{"product_id":"carnie-king-9781459749924","title":"Carnie King","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe story of the audacious showman who built the greatest carnival dynasty in North America.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnter the realm of the carnie king, Patty Conklin, the flamboyant founder of what would become the world’s largest carnival company. Patty started on the mean streets of New York selling peanuts before becoming a a small-time operator. Willing to try anything to promote his show, he established himself as a carnie celebrity. Winning the midway contract for the Canadian National Exhibition in 1937, he made it his personal world’s fair. It became the foundation for his son and grandson to expand Conklin Shows until they were playing the biggest fairs and exhibitions throughout North America.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003eCarnie King\u003c\/i\u003e begins with the birth of Joseph Renker to German immigrant parents, tells of his personal transformation into Patty Conklin, and follows his incredible life through to his death in 1970. It covers his company's history after Jim Conklin took over, expanded it beyond recognition, then handed it on to his own son.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNot only a history of Conklin Shows, \u003ci\u003eCarnie King\u003c\/i\u003e explores how midways work and their commercial and popular presence in North America The story it tells is based on dozens of interviews with carnies and access to the Conklin archives. It includes anecdotes about a range of characters and insights about life on the midway. \u003ci\u003eCarnie King\u003c\/i\u003e is at once a revealing look at a unique part of twentieth-century culture and a vivid account of three generations of showmen and their dominance of midways across the continent.","brand":"John Thurston","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48281961955579,"sku":"9781459749924","price":27.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0779\/3917\/9771\/files\/CoreSourceHub_61ccd37a-4c7e-4587-aac1-d26c0eef5239.jpg?v=1777515482","url":"https:\/\/indiepubs.com\/products\/carnie-king-9781459749924","provider":"IndiePubs","version":"1.0","type":"link"}