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Inseparable: The Original Siamese Twins and Their Rendezvous with American History
Nearly a decade after his triumphant Charlie Chan biography,
Yunte Huang returns with this long-awaited
portrait of Chang and Eng Bunker (1811–1874), twins
conjoined at the sternum by a band of cartilage and a fused
liver, who were “discovered” in Siam by a British merchant in
1824. Bringing an Asian American perspective to this almost
implausible story, Huang depicts the twins, arriving in Boston
in 1829, first as museum exhibits but later as financially savvy
showmen who gained their freedom and traveled the backroads
of rural America to bring “entertainment” to the Jacksonian
mobs. Their rise from subhuman, freak-show celebrities to rich
southern gentry; their marriage to two white sisters, resulting in
twenty-one children; and their owning of slaves, is here not just
another sensational biography but a Hawthorne-like excavation
of America’s historical penchant for finding feast in the abnormal,
for tyrannizing the “other”—a tradition that, as Huang
reveals, becomes inseparable from American history itself.
Yunte Huang returns with this long-awaited
portrait of Chang and Eng Bunker (1811–1874), twins
conjoined at the sternum by a band of cartilage and a fused
liver, who were “discovered” in Siam by a British merchant in
1824. Bringing an Asian American perspective to this almost
implausible story, Huang depicts the twins, arriving in Boston
in 1829, first as museum exhibits but later as financially savvy
showmen who gained their freedom and traveled the backroads
of rural America to bring “entertainment” to the Jacksonian
mobs. Their rise from subhuman, freak-show celebrities to rich
southern gentry; their marriage to two white sisters, resulting in
twenty-one children; and their owning of slaves, is here not just
another sensational biography but a Hawthorne-like excavation
of America’s historical penchant for finding feast in the abnormal,
for tyrannizing the “other”—a tradition that, as Huang
reveals, becomes inseparable from American history itself.
416 pages, Hardcover
First published April 3, 2018
135 people are currently reading
2013 people want to read
About the author
Yunte Huang
11 books70 followersYunte Huang a professor of English at the University of California, Santa Barbara, is the author of Transpacific Imaginations and Charlie Chan. Born in China, he lives in Santa Barbara, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
April 24, 2018
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway.
Objectively, this is at least 4 star books. However, in terms of my personal enjoyment of it, 3 stars.
This is truly a "the life and times of Chang and Eng" type of book, as opposed to a traditional biography. Although the book is centered on the brothers, much of the book focuses on the zeitgeist and context of the 19th century US that surrounded them. So an average chapter may have some information on say, the traveling route of the brothers, and then branch off into other people who would have been also traveling along the same routes, or descriptions by various people about the conditions of the roads during that time, and that sort of thing. Mini-biographies of other noted people who either interacted with Chang and Eng or who would have been nearby or who simply expressed an interest in the brothers are scattered throughout (for example Mark Twain, PT Barnum, Edgar Allan Poe.)
My main struggle with the book was that I enjoy biographies for the purposes of getting into the heads of the subjects of those biographies. Unfortunately, it appears Chang and Eng did not engage in much correspondence, and certainly did not appear to give candid interviews. Therefore, we ultimately get very little insight into the twins' personalities, likes/dislikes, etc. Much of the biographical content from the first 200 pages comes from financial ledgers - lists of where they went, how much they earned, and what they spent. So for me, the zeitgeist part always feels like padding when there's not enough biographical information to go around. (I know that "life and times" biographies are perfectly legitimate and a valid form of biography; it's just than whenever I encounter them hoping for a more traditional biography, my emotional reaction is to feel annoyed at the times to life ratio.)
If you are someone who genuinely enjoys "life and times of" type biographies, then this is an incredibly well-written book. If you prefer more personal looks at the subjects, you may find this book wanting.
Objectively, this is at least 4 star books. However, in terms of my personal enjoyment of it, 3 stars.
This is truly a "the life and times of Chang and Eng" type of book, as opposed to a traditional biography. Although the book is centered on the brothers, much of the book focuses on the zeitgeist and context of the 19th century US that surrounded them. So an average chapter may have some information on say, the traveling route of the brothers, and then branch off into other people who would have been also traveling along the same routes, or descriptions by various people about the conditions of the roads during that time, and that sort of thing. Mini-biographies of other noted people who either interacted with Chang and Eng or who would have been nearby or who simply expressed an interest in the brothers are scattered throughout (for example Mark Twain, PT Barnum, Edgar Allan Poe.)
