![]() ![]() ![]() In it, he frankly and exuberantly exposed the various deceptions and "humbugs" of his early business life. In 1854, at the strikingly early age of 44, Barnum penned the first edition of his autobiography. Barnum: The Legend and the Man (1989), much of the fault for the showman's lasting reputation lies with Barnum himself. Saxon points out in his superb biography, P.T. ![]() He was, in other words, one of the pioneers of business ethics.Īs A.H. Indeed, he was among the first to appreciate fully-and to articulate-that an honest approach was the most reliable path to long-term wealth. In fact, not only did the great showman never make the statement, but it would have been wildly out of character for him to have uttered it.Ĭontrary to his popular image, Barnum generally conducted his business enterprises in a virtuous manner, respecting his customers and making sure they were satisfied. Barnum (1810-1891) is best known as a consummate charlatan whose perspective on life and business is summed up in the contemptuous contention, "There's a sucker born every minute." It is testimony to the power of first impressions that this popular image persists even though it is very substantially wrong. Barnum: Written by Himself, Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 404 pages, $14.95 paper ![]()
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