Best Charles Stratton Podcasts (2025)

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Episode #179 [Hiatus!] Tune - Kay Ryan 10:06

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2+ y ago10:06

10:06

Connor pops in to announce incredibly belatedly what has already been apparent for months: Close Talking is on a hiatus! We've had some big life and career changes that have unexpectedly cut into our capacity for the podcast, but it's not a permanent hiatus! Okay, a poem:TuneBy: Kay RyanImagine a seaof ultramarinesuspending amillion jellyfishas sof…

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“Why I am a Universalist” 34:17

2+ y ago34:17

34:17

Welcome to this bonus episode of "Becoming Barnum: The Journey to Fame and Fortune." In this episode, we delve into the lesser-known aspects of P.T. Barnum's life, particularly his writings and his faith. As we've discovered throughout this podcast, Barnum had a talent for writing and was a prolific letter writer. Before his circus days, he even pu…

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The Journey to Fame and Fortune 1:07:36

2+ y ago1:07:36

1:07:36

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune The Journey to Fame and Fortune Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://archive.org/details/historylocofoco02byrdgoog/page/n6/mode/2up https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/FAMILY-EXHIBITOR https://tinyurl.com/Barnumletter https://tinyurl.com/John-Austin https://ti…

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Wonderful Discoveries 31:34

2+ y ago31:34

31:34

Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://archive.org/details/historylocofoco02byrdgoog/page/n6/mode/2up https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/FAMILY-EXHIBITOR https://tinyurl.com/Barnumletter https://tinyurl.com/John-Austin https://tinyurl.com/Sherwoodletter https://tinyurl.com/nywonders https://tinyurl.com/Iranis…

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Igniting Interest: Barnum’s Views on the Loco-Foco Party 33:00

2+ y ago33:00

33:00

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Igniting Interest: Barnum’s Views on the Loco-Foco Party Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://archive.org/details/historylocofoco02byrdgoog/page/n6/mode/2up https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/FAMILY-EXHIBITOR https://tinyurl.com/Barnumletter https://tinyurl.c…

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I Entrust You with a Small Secret 36:00

2+ y ago36:00

36:00

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune I Entrust You with a Small Secret - Episode 35 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum makes a secret trip back to America to check on his wife's health. With conflicting thoughts about returning home, Barnum's plan involves surprising his loved ones without anyone knowing. While …

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Instructive Entertainments: Early 19th Century Panoramas 23:51

3y ago23:51

23:51

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Instructive Entertainments: Early 19th Century Panoramas - Episode 34 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum rented breathtaking panoramas for his museum from a Scottish painter named Marshall. But he was afraid Marshall would charge extra if he found out Barnum wanted to send th…

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Imitators & Followers will get Poor Gleanings 28:27

3y ago28:27

28:27

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Imitators & Followers will get Poor Gleanings - Episode 33 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum was managing multiple projects and corresponding with agents and friends in London and Paris. He commissioned copies of two paintings from an American artist in France and hoped to c…

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My Character and Peculiarities So Correctly Portrayed 32:19

3y ago32:19

32:19

Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://tinyurl.com/BarnumArchive https://tinyurl.com/FAMILY-EXHIBITOR https://tinyurl.com/Barnumletter https://tinyurl.com/John-Austin https://tinyurl.com/Sherwoodletter https://tinyurl.com/nywonders https://tinyurl.com/IranistanFeature https://tinyurl.com/barnumletters https://tinyurl.com/iranis…

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Poetical Puffing 29:15

3y ago29:15

29:15

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Poetical Puffing - Episode 31 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, Barnum was worried about his employees at the American Museum. He wanted Emile Guillaudeu to create a pose for a pony's skin that suggested motion with dignity and speed, but it is uncertain if he was successful. Professor …

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A Great Country for Wealth and Grandeur 27:45

3y ago27:45

27:45

In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, join us as we follow Barnum as he tries to navigate a problem at the theater and make sure everything is running smoothly. He's also eager to get a play about General Tom Thumb ready for an audience. Despite the play not being ready yet, Barnum is in London waiting for it and writes letters to his fri…

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Mademoiselle Venus 28:06

3y ago28:06

28:06

P.T. Barnum purchased an "Anatomical Venus" figure in Paris for his American Museum in New York. This was a lifelike wax figure, with internal organs arranged in a cavity within the torso, for display and teaching purposes. The figure was a considerable investment and required skill in sculpting and knowledge of anatomy. Barnum directed it to be sh…

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A Good Education is Better than Riches 26:44

3y ago26:44

26:44

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Good Education is Better than Riches- Episode 28 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, we explore 2 letters from P.T. Barnum to daughter Caroline & wife Charity. He emphasizes the importance of education, particularly the French language and subjects like botany and biology. He also expre…