My main struggle with the book was that I enjoy biographies for the purposes of getting into the heads of the subjects of those biographies. Unfortunately, it appears Chang and Eng did not engage in much correspondence, and certainly did not appear to give candid interviews. Therefore, we ultimately get very little insight into the twins' personalities, likes/dislikes, etc. Much of the biographical content from the first 200 pages comes from financial ledgers - lists of where they went, how much they earned, and what they spent. So for me, the zeitgeist part always feels like padding when there's not enough biographical information to go around. (I know that "life and times" biographies are perfectly legitimate and a valid form of biography; it's just than whenever I encounter them hoping for a more traditional biography, my emotional reaction is to feel annoyed at the times to life ratio.)
If you are someone who genuinely enjoys "life and times of" type biographies, then this is an incredibly well-written book. If you prefer more personal looks at the subjects, you may find this book wanting.
February 5, 2018
Inseparable is a biography about the original Siamese Twins, Chang and Eng Bunker. The story reminds me of the Elephant Man but Huang has lovingly researched his subject matter with an incredible thorough hand.
The Bunker twins lived from 1811 to 1874. The story follows from their birth to their eventual death and their tour throughout America during this time. Lovingly told through emotional highs and lows, this is an incredible story that garners one to delve into their lives. Heartbreak, horror, comedy, darkness and light, all aspects of life are on show and it is a testament to this incredible pair.
The book is very readable and I was so involved with finding out about the Bunker twins that I could not get enough. I was in awe of this incredible biography. Imagine life in the 1800’s, before acceptance and political correctness and being born with a genetic defect that stands out from the crowd. Huang is able to look at their lives and how they had made their mark on life.
This is a phenomenal book and one that I urge many to read. Huang is top of his game when chronicling the lives of these two men. If you are looking for a biography that goes beyond just pointed facts, I urge to you to give this try just for the depth of the emotion alone sets this apart from so many biographies. This is a true winner.
The Bunker twins lived from 1811 to 1874. The story follows from their birth to their eventual death and their tour throughout America during this time. Lovingly told through emotional highs and lows, this is an incredible story that garners one to delve into their lives. Heartbreak, horror, comedy, darkness and light, all aspects of life are on show and it is a testament to this incredible pair.
The book is very readable and I was so involved with finding out about the Bunker twins that I could not get enough. I was in awe of this incredible biography. Imagine life in the 1800’s, before acceptance and political correctness and being born with a genetic defect that stands out from the crowd. Huang is able to look at their lives and how they had made their mark on life.
This is a phenomenal book and one that I urge many to read. Huang is top of his game when chronicling the lives of these two men. If you are looking for a biography that goes beyond just pointed facts, I urge to you to give this try just for the depth of the emotion alone sets this apart from so many biographies. This is a true winner.
February 13, 2018
I received a free copy of this book from Goodreads Giveaways.
I had never read an in-depth story about Chang and Eng Bunker, the original "Siamese Twins" and the impetus for the commonly used phrase. I had heard of them, of course, and seen things on The Mutter Museum in Philadelphia about their shared liver, but never actually read about them as people. This is a well-researched, in-depth, but not overwhelming look at their lives which includes insightful commentary about the world and the nation in which they lived. Of particular interest, especially now, is the twins' transformation from slave-held to slave-holders and the way in which they likely saw themselves in the world versus the way the world saw them. Their twilight years as landed gentry in the South, particularly during the Civil War, were fascinating to read about. Huang's writing is engaging and interesting, and the wrap-up Epilogue comparing Mayberry (Mt. Airy North Carolina, where the twins lived those twilight years) to the real world of the 50's and 60's is an excellent cap on the entire tale. Highly recommend checking this book out when it's published.
I had never read an in-depth story about Chang and Eng Bunker, the original "Siamese Twins" and the impetus for the commonly used phrase. I had heard of them, of course, and seen things on The Mutter Museum in Philadelphia about their shared liver, but never actually read about them as people. This is a well-researched, in-depth, but not overwhelming look at their lives which includes insightful commentary about the world and the nation in which they lived. Of particular interest, especially now, is the twins' transformation from slave-held to slave-holders and the way in which they likely saw themselves in the world versus the way the world saw them. Their twilight years as landed gentry in the South, particularly during the Civil War, were fascinating to read about. Huang's writing is engaging and interesting, and the wrap-up Epilogue comparing Mayberry (Mt. Airy North Carolina, where the twins lived those twilight years) to the real world of the 50's and 60's is an excellent cap on the entire tale. Highly recommend checking this book out when it's published.
