SKU: 95184317801

Banvard's Folly: Thirteen Tales of People Who Didn't Change the World

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Banvard's Folly: Thirteen Tales of People Who Didn't Change the WorldThe historical record crowns success. Those enshrined in its annals are men and women whose ideas, accomplishments, or personalities have dominated, endured, and most important of all, found champions. John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage, Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists, and Samuel Johnson's Lives of the Poets are classic celebrations of the greatest, the brightest, the eternally constellated. Paul Collins' Banvard's Folly is a different kind

The historical record crowns success. Those enshrined in its annals are men and women whose ideas, accomplishments, or personalities have dominated, endured, and most important of all, found champions. John F. Kennedy's Profiles in Courage, Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists, and Samuel Johnson's Lives of the Poets are classic celebrations of the greatest, the brightest, the eternally constellated.

Paul Collins' Banvard's Folly is a different kind of book. Here are thirteen unforgettable portraits of forgotten people: men and women who might have claimed their share of renown but who, whether from ill timing, skullduggery, monomania, the tinge of madness, or plain bad luck-or perhaps some combination of them all-leapt straight from life into thankless obscurity. Among their number are scientists, artists, writers, entrepreneurs, and adventurers, from across the centuries and around the world. They hold in common the silenced aftermath of failure, the name that rings no bells.

Collins brings them back to glorious life. John Banvard was an artist whose colossal panoramic canvasses (one behemoth depiction of the entire eastern shore of the Mississippi River was simply known as "The Three Mile Painting") made him the richest and most famous artist of his day. . . before he decided to go head to head with P. T. Barnum. Ren Blondot was a distinguished French physicist whose celebrated discovery of a new form of radiation, called the N-Ray, went terribly awry. At the tender age of seventeen, William Henry Ireland signed "William Shakespeare" to a book and launched a short but meteoric career as a forger of undiscovered works by the Bard -- until he pushed his luck too far. John Symmes, a hero of the War of 1812, nearly succeeded in convincing Congress to fund an expedition to the North Pole, where he intended to prove his theory that the earth was hollow and ripe for exploitation; his quixotic quest counted Jules Verne and Edgar Allan Poe among its greatest admirers.

Collins' love for what he calls the "forgotten ephemera of genius" give his portraits of these figures and the other nine men and women in Banvard's Folly sympathetic depth and poignant relevance. Their effect is not to make us sneer or revel in schadenfreude; here are no cautionary tales. Rather, here are brief introductions-acts of excavation and reclamation-to people whom history may have forgotten, but whom now we cannot.



Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
Published: 05/01/2002
ISBN: 9780312300333
Pages: 320
Weight: 0.90lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.50w x 0.70d
Award: Oregon Book Awards - Nominee
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SKU: 95184317801

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Brittany H.
Lake Worth, US
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Great Kitchen Purchase
Color: Stainless Steel, Size: Medium Size, Color: Stainless Steel, Size: Medium Size
I didn’t realize how much I needed a kitchen scale until I got this. It’s really accurate and makes cooking (especially baking) so much easier and more consistent. The tare function is a game changer—you can zero out the bowl and keep adding ingredients without extra measuring cups. It’s also easy to switch between grams and ounces, which is great for following different recipes. Most digital scales measure very precisely, often down to about 1 gram, which makes a big difference for accuracy. It’s compact, easy to clean, and doesn’t take up much space on the counter. Overall, such a simple tool but makes a big difference—definitely worth having in any kitchen.
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Jason G
Dallas, US
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Great little scale!
Color: Stainless Steel, Size: Medium Size
Love this little guy! It's small I use it for all my meals. When in a rush I can just toss it in my lunch box and use it at work. Super convenient. It sits on my counter no bigger than a side plate. Worth the money!
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Julissa izaguirre
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 4
Food scale
Color: Stainless Steel, Size: Medium Size, Color: Stainless Steel, Size: Medium Size
This product is worth the price. The only thing is that it kind of doesn’t work sometimes when you are trying to switch the unit and you might have to double click (as shown in my video) other than that the product works perfect for measuring my food and even my liquids. It’s the perfect size not too big and bulky but it also isn’t that small. As you can see in my picture it’s small enough to fit in my drawer (I don’t like to leave it on my counter) it’s a tiny bit bigger than an Alexa.i also like that the price isn’t to high . I would definitely recommend this product! It’s a sturdy product it doesn’t move when you’re putting any items on it. It’s easy to clean off as well. Another thing is it takes batteries ( it takes AAA batteries, just 2 of them) and I liked how it came with batteries inside of them already .
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JustAShopper
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Lightweight, accurate, and perfect for everyday use
Color: Stainless Steel, Size: Medium Size
This kitchen scale is a great tool for anyone doing meal prep, baking, or tracking food. It’s lightweight and compact, so it doesn’t take up much space and is easy to store when not in use. Accuracy is spot on—it measures consistently in grams and ounces, which is perfect for portion control and precise recipes. The tare function works smoothly, making it easy to weigh multiple ingredients in one container. The stainless steel surface is a nice touch—it looks clean and is easy to wipe down after use. The display is clear and easy to read, even in lower light. For the price, it’s hard to beat. It does exactly what you need without any unnecessary extras. Pros: -Lightweight and compact -Accurate and consistent measurements -Easy-to-use tare function -Stainless steel surface (easy to clean) -Great value Cons: -Small size may not fit very large bowls -Basic features (no advanced tracking) Overall: A reliable, no-frills kitchen scale that gets the job done. Perfect for meal prep, dieting, and everyday cooking.
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Stephanie Taff
San Leandro, US
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Accurate, Easy to Use, and Reliable
Color: Stainless Steel, Size: Medium Size
I love the Etekcity Food Kitchen Scale! It’s accurate, easy to use, and switches quickly between grams and ounces. Compact, easy to clean, and perfect for cooking or baking. Great value for the price!
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Reviewed in the United States on April 24, 2026

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