Customer Reviews

Weird and Wonderful: The Dime Museum in America

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

 

 

This is a highly detailed history of an unusual topic: American dime museums. Dennett does a good job of examining an institution which combined a thirst for `useful knowledge' with amusements and entertainment. Her discussions of the economics of running a dime museum are especially interesting.

I would, however, have liked more cultural analysis and less fact-listing; more conclusion and less premsies.

Here's a delightful and informative reference written in a breezy style and enhanced by a keen insight into popular culture and entertainment.
A terrific historical overview of a forgotten genre of education and entertainment, the book has amazing parallels to today's museum extravaganzas - and the author has captured a period and its personalities with aplomb.
A must read for lovers of pop culture, oddities, museums and turn of the century personalities.

general phenomena of exhibiting human anomalies, from this exhibitionary complexes to today's talk shows. this book offers a great overview of how these institutions emerge during the last decades of the 19th century and the impact that they had in exhibition spaces of the 20th century. it is highly recomended for those people interested in cultures of exhibition and collection ususally defined as not legitimate or not institutionalized.

This book was a great read and provided the information I was hoping to learn about nineteenth century dime museums. All the information on the subject seems to be scattered about and often lacking. This book ties it together in a succinct yet informative text.

Weird and Wonderful is a well researched and very readable account of the (mostly) 19th century phenomenon commonly known as dime museums. While they were themselves short-lived, the influence of dime museums extends far and wide throughout our culture - from Discovery Channel programming and blockbuster museum exhibits to freak show revivals and viral videos.

The book should prove interesting to readers of American social history, and particularly enjoyable for museum and entertainment professionals.

I have read this book more than once. I would have given it 5 stars but it didn't have enuf pictures. Anyway - if you are interested in wacky museums and freak shows - this gives the reader a good background on the subject.