August 17, 2018
I am glad that l listened to this book because it would have been a laborious read! A huge tome with such extensive research- it is an impressive amount of work and l know more than l ever wanted to about Chang and Eng Bunker. This could have also been a biography on Mark Twain or P. T. Barnum or Nat Turner and his slave uprising, so much of their stories were also included. He also covered the Civil War and minstrel shows and the use of blackface extensively. I give it three stars because of this great amount of research, but it just wore me out too much for anymore stars than that.
May 8, 2018
As a kid, one of my favorite things to do was to wend my way through the Guinness Book of World Records, and I believe it was there that I first came across Chang and Eng as conjoined twins. As with most of America at the time they were living, I was fascinated by how they could live ordinary lives even as they were attached to one another. A few weeks ago, I heard an interview on NPR with the author and knew I had to request this book.
This is a fascinating look at not only the lives of Chang and Eng and how they came to be slave-holding members of North Carolina society from a tiny village in Siam, but also what was going on in the world during this time. We get a sense of what life was like in Siam on the river, the dense smog of newly industrialized London, New York City before it became a sprawling metropolis. We learn of the twins' fight for independence from the man who bought them in Siam, and the surprising way they managed to marry and live ordinary lives in the hills of North Carolina. It is clear that Huang spent a lot of time and effort on researching this book.
The issue is there's not a whole lot of the personality of the twins. It could be that they didn't write all that often. Perhaps they didn't keep diaries. But by the end of the book, all we know about the twins personally is that Chang was a hard drinker and Eng was a teetotaler, and that they both had a temper that could flare up at times. I wish there were more about who the men were as people so we could get to know them more.
I did enjoy the way in which Huang managed to tie Mayberry, a place of whiteness and rose-colored glasses, to Mount Airy, home of the twins, and how the town managed to welcome someone who wasn't just not white, but a freak of nature as well. But there is quite a lot of information in this book, and at times it felt a little overwhelming.
Highly recommended.
This is a fascinating look at not only the lives of Chang and Eng and how they came to be slave-holding members of North Carolina society from a tiny village in Siam, but also what was going on in the world during this time. We get a sense of what life was like in Siam on the river, the dense smog of newly industrialized London, New York City before it became a sprawling metropolis. We learn of the twins' fight for independence from the man who bought them in Siam, and the surprising way they managed to marry and live ordinary lives in the hills of North Carolina. It is clear that Huang spent a lot of time and effort on researching this book.
The issue is there's not a whole lot of the personality of the twins. It could be that they didn't write all that often. Perhaps they didn't keep diaries. But by the end of the book, all we know about the twins personally is that Chang was a hard drinker and Eng was a teetotaler, and that they both had a temper that could flare up at times. I wish there were more about who the men were as people so we could get to know them more.
I did enjoy the way in which Huang managed to tie Mayberry, a place of whiteness and rose-colored glasses, to Mount Airy, home of the twins, and how the town managed to welcome someone who wasn't just not white, but a freak of nature as well. But there is quite a lot of information in this book, and at times it felt a little overwhelming.
Highly recommended.
January 4, 2018
I received an advanced copy of this book courtesy of a Goodreads giveaway. If I could give it a 4.5, I would (only because I am very stingy with 5s). This is a well-written and impressively researched examination of the lives of the conjoined twins of Siam, Chang and Eng (Bunker). But it is about so much more than those brothers. It examines relevant ancillary issues and events in American culture and history preceding and during the Civil War and during the period of Reconstruction. In many ways, Huang makes it clear how the twins were made for "such a time as this," as their lives collided with the American "freak show" fascination, the rise (and fall) of P.T. Barnum, the phrenology trend in medicine, the Great Awakening, and--of course--the binary nature of class and race during the time of American slavery. Huang demonstrates through anecdote and thorough research how Chang and Eng represented the "other" in so many ways but, almost inexplicably, captured much of what constitutes the American Dream. The odd juxtaposition of the twins and the Andy Griffith Show is also described at length. Anyone who enjoys historical non-fiction written by scholars but in a narrative way would enjoy this book.
