The Giant and How He Humbugged America

September 17, 2012
Americans eager for diversions in the post–Civil War era were easily taken in by showmen such as P.T. Barnum. In this book, Murphy (The Crossing: How George Washington Saved the American Revolution) explains how another hoodwinker, George Hull, masterminded the creation and “discovery” of a giant gypsum statue of a man that had people guessing at its origins—and paying handsomely to see it. The Cardiff Giant, named for the New York town where it was unearthed in 1869, drew thousands of spectators, who believed it to be a petrified man. It even caught the attention of Barnum, who built and made money off a replica.
Although a significant number of players are involved, the narrative’s 12 chapters move swiftly, with period photos helping to break up the text-heavy pages (printed in brown ink). Contextualizing this scam against the wider backdrop of the Gilded Age, Murphy adeptly explains how hoaxes like the Cardiff
Giant helped accelerate reforms, such
as the establishment of professional
scientific organizations and journals. Ages 10–14.

Starred review from September 1, 2012
When a stone giant is found on a farm in upstate New York, William Newell sees the chance to get rich quickly. On October 16, 1869, in Cardiff, N.Y., Gideon Emmons and Henry Nichols went to William Newell's farm to dig a well. After a few hours of hard digging, they hit stone and eventually unearthed a 10-foot stone man, so anatomically detailed that examiners suggested a fig leaf in case the "unclothed giant might provoke the village women to have sinful thoughts." Was it an "old Indian"? A Stone Giant of Onondaga legend? A petrified man? Farmer Newell capitalized on the "discovery," and before long, lines of people were paying good money for the chance to see the marvel, demonstrating that Charles Ponzi and Bernie Madoff were not the first to make money on people's will to believe. Murphy effectively recreates the place and times that made the Cardiff Giant famous, building on solid and well-documented research. A generous mix of newspaper illustrations, carnival posters and photographs lend a period feeling to the thoroughly engaging volume. After reading this fascinating story, young people will appreciate the old expression, spawned by this very hoax, "There's a sucker born every minute." (research notes, source notes, bibliography, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10-14)

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Starred review from September 1, 2012

Gr 5 Up-Murphy investigates a clever and successful scheme during the 1800s, sharing with readers how several men in upstate New York were able to fool the public and make thousands of dollars. When William Newell decided to have a well dug on his farm, the men hired to do the digging became quite excited when a 10-foot giant was uncovered in the field. Experts called in to determine the origins-whether a statue or petrified giant-couldn't agree. There were those who believed it was possibly a giant from the local Onondaga Indian tribe or a giant like Goliath from the Bible. Crowds gathered, and, in a matter of days, thousands came to see for themselves the amazing giant upon hearing about it by word of mouth and newspaper reports. Readers will question the origins of the giant until about halfway through the book, when hints of the truth slowly expose the actual origin of the Cardiff giant, keeping them enthralled with the strange turn of events. As this was also the time in history of other questionable events, doubters and naysayers did exist. So did other men wanting to cash in on the opportunity, creating an even greater exhibition. Photos, a cast of characters, additional information on other famous hoaxes, research on the topic, and extensive source notes complete this fun, exciting, and lively account.-Susan Shaver, Hemingford Public Schools, NE

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from June 1, 2012
Grades 5-8 *Starred Review* In this carefully documented account, Murphy traces the checkered career of the Cardiff Giant, a 10-foot-long stone figure unearthed in 1869 in an upstate New York farmyard. The giant was a national sensation until its unmasking as a hoax a few months later. Almost from the outset, both educated and popular opinion was divided over whether the figure was a fossilized human or a carving, an ancient relic or a modern humbug. Murphy shows how the controversy itself fueled the giant's notorietyto the extent that the figure's authenticity became irrelevant. P. T. Barnum made a bundle displaying an acknowledged duplicate, and to this day, the original and several surviving copies remain local museum attractions. The book also draws thought-provoking connections between the cultural effects of the Industrial Revolution, the era's general interest in America's (historical or mythical) past, and the progress of science to explain why the Cardiff Giant resonated so deeply in the popular mind. Illustrated with plenty of photos and images, and capped by summaries of the later lives of the major hoaxers, brief mentions of other pseudoscientific hoaxes, detailed research notes, and a rich bibliography, this makes an entertaining and intriguing case study in how a seemingly minor incident can provide insight into both human psychology and large historical and cultural changes. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Librarians, teachers, and student researchers will be looking for this entertaining new work from the multi-award-winning Murphy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)