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Do the Best You Can for Yourself 32:50

3y ago32:50

32:50

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Do the Best You Can for Yourself - Episode 27 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, we bring you P.T. Barnum's own words as he writes to his manager Fordyce Hitchcock, laying out his plans for the American Museum. Discover his strategy to avoid misunderstandings and disagreements between th…

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Going It Like a Rush 27:11

3y ago27:11

27:11

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Going It Like a Rush - Episode 26 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, we dive into P.T. Barnum's 1846 letters to his uncle Alanson Taylor. He shares his business advice for their partnership in the Baltimore Museum, emphasizing the importance of good systems, press relations, and gradual …

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A New Chapter for a New Year 26:32

3y ago26:32

26:32

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A New Chapter for a New Year - Episode 25 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, A “new chapter” is about to begin in P. T. Barnum’s business life as we learn from a group of letters he composed—appropriately—on New Year’s Day in 1846. Barnum had just arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, after tw…

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Episode #178 Remembering Charles Simic 22:59

3y ago22:59

22:59

A slight departure from our regular format. On today's show, Connor and Jack remember the recently departed poet Charles Simic. They read some of his poems, reflect on them, discuss his life and legacy, and even give a shoutout to the Oak Park Public Library.Poems Connor and Jack read in this episode include: "Summer Morning" "Hotel Insomnia" "Wate…

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I Never Wish to be a Millionaire 31:19

3y ago31:19

31:19

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune I Never Wish to be a Millionaire - Episode 24 In this episode of the Becoming Barnum podcast, P.T. Barnum addresses that he is aware that his wife Charity is pregnant. This information is revealed in letters written by Barnum in December of 1845, only ten weeks before the birth of their fourth daught…

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Bills and Boardmen 26:36

3y ago26:36

26:36

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Bills and Boardmen - Episode 23 In this episode of Becoming Barnum, P. T. Barnum works to promote Gen. Tom Thumb's performances in London using various methods of advertising, including handbills and vans. The episode also explores Barnum's relationship with his father, Sherwood Stratton. Don't miss …

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Episode #177 [Flicking off the light switch.] - Sherwin Bitsui 58:06

3y ago58:06

58:06

Connor and Jack bid farewell to the year they've taken to calling "Twenty Twenty Poo" and contemplate the complexities of language in a wide-ranging conversation about a spectacular untitled poem by Diné poet Sherwin Bitsui, from his 2009 collection Flood Song. They discuss movement, the natural world, an extremely informative dissertation and more…

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Thank you & Happy Holidays! 1:25

3y ago1:25

1:25

Thank you for listening to 'Becoming Barnum: The Journey to Fame and Fortune.' We will be taking a break for the holidays but will return in the new year with more stories about P.T. Barnum and Tom Thumb. Subscribe to stay updated and let us know what you think by leaving a review. Happy holidays from the 'Becoming Barnum' team.…

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Last Letters from France 29:32

3y ago29:32

29:32

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Last Letters from France - Episode 22 This episode of Becoming Barnum, Barnum sits down to write letters to various family members, plus one to his museum manager who was “like family” to Barnum, and another to the father of Gen. Tom Thumb, Sherwood Stratton, who was still in Paris. Taking the opport…

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Episode #176 Topsoil, In Repentance - Sherry Shenoda 1:28:43

3y ago1:28:43

1:28:43

Connor and Jack discuss the sonically and thematically dense poem "Topsoil, in Repentance" by Sherry Shenoda. Shenoda's book MUMMY EATERS was longlisted for the National Book Award in 2022. The conversation moves from an exploration of internal rhymes and alliteration, to the climate crisis, to the religious implications of the word "repentance," t…

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The Old American is Bound to Do Wonders Yet 27:53

3y ago27:53

27:53

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune The Old American is Bound to Do Wonders Yet - Episode 21 This episode of Becoming Barnum discusses letters at the end of November 1845; P. T. Barnum's wide-ranging ambitions seem tamped down a bit, at least insofar as his communication to his American Museum manager Fordyce Hitchcock tells us. While …

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We Have Got Quite Territory Enough 31:18

3y ago31:18

31:18

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune We Have Got Quite Territory Enough - Episode 20 This episode of Becoming Barnum discusses letters containing political remarks and comments about war—content somewhat different from what we’ve seen up to this point. Barnum was not referring to the Mexican-American War. Still, there is a connection be…

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Episode #175 - Poetry Spoken Here Ep. 132: Black Lives Matter 28:52