September 9, 2021
Czytałam tę książkę X miesięcy, momentami męcząc, momentami wciągając się w historie. Historii tych jest bez liku, ponieważ autor ma bardzo silną tendencję do snucia anegdot. Zatrzymujemy się zatem na każdym jednym pobocznym bohaterze i poznajemy jego kartę chorób i dzieje rodu. No dobrze - może nie na każdym, ale na wielu z nich. ;)
Nie mniej jednak, w "Nierozłączych" jest kawał wiedzy historycznej o Stanach Zjednoczonych połowy XIX wieku. Losy Braci Syjamskich są tak naprawdę pretekstem do pokazania przemian następujących w ciągu kilkudziesięciu lat w obszarze tolerancji rasowej, ekonomii, obyczajowości.
Jakby trochę ją odchudzić, to byłaby w ogóle lepsza ;)
Nie mniej jednak, w "Nierozłączych" jest kawał wiedzy historycznej o Stanach Zjednoczonych połowy XIX wieku. Losy Braci Syjamskich są tak naprawdę pretekstem do pokazania przemian następujących w ciągu kilkudziesięciu lat w obszarze tolerancji rasowej, ekonomii, obyczajowości.
Jakby trochę ją odchudzić, to byłaby w ogóle lepsza ;)
August 15, 2018
The story felt puffed up by the author's attempts to include the Siamese Twins as an integral part of the American social and cultural times in which they lived. These sidelong forays unsuccessfully detoured an interesting story, but one to which the author added few new insights, besides the fact that the twins were slaveholders.
December 20, 2017
Having already read a fictionalized story about the "Siamese Twins" I was interested in this biography. Huang's research is intense and in-depth, yet the book is readable and interesting. I appreciate that he avoids assumptions or putting words or thoughts into the twins, if there is not proof. The book is incredibly detailed with notes and ledgers, all with valid sources. This is more than just a biography, though, with historical details giving an understanding of the time period and contemporaries. book received in goodreads contest.
August 18, 2018
I mostly really enjoyed this book. However the sections where Huang quotes sections of fiction by authors such as Mark Twain and Herman Melville linking them to the twins seemed like a stretch. I had hoped to learn more of how Eng and Chang viewed the world but I suspect that information is not out there for historians to discover. Still, their lives are fascinating enough that even a limited account is interesting.
January 27, 2018
I really enjoyed this book .non fiction is my favorite genre of books .Many years ago I remember reading a book on these twins . I read this while in the hospital with a broken leg .It helped to take my mind off the pain.
January 28, 2018
This is the compelling story of conjoined twins Chang and Eng Bunker, an amazing pair. The book is also a cultural study of America's fascination with and treatment of the other.
August 13, 2018
Interesting but sometimes meandering history of Chang and Eng [Bunker], the famous "Siamese Twins" who were "discovered" by an English sea captain in Thailand in 1824 and later were "purchased" by a promoter and went on an extended tour of Britain and the United States, (and later, continental Europe). The life of the twins apparently did not produce enough primary material for an extensive biography because the author frequently meanders away into contemporary topics that sometimes have as much tenuous connection to the subject as the fibrous piece of flesh that connected the brothers together. The brothers later retired to rural western North Carolina where they became farmers and with no apparent sense of irony, slaveholders, who ended up losing it all in the Civil War, forcing them back into the life as a carnival sideshow. Interesting reflections on antebellum America's fascination with curiosities and the amazing ability of people to thrive despite the odds being against them. The brothers married two local sisters in North Carolina and sired 21 children between them. Their descendants now number in the thousands.
April 8, 2018
Nearly a decade after his triumphant Charlie Chan biography, Yunte Huang returns with this long-awaited portrait of Chang and Eng Bunker (1811–1874), twins conjoined at the sternum by a band of cartilage and a fused liver, who were “discovered” in Siam by a British merchant in 1824. Bringing an Asian American perspective to this almost implausible story, Huang depicts the twins, arriving in Boston in 1829, first as museum exhibits but later as financially savvy showmen who gained their freedom and traveled the backroads of rural America to bring “entertainment” to the Jacksonian mobs. Their rise from subhuman, freak-show celebrities to rich southern gentry; their marriage to two white sisters, resulting in-one children; and their owning of slaves, is here not just another sensational biography but a Hawthorne-like excavation of America’s historical penchant for finding feast in the abnormal, for tyrannizing the “other”—a tradition that, as Huang reveals, becomes inseparable from American history itself.
