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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Sharon G.
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect Fit
Color: B-navy blue
I recently bought an iPad (A16) 11th Generation and needed a case for protection. I had a similar case to this one for another iPad that I owned in the past and was very pleased with it. I tried to put my new iPad into that case, but it didn’t really fit well, so I had to purchase a new one. I found this case on Amazon at a good price. I received it on the second day and it fit perfectly! It also has a slot to hold my Apple Pencil, which the other case did not have. So I am very pleased with it.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 17, 2026
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ana
Birmingham, US
★★★★★ 4
Cute! Didn’t last long for me
Color: A-Pink, Color: A-Pink
Very cute and comfortable! Love the folding tabs. Unfortunately, I’ve only had this case for around 6-7 months, and it’s already cracked and chipped. I also always carry it in a protective case (aside from this one; a computer sleeve) so i don’t think i was being rough with it at all. Still works fine, and should protect the ipad. i’m just sad it cracked so soon! I would’ve kept it for much longer had it not. I do however take it to school/work everyday, so it did commute with me.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2026
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RippedOff
Lowell, US
★★★★★ 5
Fits the new iPads. Buttons are easily accessible.
Color: 1-Navy Blue
Fits the new iPad. Buttons are easy to reach, and it protects the screen with a soft fell back. Easy white clean vinyl on the outside. It has open vent spots so your device can cool. Slim and sleek. A great value for the money. Buttons are easily accessible. High-quality.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2026
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Grinosca Garcia
Massapequa, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect, it fits like a glove.
Color: 1-Navy Blue
I really liked the sleeve, the navy blue color looks very elegant and the material feels resistant but soft to the touch. What I like the most is that the back is translucent, so you still see the design of the tablet. It works great for watching videos because it stands firm when folding it, and turning off the screen alone when closing it is very practical. Because of the price it has, the quality is excellent.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 26, 2026
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Denny
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 5
Great Protective Case for My Mother’s iPad
Color: 2-Watermelon Red, Color: 2-Watermelon Red
I bought this case along with my mother’s new iPad, and it was the perfect choice. The watermelon red color looks beautiful with the pink iPad and gives it a very clean and stylish look. The case feels sturdy without adding too much weight, which makes it comfortable for her to carry around and use every day. The stand feature works really well for watching videos, reading, and video calls. I also like that the case supports the auto wake and sleep function, which makes the iPad feel even more convenient and easy to use. The cutouts fit perfectly, and Touch ID still works without any issues. The translucent back is a nice touch because it still lets the iPad color show through while keeping it protected from scratches and bumps. Overall, this case exceeded expectations and makes a great addition for anyone wanting both protection and style for their iPad.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2026

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