A review by glitterandtwang
Nobody's Fool: The Life and Times of Schlitzie the Pinhead by Bill Griffith

5.0

Bill Griffith brings his talents to the story of Schlitzie Surtees, perhaps the best known "pinhead" in all of sideshow history -- you might recognize him from the Tod Browning film Freaks. Griffith draws on historical documents, interviews, and more to piece together a biography of Schlitzie that is at turns humorous, heartfelt, and downright harrowing - I didn't know that he was briefly (and miserably) confined to a county hospital before being returned to the care of Ward Hall and another sideshow manager. There aren't many details included regarding Schlitzie's passing, but it was touching to see that a group of fans got together to purchase a headstone for his grave some years afterward. A really fascinating and worthwhile read - and an essential one for folks interested in the history of sideshow exhibitions.