Out April 3, 2018
MY THOUGHTS:
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Reading about the extraordinary has always been something I’ve enjoyed, the brothers in this book are amazing. Learning about their lives as conjoined twins is both humbling and sad, mainly because of their strength of character displayed in these pages. The author obviously researched his subjects extensively and told their story without assumptions and fillers.
He kept to the facts and avoided assuming how the twins felt or spoke about certain aspects of their lives. Everything was documented and supported. I found the story of Chang and Eng riveting and inspiring. To learn that they lived in Siam during the time period the movie “The King And I” is depicted in was surprising, as was the fact that they lived out their lives in Mayberry, where “The Andy Griffith Show” was set in.
Learning about society during their lifetime and how their presence amongst them was felt, was frustrating and shameful. There were many ironic aspects to the Bunkers’ way of life too, of which I won’t say so as not to spoil the story for you.
With support from their family and the twins desire to lead a “normal” life, the Bunker twins were truly heroic and had the courage of an army during a time of turmoil and prejudice. The end of the book that dealt with the twins death was the most disturbing for me and left me feeling sad and overwhelmed at just how horrible human nature can be. To be born in an unforgiving era…
This book is a well-written and impressively researched but is more than a laid out set of facts.
The author reflects on culture and historical issues relevant to the twins’ lives. The thought of ‘freak shows’ and how this is where the brothers “fit in” better was hard to read. They were born during a time of exploitation and phrenology trend in medicine was at its highest, and slavery in the United States was a way of life.
I can’t even begin to imagine what they went through.
I appreciated the author’s tone of voice and writing style. He executed the written language professionally and astutely.
Out April 3, 2018
MY THOUGHTS:
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Reading about the extraordinary has always been something I’ve enjoyed, the brothers in this book are amazing. Learning about their lives as conjoined twins is both humbling and sad, mainly because of their strength of character displayed in these pages. The author obviously researched his subjects extensively and told their story without assumptions and fillers.
He kept to the facts and avoided assuming how the twins felt or spoke about certain aspects of their lives. Everything was documented and supported. I found the story of Chang and Eng riveting and inspiring. To learn that they lived in Siam during the time period the movie “The King And I” is depicted in was surprising, as was the fact that they lived out their lives in Mayberry, where “The Andy Griffith Show” was set in.
Learning about society during their lifetime and how their presence amongst them was felt, was frustrating and shameful. There were many ironic aspects to the Bunkers’ way of life too, of which I won’t say so as not to spoil the story for you.
With support from their family and the twins desire to lead a “normal” life, the Bunker twins were truly heroic and had the courage of an army during a time of turmoil and prejudice. The end of the book that dealt with the twins death was the most disturbing for me and left me feeling sad and overwhelmed at just how horrible human nature can be. To be born in an unforgiving era…
This book is a well-written and impressively researched but is more than a laid out set of facts.
The author reflects on culture and historical issues relevant to the twins’ lives. The thought of ‘freak shows’ and how this is where the brothers “fit in” better was hard to read. They were born during a time of exploitation and phrenology trend in medicine was at its highest, and slavery in the United States was a way of life.
I can’t even begin to imagine what they went through.
I appreciated the author’s tone of voice and writing style. He executed the written language professionally and astutely.
December 11, 2018
A lot of the story of Chang and Eng Bunker is absolutely fascinating. Their story is horrifying, improbable, deeply flawed, and yet often times reflects a lot of deeper truths about our society. However Mr. Huang frequently dwells too much on inconsequent details. Page after page is devoted to recounting various purchases made by the twins while they were on tour. Much of this is filler and conjecture. The 20 page epilogue is uninteresting and irrelevant.
August 12, 2018
This book is amazing as much for all it reveals about 19th century American culture as about Chang and Eng themselves.
July 24, 2018
I quite enjoyed this thoroughly researched book about the iconic Siamese twins, and I enjoyed it even more for not just being the biography of those twins, even though it would have been interested on its own, but for the book being much more than just the biography. It is the panoramic descriptions of the events all around the globe that affected and shaped the lives of the twins that made this book so meaningful and so much more compelling for me.
The language is very engaging and not dry as it might often happen with non-fiction books, but at the same time, one can feel a certain level of restraint that characterizes a well-researched non-fiction book.
The book does not go into the medical part of the problem as it is not its goal.Even though I would like to know more about the biology of conjoint twins, this book mostly avoids its topic with the only small exception in its final chapters, and I think this made this book more readable as the author focuses more on the cultural aspects of acceptance of " other" or a " different human being" and how we have evolved so far or how pathetically small our steps we have taken in this direction.
