Banvard's folly
Ratings1
Average rating4
15
Ratings1
Average rating4
Profiles thirteen scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, adventurers, and writers who once basked in glory, but faded into obscurity due to failed experiments, bad luck, and the signs of madness.
Reviews with the most likes.
While doing research for a class one of the SFPL librarians mentioned that this book might be helpful. The title sounded familiar, but it wasn't until she brought over the book that the lightening hit: the author was Paul S. Collins. His book “Sixpence House” is wonderful (feel free to check my review), and in that book he actually mentions working on this book. How perfect that my schoolwork connected me to it!
Anyway, the book is great. Some of the stories are less interesting than others, but even so the writing is brilliant throughout. Bonus: one of the stories describes a specific location in San Francisco, and using Google Maps Street View you can actually see what he's talking about.
