animals and exoctic characters who we called "carnies".If you were one of the "lucky ones",maybe you even got a partime job.Then the parade and the Circus itself.The Big Tent with ther 3-Ring Shows and the Sideshows with unimaginable people,animals and acts.
If that wasn't enough,there was also the travelling Carnies Fairs or Shows like Fenton describes in this book.The sights,sounds smells,music,lights,crowds tents,games,rides,hucksters,cotton candy,souveniers and all.Then,best of all,the side shows with the 15 foot posters on display,and with the "shrill" out front on the podiun, enticing "one and all, to come in and see the most exciting and amazing things brought to you from all over the world." Here we got to see "The Monkey Girl","The World's Fattest Lady","Real Live Flea Circuses","The Amazing Boy who Drew Portraits with his Feet", "The World's Thinest Man","The World's Smallest Horse--0nly 16 inches high","The Man who had Scales Instead of Skin.; and if you were old enough,you could watch "Princess Sheba and her Harem Dancers";and even if you were too young and couldn't get in,you could always hope for a peek through the tent's cracks.
Then if you had saved up a little money,you could always try to win a prize at the games .Everyone knew they were either fixed,or near impossible to win,and even when you did win ,it cost you more than the prize was worth.But that didn't matter,it was the "Fair".
It was a great treat to read Fenton's book describing his experiences as he worked in the "Carny".No douby ,most of it is true,maybe he embellishes it a bit ;and why not;wasn't he a successful writer for 15 years with the "National Enguirer"?
Like I said,that was then and this is now.The Political Correct crowd have taken over and the "Carneys" are a thing of the past.All the sideshows are gone and when a little "Fair" sets up at your local park or mall;the games are still there,the odds are as poor as ever,the prizes are pure junk,the rides are crappy,there are no crowds or atmosphere;in other words the fun is just all gone.
As to the Circus,it isn't what it used to be.What the local authorities haven't banned ,the Animal Rights groups have ruined.
What you get now is the Permanent Amusement Parks,devoid of anything we remember with the Circus and Carney.But you do get the high prices and sanitized atmosphere ,long lineups,fancy rides,etc----but totally lacking the fun,excitement,and memories of the past.If you've been to one,you've been to them all.
Thanks Peter; you were lucky to have lived the life we all deramed of,if only for a short time;and it was fun to read about it from the inside.

I loved this book. I laughed out loud quite often at the situations and shenanigans those two boys got into. A lot of carney talk and authentic mid-way 'education'.

This is the 95% true story of author Peter Fenton's transformation from a highshcool math student to carnival flat store agent. Full of seedy and endearing characters it offers an excellent and very real look into the carnival world. The best "story" I've yet to read on the subject.