The fun fact that surprised me that the twins were taking sides during the Civil War, and they were the slave owners fighting for the state rights to own slaves. Oh, well ... One can only speculate why they sided with the slave owners and became ones after the long period of emotional abuse, but this is the life style they enjoyed after their initial struggles and were able to live comfortably, so I can see how they were partial to the rights of the Southern states without condoning them.
To sum it up, it was quite a pleasurable and engaging read.
The language is very engaging and not dry as it might often happen with non-fiction books, but at the same time, one can feel a certain level of restraint that characterizes a well-researched non-fiction book.
The book does not go into the medical part of the problem as it is not its goal.Even though I would like to know more about the biology of conjoint twins, this book mostly avoids its topic with the only small exception in its final chapters, and I think this made this book more readable as the author focuses more on the cultural aspects of acceptance of " other" or a " different human being" and how we have evolved so far or how pathetically small our steps we have taken in this direction.
The fun fact that surprised me that the twins were taking sides during the Civil War, and they were the slave owners fighting for the state rights to own slaves. Oh, well ... One can only speculate why they sided with the slave owners and became ones after the long period of emotional abuse, but this is the life style they enjoyed after their initial struggles and were able to live comfortably, so I can see how they were partial to the rights of the Southern states without condoning them.
To sum it up, it was quite a pleasurable and engaging read.
December 17, 2018
I once had a colleague who spoke in allusions and footnotes. Huang’s Inseparable suffers from the same disease. He pontificates on the following while following the relatively simple story of Chang and Eng: Alexis de Tocqueville, Dickens, Nat Turner, Drunken Indians, the great awakening, Amerind diaspora, yankee peddlers, Charles Willson Peale, Black Hawk, the history of phrenology, Twain, Walker Evans, Poe, Melville, Whitman, Jane Austen, Victor Hugo, John Harvey Kellogg. Then as Ron Popeil would say, “There’s more! the Oneida Community, Northern abolitionist newspapers, Violet and Daisy Hilton, Sally Heming, Twain again , Barnum, Ambrose Bierce –oh and so many more in this repetitious poorly written work. His writing makes one cringe with “So unique” and “not inconceivable.” Plus his use of idioms reads like a text book written for non-speakers.
I have always been interested in Chang and Eng’s stories since I grew up as their neighbors, separated by about 100 years. Basically, they were exploited, settled down, exploited themselves, lived fairly normal lives, and died. But Huang tries to display all of the nineteenth century and its various philosophical bases and biases. He looks upon himself as a modern de Tocqueville. But unlike that wise Frenchman who observed, Huang needs to explain America by what he has learned in books. And he won’t even let poor Andy Griffith alone. (Too much of the book is concerned with the author and Mt. Airy and the fictional town of Mayberry.)
Remember that clarinet song “Stranger on the Shore” by Aker Bilt? Huang is that same stranger on the shore trying to tell it all to us. And failing.
I have always been interested in Chang and Eng’s stories since I grew up as their neighbors, separated by about 100 years. Basically, they were exploited, settled down, exploited themselves, lived fairly normal lives, and died. But Huang tries to display all of the nineteenth century and its various philosophical bases and biases. He looks upon himself as a modern de Tocqueville. But unlike that wise Frenchman who observed, Huang needs to explain America by what he has learned in books. And he won’t even let poor Andy Griffith alone. (Too much of the book is concerned with the author and Mt. Airy and the fictional town of Mayberry.)
Remember that clarinet song “Stranger on the Shore” by Aker Bilt? Huang is that same stranger on the shore trying to tell it all to us. And failing.
July 27, 2019
Chang and Eng Bunker are known as the "original" Siamese Twins. "Discovered" in Siam as teenagers by a British merchant, the conjoined twins were used by a few unscrupulous businessmen as side-show entertainment. Eventually claiming their independence, the twins settled in rural North Carolina, married a pair of sisters, had 21 children between them, and owned slaves and supported the Confederacy in the Civil War. In this biography and look at history in the early to mid-1800s, Huang tells the story of the lives and times of Chang and Eng, and explores how their story relates to our concept of race and "otherness."
