Madness in the Making: The Triumphant Rise and Untimely Fall of America's Show Inventors

by David Lindsay

Explores the history of inventions in the United States and discusses inventors who combined innovation with showmanship to capture the public's imagination

404 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1997

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Reviews

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It focuses on a strange part of American history which includes Joseph Faber's talking machine, Robert Fulton's steamboat, Edison's various projects, and Elisha Otis' elevator brakes. One of my favorite parts of the book discusses Otis (yes, THAT elevator Otis guy), who risked his life in front of crowds of hundreds to prove that his elevator brake system would prevent a free-falling elevator car from smashing to pieces. (Something to think about the next time you step into an Otis elevator.) Of course that shyster P.T. Barnum weaseled his way into this book. Until I read this book, I didn't know that circuses, sideshows, carnivals, and legitimate (as well as sham) inventions had so much in common.