3y ago28:52

28:52

After a busy couple weeks at Close Talking headquarters, a slightly different show. This episode is from our sister-podcast, Poetry Spoken Here. The episode first aired in the summer of 2020 and was simply called "Black Lives Matter." The poems and voices featured are all from the Poetry Spoken Here archives and address race, policing, and more. Re…

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A Jolly Lot of Brother Showman 29:48

3y ago29:48

29:48

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Jolly Lot of Brother Showman - Episode 19 This episode of Becoming Barnum discusses some of his lengthy epistles to the Editors of the New York Atlas, for whom Barnum was acting as a foreign correspondent. This week we think listeners will particularly enjoy for the information about circus and men…

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Episode #174 National Book Award Winner John Keene and Punks - SPECIAL EPISODE 53:44

3y ago53:44

53:44

In this special episode, Connor and Jack discuss the 2022 National Book Awards — the long list, the finalists, and the winner "Punks: New and Selected Poems" by John Keene. They read and explore a marvelous poem from the collection, "Folks Are Right, My Nose Was Wide Open," which also appeared in BOMB Magazine.Listen to the National Book Awards Awa…

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Tell Me Plainly What You Think 29:08

3y ago29:08

29:08

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Tell Me Plainly What You Think - Episode 18 This episode of Becoming Barnum discusses another uncomfortable truth about showing human beings as curiosities, as we learn directly from Barnum. This letter came up in the same November 1845 timeframe as the letter with his proposal to Catlin. Still, it w…

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Episode #173 The Dancing - Gerald Stern 1:22:37

3y ago1:22:37

1:22:37

Connor and Jack discuss a classic poem from a classic poet: The Dancing by the recently departed Gerald Stern. They marvel at how the poem is constructed, get deep into a discussion of encroaching fascism, and even have time to rage at the "evil Mellons," bring in Bruce Springsteen and Michael Bay, and pause to reflect on how lyric poetry can addre…

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My Mind is Occupied with Thoughts of Home 18:23

3y ago18:23

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BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune My Mind is Occupied with Thoughts of Home - Episode 17 In this Episode of Becoming Barnum, it feels most fitting to highlight P. T. Barnum’s letters home to his wife, sister, and daughter. These letters were composed in the mid-November 1845 timeframe we have been exploring, when Barnum was in Paris.…

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Trumpets, “Venus,” and a Young Man, All Heading to America 15:38

3y ago15:38

15:38

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Trumpets, “Venus,” and a Young Man, All Heading to America - Episode 16 In this Episode of Becoming Barnum, we’ll follow up on the status of new attractions Barnum planned for his American Museum in New York, and learn about another of his “good turns” to help out a friend. The latter is mainly inter…

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Episode #172 A Time - Allison Adelle Hedge Coke 1:07:40

3y ago1:07:40

1:07:40

Connor and Jack have a time talking about the poem "A Time" by Allison Adelle Hedge Coke. She is a multi-award winning poet whose latest book-length poem "Look at This Blue" is on the short list for the 2022 National Book Award. Come for the poetry analysis, stay for the discussion of red wolves, climate crisis, Tolkein, impermanence, and diectic w…

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Barnum & Catlin 15:19

3y ago15:19

15:19

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Barnum & Catlin - Episode 15 In this episode we’ll explore the connection between P. T. Barnum and another famous showman, a lawyer-turned-artist, George Catlin. Catlin’s early 19th century portraits of Native Americans are his most famous legacy, but like Barnum he possessed the determination to see…

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Episode #171 Not Writing - Anne Boyer 1:25:49

3y ago1:25:49

1:25:49

Connor and Jack dig into the list/poem/prose piece/literary mystery Not Writing by Anne Boyer. Along the way they discuss what they are and are not writing themselves, Jack asks about why the poem never becomes monotonous, and Connor offers his thoughts about how writing, time, and capitalism intersect both in the poem and in life.Read the poem, he…

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“The Laborer is Worthy of his Hire” 35:37

3y ago35:37

35:37

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune “The Laborer is Worthy of his Hire” - Episode 14 In previous letters we’ve gotten to know some of the key staff members of P. T. Barnum’s team at the American Museum in New York, by piecing together details from the letters Barnum wrote in France. Learning about their responsibilities and gaining ins…

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A Tree Found, Tried & Shook 33:06

3y ago33:06

33:06

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Tree Found, Tried & Shook - Episode 13 Since we are well into “apple season” here in New England (as well as in neighboring New York State, the country’s second biggest apple-producer), the title phrase of this week’s blog—plucked from a P. T. Barnum letter—seemed ripe for picking. Learn more about…

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Read & Reflect, Then Do as You Please 26:08