I picked this book up because having lived in North Carolina my whole life I was aware of my state's claim to fame as being the residence of the most famous conjoined twins of the 19th century. I was very excited to have the opportunity last year to visit the Mutter Museum to see the exhibit on them there. I had never read a full book about Chang and Eng, so I was quite interested in giving this book a read.
I learned a lot more about the twins' story than I had known before, and especially appreciated the author's use of their story to explore race relations not only in the 1800s, but today. I also liked the epilogue that contrasted the twins' story with that of another famous Mt. Airy resident, Andy Griffith, and the author's story of his journey to Mt. Airy.
My only issue with the book is that the first part dragged quite a bit and included a lot of extraneous details that I feel like distracted from the main theme of the book. The author focuses a lot on the writers of the day, and speculates how Chang and Eng might have influenced their work. Some of these are backed up by historical and literary record (Mark Twain), but others seem like quite a reach (Poe, Melville, etc.). The author utilizes long quotes from these authors' works to back up his thesis, and all of this together made for a very long rabbit trail away from Chang and Eng. I feel like the later part of the book was much better and got the book back on track.
I do recommend the book if you are interested in learning more about Chang and Eng's lives. However, if you do read it, expect the first bit to be a bit of slog.
I picked this book up because having lived in North Carolina my whole life I was aware of my state's claim to fame as being the residence of the most famous conjoined twins of the 19th century. I was very excited to have the opportunity last year to visit the Mutter Museum to see the exhibit on them there. I had never read a full book about Chang and Eng, so I was quite interested in giving this book a read.
I learned a lot more about the twins' story than I had known before, and especially appreciated the author's use of their story to explore race relations not only in the 1800s, but today. I also liked the epilogue that contrasted the twins' story with that of another famous Mt. Airy resident, Andy Griffith, and the author's story of his journey to Mt. Airy.
My only issue with the book is that the first part dragged quite a bit and included a lot of extraneous details that I feel like distracted from the main theme of the book. The author focuses a lot on the writers of the day, and speculates how Chang and Eng might have influenced their work. Some of these are backed up by historical and literary record (Mark Twain), but others seem like quite a reach (Poe, Melville, etc.). The author utilizes long quotes from these authors' works to back up his thesis, and all of this together made for a very long rabbit trail away from Chang and Eng. I feel like the later part of the book was much better and got the book back on track.
I do recommend the book if you are interested in learning more about Chang and Eng's lives. However, if you do read it, expect the first bit to be a bit of slog.
February 8, 2021
If you are interested in the original "Siamese" (i.e. conjoined) twins AND the times they lived in, namely mid-19th century United States from about 1829 - 1874, before, during, and just after the Civil War, you should find this book fascinating. On the other hand, if, like me, you are mainly interested in the lives of Chang and Eng and their wives, how they lived, prospered, functioned and, yes, procreated (siring 21 children), then skip lightly over the first 180 pages in which the author digresses to discuss such topics as eugenics, phrenology, slavery, miscegenation laws, and minstrel shows, presents portraits of such diverse figure as Mark Twain, P.T. Barnum, and Herman Melville and discusses the twins' impact on literature and instead focus on the remaining 168 pages including the Afterword.
December 8, 2019
Excellent book. It turns out there is much to mine in the life of Chang and Eng Bunker -- the author adeptly unpacks issues of race and gender as well as the "freak" culture of the 19th century. Highly recommended, especially if you're interested in the intersection of race and celebrity (of a sort) in the antebellum South.
September 15, 2022
Truly fascinating story of the brothers that birthed the name, Siamese twins. Well written in consideration of both their strengths and their flaws, I enjoyed how this was also an overview of the cultural impact that they had on other historical events, notable public figures, and the media that surrounded them
June 4, 2018
Incredible read. Full of American background history of the time before during and after the twins existed. A book describing the twins and the life that they had - good and bad. Not a book to read through in several sittings.
February 12, 2020
A very well-written, well-researched, and interesting book. I enjoyed it as much for the history of the times (1811-1874) as for the life story of Chang and Eng Bunker, the conjoined twins from Siam.
May 13, 2018
Fascinating read, covering biography, US and Asian history (esp. pre-Civil War era), a thoughtful analysis of the influence of race and immigration, PT Barnum, and even a connection to the Andy Griffith show. Highly recommend; I would like to read more by this author (esp. his award-winning book "Charlie Chan")
July 29, 2019
This was a fascinating true story with a sweeping background of American history—both important and trivial.
