Lewis Lapham: Ugly Mermaid, Bearded Lady Made Barnum Rich

     Aug. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Brenda Wineapple talks with Lewis Lapham about her book, "Ecstatic Nation: Confidence, Crisis and Compromise, 1848-1877." (Source: Bloomberg)

Albino, Bearded Lady, Mermaid Made Barnum Rich

Culture

New York City

Megacity

Consumer Discretionary

United States

Americas

Brenda Wineapple

'Ecstatic Nation'

Lewis Lapham

She was not a beauty, the Feejee mermaid, but millions paid 25 cents to enter Phineas Taylor Barnum’s American Museum to see her.

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