Julia Pastrana : the tragic story of the Victorian ape woman / Christopher Hals Gylseth & Lars O. Toverud, translated by Donald Tumasonis.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gylseth, Christopher Hals, 1965-

Contributor:

Toverud, Lars O.

Standardized Title:

Julia Pastrana--apekvinnen. English

Language:

English

Norwegian

Subjects (All):

Pastrana, Julia.

Freak shows--History--19th century.

Hypertrichosis--Patients--Biography.

Dwarfs--Biography.

Famous Persons.

Hypertrichosis.

Patients.

Freak shows.

History.

Hirsutism--history.

History, 19th Century.

Hypertrichosis--history.

Social Alienation.

Vulnerable Populations.

Medical Subjects:

Famous Persons.

Hirsutism--history.

History, 19th Century.

Hypertrichosis--history.

Social Alienation.

Vulnerable Populations.

Genre:

Biographies.

Physical Description:

x, 180 pages : illustrations, portraits

Place of Publication:

Stroud, Gloucestershire : Sutton Pub., [2003]

Summary:

In 1834 Julia Pastrana -- 'ape-woman' -- was born in the backwoods of Mexico. Thirty years later, she had become one of the most famous women in the western world. Over one hundred years later, her forgotten remains were discovered in a dusty corner of the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Norway. This is her compelling story. Born with the condition congenital hypertrichosis, she grew to 4ft 6in tall and was covered in hair. The mid-nineteenth century was a time of sideshows and freakshows, circus and carnival, and Julia soon took advantage of her unusual appearance. Billed as 'The Missing Link' and the 'Baboon Lady' she toured Mexico, America and, later, Europe in an exhibition of freaks managed by entrepreneur Theodore Lent. Yet, though visited by thousands, including eminent scientists such as Charles Darwin, and publicly such a success that the great P.T. Barnum tried, and failed, to win her for his own show, in reality her life was lonely and unhappy. Married to Lent, who sought in this way to keep control of his 'most valuable exhibit', she died shortly after having given birth to their son, yet Lent continued in his endeavours to exploit her. Today, 150 years after her first appearance on stage, Julia Pastrana's body is still unburied, preserved for scientific research.

Contents:

1 A Sympathetic, Intelligent Monster 1

2 The Mysterious Animal 10

3 An Offence against all Propriety 28

4 The Embalmed Female Nondescript 64

5 An Extremely Remarkable Hairiness 87

6 A Cultural and Historical Treasure 102

7 Go Over Her with a Vacuum Cleaner 139.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [171]-174) and index.

ISBN:

0750933127

OCLC:

54408460