Chang and Eng Bunker were born in Siam in 1811 as conjoined twins, held together by a ligamentous band in their lower mid-section. Discovered by a British merchant in 1824, they and their parents were talked into letting him take them to England, where they became a wildly popular freak show and traveled widely, ultimately to America.
Clever, likable, and very bright, the twins eventually took control of their own destiny and became wealthy, settling in North Carolina and marrying sisters shortly before the Civil War.
Their story is intricately told and morbidly fascinating. My only complaint is that the author seemed determined to use every shred of research about every stop in the twins' journey, and while the reader learns a great deal of American history, I was distracted by what felt like repeated detours in the story.
Still, the author's research was impressive, and he left little to the imagination in the lives of the twins.
Chang and Eng Bunker were born in Siam in 1811 as conjoined twins, held together by a ligamentous band in their lower mid-section. Discovered by a British merchant in 1824, they and their parents were talked into letting him take them to England, where they became a wildly popular freak show and traveled widely, ultimately to America.
Clever, likable, and very bright, the twins eventually took control of their own destiny and became wealthy, settling in North Carolina and marrying sisters shortly before the Civil War.
Their story is intricately told and morbidly fascinating. My only complaint is that the author seemed determined to use every shred of research about every stop in the twins' journey, and while the reader learns a great deal of American history, I was distracted by what felt like repeated detours in the story.
Still, the author's research was impressive, and he left little to the imagination in the lives of the twins.
May 17, 2020
Really fascinating.
July 14, 2024
Interesting read about two fascinating individuals living a joint life
November 15, 2018
My first(and possibly last) Yunte Huang book. As one reviewer stated about another of Huang’s books, “...if one of his students had put this much padding into a term paper, he’d fail them”. And if the superfluous material isn’t enough, Huang’s guilty of ingemination, as well(with all that padding, it’s understandable why Bob, Huang’s editor, would have dozed off at his desk). The extraordinary lives(life?) of Chang and Eng could have been an extraordinary book, also. Not his time.
August 14, 2018
The title made me buy this book and I'd like you to believe I did so because I wanted to learn what effect Chang and Eng, "The Original Siamese Twins", had on "American history". I'd like you to but that's not the reason.
The truth is I wanted to learn how Chang and Eng lived their lives joined as they were from birth to death. How did they "function" (aka, go to the bathroom)? Did they have intimate relationships with women and if so, how? What happened if one got sick or mad at the other? And many other challenges conjoined twins face throughout their lives, things I hadn't thought about prior to reading this book.
Chang and Eng were born at the beginning of the 19th century in what was then Siam. They were brought to the US to be exhibited. They traveled extensively throughout the US and much of Europe prior to retirement in Traphill, a rural part of North Carolina where Chang and Eng share fame today with Andy Griffith's birthplace and fictitious Mayberry.
I don't want to spoil what you'll learn should you read this account of their lives but I will tell you this much. They did marry two sisters and between them had 21 or 22 children (there is disagreement as to exactly how many.) The devil is in the details and the book provides that detail.
As to the book itself.
Author Yunte Huang answered all my questions although at times I felt he might be providing a little too much filler not directly related to the twins. Always at least indirectly related but occasionally a little off the main topic for my taste. But take that as nothing more than weak justification for deducting one star. The book is well written and if the topic interests you the cost and time to read it will be worth it.
The truth is I wanted to learn how Chang and Eng lived their lives joined as they were from birth to death. How did they "function" (aka, go to the bathroom)? Did they have intimate relationships with women and if so, how? What happened if one got sick or mad at the other? And many other challenges conjoined twins face throughout their lives, things I hadn't thought about prior to reading this book.
Chang and Eng were born at the beginning of the 19th century in what was then Siam. They were brought to the US to be exhibited. They traveled extensively throughout the US and much of Europe prior to retirement in Traphill, a rural part of North Carolina where Chang and Eng share fame today with Andy Griffith's birthplace and fictitious Mayberry.
I don't want to spoil what you'll learn should you read this account of their lives but I will tell you this much. They did marry two sisters and between them had 21 or 22 children (there is disagreement as to exactly how many.) The devil is in the details and the book provides that detail.
As to the book itself.
Author Yunte Huang answered all my questions although at times I felt he might be providing a little too much filler not directly related to the twins. Always at least indirectly related but occasionally a little off the main topic for my taste. But take that as nothing more than weak justification for deducting one star. The book is well written and if the topic interests you the cost and time to read it will be worth it.
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