Banvard's folly
Subtitle: thirteen tales of renowned obscurity, famous anonymity, and rotten luck
By: Paul Collins.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Picador USA
Published: 2001
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 286
Subjects: Eccentrics and eccentricities -- Biography.; Biography.
Genres: Biography.
Description: 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.
Notes: <!-- PLEASE NOTE: due to a scanning error, only the front and back jacket flaps (two pages) were missing -->
Includes bibliographical references (p. [269]-283).
Table of contents: title: Banvard's folly; title: The clever dullard; title: Symmes hole; title: The man with N-ray eyes; title: If only geniuses knew how to scheme; title: 22,000 seedlings; title: Psalmanazar; title: The pneumatic underground; title: He being dead yet speaketh not; title: A dedicated amateur of fashion; title: A.J. Pleasonton's blue light special; title: Walking on the rings of Saturn.