I really enjoyed this book. Very interesting and very readable.. Highly recommend.. It discusses a strange and world that I think is very foreign to most of us. Good read.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. Unfortunately this is not the book for me. DNF @ 24%.

This is an interesting look at carnivals and side shows and the personalities that worked there. The book follows the rise and decline of this entertainment in Canada. Some parts of the book were interesting but some of it was also dry and repetitive. I am not a fan of the conclusions at the end of every chapter. I did enjoy the historical photographs that were included. There is a little cross over into the States including PT Barnum. There is also a chapter on Canada's biggest sideshow the Dionne Quintuplets. Anyone with an interest in entertainment history will enjoy this book

Thank you to Jane Nicholas and NetGalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book. Unfortunately it didn't resonate with me.

This was an incredible book. It was a great read. I love reading about Canadian history. It was shocking to me what people and children were put through all in the name of entertainment.

Very well researched look at the history of freaks in Canada and some information about the US and the world in regard to the popular "freak shows" that really continued well into the 20th century. Detailed with perhaps less photographs than would have been of interest...nonetheless informative and interesting.

Canadian Carnival Freaks is an interesting and very informative read chronicling the carnival/freakshow culture in Canada during the 1900s. It is incredibly detailed, with a few photos scattered throughout, though I was honestly hoping for more photos than there were. It is very heavy with text and almost feels like a scholarly article the way each section is written. There are many references throughout and various sections in each "chapter" with a conclusion at the end of each one. The table of contents includes (1) Monsters and Freaks - Culture and Order of Things, (2) Carnival State - Regulations and Profits, (3) Carnival Business in Canada, (4) 20th Century Freakshow, (5) Not Just Child's Play (this chapter is about youth and children within the Carnival world), (6) Spectacularization of Small and Cute (this chapter focuses on little people and midgets).

If you are interested in the details of carnival history, and not looking for a light read, this is a book for you. It does focus mainly on Canada, however it does cover the United States and the rest of the world in some aspects. Thank you #NetGalley and #CanadianCarnivalFreaksAndTheExtraordinaryBody,1900–1970s for allowing me an advance review copy of this title.

A PDF is not doable if you're reading on a Kindle, therefor I can not give an honest review for this book.
I'm sorry...

Sounds like a great read, but alas no kindle version available. One day it would be nice to see the available versions listed before requesting a download