3y ago26:08

26:08

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Read & Reflect, Then Do as You Please - Episode 12 Over the past few months of reading Barnum’s letters in his 1845-1846 copybook, I have been surprised to find relatively few to Charity, his wife. Though it is clear that Barnum missed his wife and daughters very much while he was in France, correspo…

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Souvenir Medals, and a Snug Saloon to Draw and Read In 26:58

3y ago26:58

26:58

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Souvenir Medals, and a Snug Saloon to Draw and Read In - Episode 11 As we’ve learned from the July – October 1845 correspondence between Barnum and his business associates, the Tom Thumb tour through France, outside of Paris, had not lived up to his expectations of financial reward. The copybook lett…

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Episode #170 america, MINE - Sasha Banks 1:24:30

3+ y ago1:24:30

1:24:30

Connor and Jack discuss Sasha Banks' poem, america, MINE from her collection of the same name. They start by examining some of the poem's formal elements like its lack of traditional punctuation, and quickly jump to big themes like how the idea of vengeance is transformed in the poem and the contested symbol of the American flag is used.Read the fu…

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My Success Has Been a Miracle 21:41

3+ y ago21:41

21:41

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune My Success Has Been a Miracle - Episode 10 One of the many “beauties” of P. T. Barnum’s copybook letters from 1845-1846 is that they provide insights into Barnum’s attitudes toward money just at the point in his life when he had become incredibly rich. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book he…

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Searching for Monsieur Guillaudeu 37:23

3+ y ago37:23

37:23

Curiosity got the better of our curator Adrienne after reading another of P. T. Barnum’s letters in which he mentioned the Frenchman who worked for him at the American Museum, plus a letter directly to him responding to concerns about his salary.By Barnum Museum

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Episode #169 I Hear A Dog Who Is Always in My Death - Samuel Ace 1:25:19

3+ y ago1:25:19

1:25:19

Posted at long last after overcoming major technical difficulties!! Connor and Jack dive into the poem "I Hear a Dog Who is Always in My Death" by Samuel Ace. They discuss the poem's evocative imagery, ruminate on it's call to action against encroaching fascism, and find resonances with English and Egyptian mythology. They also make some time to du…

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Story Updates, and a Daughter’s Education 31:08

3+ y ago31:08

31:08

BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune Story Updates, and a Daughter’s Education - Episode 8 Back in Episode, A Mountain of Worries, we had wondered how Charity dealt with a rather harsh letter from her husband, written on September 12th, 1845. Would she reply or remain silent for a while? Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book her…

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They Stared with All the Eyes They Had 36:21

3+ y ago36:21

36:21

Date: 8/24/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune They Stared with All the Eyes They Had - Episode 7 Have you ever tried to envision a visit to Barnum’s American Museum? I find it is a feat of the imagination to reconcile exterior pictures of the museum with the sheer quantity and variety of artifacts, animals, and activities offered w…

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A New Play for the General 19:20

3+ y ago19:20

19:20

Date: 8/17/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A New Play for the General - Episode 6 P. T. Barnum’s famous protegee Charles Stratton, known to the world as Gen. Tom Thumb, was quite a young child when he was first introduced to European audiences in the mid-1840s. Though he was 5, 6, and 7 over the three-year tour, Barnum billed hi…

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A Mountain of Worries 19:15

3+ y ago19:15

19:15

Date: 8/03/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Mountain of Worries - Episode 5 In this episode, we delve into a new “batch” of the letters P. T. Barnum wrote while in France and sent back to his family and business associates in America. These letters have a different tone from the letters written in preceding weeks. Learn more ab…

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The Beginnings of Iranistan 17:34

3+ y ago17:34

17:34

Date: 8/24/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune The Beginnings of Iranistan - Episode 4 Barnum’s homesickness coincided with and perhaps fueled his desire to begin building a country home for his family. Barnum writes about a future grand home in Bridgeport, Iranistan, just in the early planning stage. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Le…

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“A Touch of Yankee” Solves a Problem 26:07

3+ y ago26:07

26:07

Date: 8/10/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune “A Touch of Yankee” Solves a Problem - Episode 3 Mr. Barnum was infuriated by the demands of the Hospice Commissioners who expected a far larger percentage of the gross receipts than Barnum felt reasonable. Learn more about PT Barnum’s Letter Copy Book here: https://tinyurl.com/BarnumAr…

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A Bit of France in Bridgeport, Connecticut 30:22

3+ y ago30:22

30:22

Date: 7/27/22 BECOMING BARNUM: The Journey to Fame and Fortune A Bit of France in Bridgeport, Connecticut - Episode 2 Barnum’s travels in France had influenced his vision for his beloved Bridgeport; this was clearly revealed by what he chose to tell the Atlas readers. Barnum adopted Bridgeport, Connecticut, as his hometown in 1847, and after that, …