Customer Reviews

Freaks

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I pre-ordered my copy of this book with a great deal of anticipation, and am still having mixed emotions about the purchase. Mr. Mannix's collection of pictures alone is likely worth the price of the book for many - I was, however, seeking something a little more researched and scholarly (not boring, just well put together and intelligent).

Mr. Mannix establishes himself in the first four or five pages an unapologetic reporter of inaccuracies (e.g. when he uses Helen Keller as an example of a 'freak', stating that she was born a blind, deaf mute... She was, in fact, born normal, and suffered these impairments as a result of a nearly lethal fever in infancy), and the publisher seems to have only given the text the most cursory of proofreadings (one 'freak', a midget, is referred to as having been the State Treasurer of "taxes" (he was the State Treasurer of TEXAS).

Am I picking nits? Absolutely. However, when I purchase a book I tend to expect something with a little more polish and depth than a high school research paper. Otherwise, for sheer annecdotal value, Mr. Mannix's book is an intresting and at times touching read. I would reccomend it to anyone for the pictures, and only the the exceedingly patient for the text.

It is easy to assume that this book is going to be a kind of titillating exploitative look at freaks, but that is not what it is at all. Mannix draws from his extensive carnie experience to create a tender and even sweet look at people who were not like others around them. Mannix is clearly fueled by anger that political correctness has deprived these people of their means of earning a living and forced them into institutions. It is a way of thinking that I had not encountered before this book. He covers giants, midgets, people with parasitic twins, hermaphrodites, fat people, wild people and many others-- telling stories and anecdotes of his time on the road. Well worth the time.

Daniel Mannix introduces us into the world of "Freaks" and the history of sideshows. His adoration and interst in the subject matter is not a critical analysis, but rather a tender overview based on personal interactions. Freaks: We who are not as Others, is really like a scrapbook of photos and reflections. There are some rudimentary insights about the nature of freakdom, but this is not an academic document. Mannix clearly holds a bias in favour of freak shows and this can be interesting to consider in a time when we are overwhelmed by political correctness.

Some of the photos in the book are startling and disturbing, but the text is very accessible and easy to read, not unlike a journal. The book is a good choice for those wanting an introduction into the world of Freaks, or just a little trivia about some of the actors from the Wizard of Oz.

The nature of the material can be sad at times but Mannix maintains a very optimistic tone. His style is very casual and conversational.

I recommend taking a look at this book for the historical content, personal experience and general curiousity. This may be one of the few times in your life you will be allowed to gawk unabashedly at that which you have been trained to turn away from. Step Right Up, Ladies and Gentlemen!

This book contains some great photos of freaks but the writing is definitely not what I expected. It is mostly accounts of freaks who served in courts as jesters and other jobs. Yet, all the photos are of sideshow freaks from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I had assumed that the writing would be about the performers shown but most were not even mentioned. All in all, I did not like the way that the book was put together and wish I had not spent the money on it. For some though, the photos are worth the price of the book.

Originally released in 1976, 'Freaks: We Who Are Not As Others' is a bit dated in that many of the people mentioned have since passed on. When first released, the book was quickly pulled for reasons I can only guess at, foremost it probably being too graphic for the times. Its large size and many pictures more than make up for its slimness (only 120 pages).

Author Daniel Mannix gives us and inside and personal look at the old-fashioned "Ten-In-One" show: the Freak Show. Mannix worked in the carnival business and personally knew many of the people he speaks about, such as Pricilla The Monkey Girl and Emmett The Alligator Man (who were happily married). Before "political correctness" and phrases like "Differently Abled" came along, the Ten-In-One was often a haven and a home for those born with birth defects.

Midgets, dwarves, giants, obese folk, "the human skeleton", bearded women, co-joined twins, those born without arms or legs, pinheads, hermaphrodites, skin conditions, the double-jointed, and deformities - all were welcomed at the Ten-In-One and many made a great deal of money at it. This isn't a book making fun of these oddities, its book that celebrates their differences, their lives, and their ability to love.

Mannix's prose is informative and conversational, the stories are true (though he admits a few have questionable roots), and the many pictures are captivating, graphic, and ... well, freakish. I found the book so absorbing that I read it through in one sitting. There's a lot of history addressed, from the court jesters of historic kings to an intimate look at the most famous Siamese twins Chang and Eng, to the reasons why its an insult to call a dwarf a midget or a midget a dwarf. Mannix keeps the book thoughtful and respectful while giving insight into the origin and history of the Freak Show.

Whether curious or simply researching, this is one of the best books ever written about the old-fashioned sideshows. If your interested in the subject, then don't miss out on this informative and graphic story of a group of amazing people living in the amazing world of the carnival. Enjoy!

What a bizarre and delightful book! Mannix's bok on Freaks has numerous photographs of the strange, the deformed, the odd and the grotesque. This is the place to find photographs of pinheads, cyclopses, and much more. Well known freaks (Prince Randian the Human Torso, Joe-Joe the Dog Faced Boy) share the pages with more obscure ones.

Mannix deserves great credit for not allowing this book to become *just* a picture book of weird people, although it could certainly be used as that. There is plenty of text to tell these people's stories, to put a personal touch to their photos. He shows us how they lived, not just how they looked. An excellent coffee-table book.

We who are not as others: A book about "freaks" written by a freak, is obviously a labor of love by the author. Daniel P. Mannix presents a well-researched study of the physically challenged, not only in our time, but throughout history. He presents human oddities, not as something to gawk at and scare little children, but as warm, loving and feeling people with dreams and aspirations the same as everyone. He presents his own kind with hopes that the reader will understand: these people are not as others, yet very much the same. Modern day "freak shows" are mostly made up of people who want to be freaks and make a buck, but the people in this book are the real thing and had no choice. Read this book with an open mind and an open heart. It can change your outlook on life.

This book was given to me as a gift a few years back and has become one of my prized possesions. Everyone that comes to the house asks to see it. In addition to the wonderful photographs, thoughtful attention has been paid to describing the lives of the people discussed, along an interesting personal and historical perspective one doesn't often find in the more recent tomes concerned with "political correctness." This book's only failing is that there isn't more of it.

i read this book in one day. it was that much of a page-turner. mannix introduces his reader to freaks of every nature. this book is more of a personal account of their lives, rather than a historical or scientific one (although it touches gently on those aspects). mannix lets his reader look into the lives of percilla the "monkey woman", myrtle corbin the "4-legged woman", emmett the "alligator man", "happy jack eckert", and countless others. this book is a must-read!

My sister, ever since I lent her "Geek Love," is really into books set in carnivals, circuses, or with sideshow characters. This book, my first foray into nonfiction, was definitely something different.

I was surprised to see upon shipping that it is actually more like a textbook than a paperback novel. It is larger in order to show more details in the photos, and like other reviewers mentioned, some of the photos are extremely graphic. This book is not appropriate for children. Also, the narrative is somewhat lacking. The writing is fine, especially because it humanizes sideshow folk, but the photos often don't match up to what is being said on that page, and sometimes photos don't have back story within the text.

That said, my sister loved it. She liked getting the real story about these real people, and how they interacted with others and amongst themselves. It was a great birthday present, and I'm glad I chose it for her!