Banvard's Folly: Thirteen Tales of People Who Didn't Change the World

Such a good and interesting book! Thanks to No Such Thing As A Fish for recommending this.

So maybe I have a bit of a crush on Paul Collins and everything he writes, but truly Banvard's Folly is quite clever. Its been a few years since I first read Banvard's Folly, but I was able to dig up my initial thoughts thanks to shelfari.Paul Collins is a genius and I love him. If I have children, they will learn history from this book (as I will home school)... these people will all be included in their lessons from when we're studying Nathaniel Hawthorne and Emily Dickinson to Thoreau and the Concord Grape. John Banvard will be discussed when learning about art and art history as well as financial wisdom. We will discuss Delia Bacon in relation to the people she corresponded with as well as when we study Shakespeare... along with her, Coates' adventures as Romeo will be a humorous anecdote to read between plays and the discussion of various acting techniques. This was a fantastic piece of history that I find amazing the world has forgotten. Let's bring these stories back for the future generations! Thank you Paul Collins for bringing them all back to life in the pages of your book.Now, I do have a child, and true to my word I have written this book into the curriculum I have been creating for her since I discovered I was pregnant. I cannot wait to share these stories with her!Follow my blog: anakalianwhims.wordpress.com

In very good condition and arrived on time.

Although every story was fascinating, some were better told than others. The story of Banvard and blue light therapy were quite absorbing while I also recall shifting in my seat on the airplane trying to stay focused on a few of the others such as the concord grape history. I believe the whole book could have been written to spellbinding success, but I still appreciate the content enough to highly recommend.

A wonderful book that sheds light on some important and obscure characters of American history that otherwise would be forgotten about. Collins takes us deep into their backgrounds and stories and presents past eraa in a way the reader can understand and even imagine living in. The differences in the lives and eras of the characters keeps the book fresh and inspired throughout.The book is never boring and is a great insight into human nature of both the past and present.