Description
Discover the remarkable story of America's famed conjoined twins, Chang and Eng Bunker, in this astonishing biography that explores themes of identity, societal norms, and the complexities of the human experience. In 'Inseparable,' celebrated biographer Yunte Huang takes you on a journey through the extraordinary lives of these nineteenth-century Siamese twins, whose story is a compelling commentary on the era in which they lived. This meticulously researched narrative, filled with engaging anecdotes, chronicles their transformation from freak-show curiosities to prosperous gentry in the South.
With gripping storytelling and keen insights, Huang reveals how Chang and Eng navigated identity, assimilation, and societal perceptions, leading to their assimilation into a culture that often marginalized them. This book provides a critical examination of 'the tyranny of the normal' and reflects on America's historical tendencies to vilify the 'other.' Not just a biography, but an expansive commentary on the times, 'Inseparable' is a must-read for those interested in the intersection of history and human rights.
Featuring 28 stunning black and white illustrations, this 416-page hardcover edition published by W W Norton & Company offers a rich visual experience alongside its compelling narrative. Don't miss out on this extraordinary portrayal that cleverly interweaves personal stories with larger societal themes.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Condition: BRAND NEW. ISBN: 9781631495458. Year: 2019.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781631495458
Year: 2019
Publisher: W W Norton & Company
Pages: 416
Description:
"An astonishing story, by turns ghastly, hilarious, unnerving, and moving.Stephen Greenblatt, author of The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve
In this "excellent" portrait of America™s famed nineteenth-century Siamese twins, celebrated biographer Yunte Huang discovers in the conjoined lives of Chang and Eng Bunker (1811“1874) a trenchant "comment on the times in which we live" (Wall Street Journal). "Uncovering ironies, paradoxes and examples of how Chang and Eng subverted what Leslie Fiedler called 'the tyranny of the normal'" (BBC), Huang depicts the twins™ implausible route to assimilation after their "discovery" in Siam by a British merchant in 1824 and arrival in Boston as sideshow curiosities in 1829. Their climb from subhuman, freak-show celebrities to rich, southern gentry who profited from entertaining the Jacksonian mobs; their marriage to two white sisters, resulting in twenty-one children; and their owning of slaves, is here not just another sensational biography but an "extraordinary" (New York Times), Hawthorne-like excavation of America™s historical penchant for tyrannizing the other a tradition that, as Huang reveals, becomes inseparable from American history itself.28 black and white illustrations throughout
With gripping storytelling and keen insights, Huang reveals how Chang and Eng navigated identity, assimilation, and societal perceptions, leading to their assimilation into a culture that often marginalized them. This book provides a critical examination of 'the tyranny of the normal' and reflects on America's historical tendencies to vilify the 'other.' Not just a biography, but an expansive commentary on the times, 'Inseparable' is a must-read for those interested in the intersection of history and human rights.
Featuring 28 stunning black and white illustrations, this 416-page hardcover edition published by W W Norton & Company offers a rich visual experience alongside its compelling narrative. Don't miss out on this extraordinary portrayal that cleverly interweaves personal stories with larger societal themes.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled. Condition: BRAND NEW. ISBN: 9781631495458. Year: 2019.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9781631495458
Year: 2019
Publisher: W W Norton & Company
Pages: 416
Description:
"An astonishing story, by turns ghastly, hilarious, unnerving, and moving.Stephen Greenblatt, author of The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve
In this "excellent" portrait of America™s famed nineteenth-century Siamese twins, celebrated biographer Yunte Huang discovers in the conjoined lives of Chang and Eng Bunker (1811“1874) a trenchant "comment on the times in which we live" (Wall Street Journal). "Uncovering ironies, paradoxes and examples of how Chang and Eng subverted what Leslie Fiedler called 'the tyranny of the normal'" (BBC), Huang depicts the twins™ implausible route to assimilation after their "discovery" in Siam by a British merchant in 1824 and arrival in Boston as sideshow curiosities in 1829. Their climb from subhuman, freak-show celebrities to rich, southern gentry who profited from entertaining the Jacksonian mobs; their marriage to two white sisters, resulting in twenty-one children; and their owning of slaves, is here not just another sensational biography but an "extraordinary" (New York Times), Hawthorne-like excavation of America™s historical penchant for tyrannizing the other a tradition that, as Huang reveals, becomes inseparable from American history itself.28 black and white illustrations throughout