The Barnum Museum

The Barnum Museum

Company type	Book
Industry	Literature
Founded	1990
Founder	Steven Millhauser
Products	Fantasy short stories collection

The Barnum Museum is a compilation of fantasy short stories authored by Steven Millhauser and released in 1990 through Poseidon Press. The collection concludes with the story "Eisenheim the Illusionist," which served as the basis for the 2006 motion picture The Illusionist.

Short stories

• "A Game of Clue"
• "Behind the Blue Curtain"
• "The Barnum Museum" (appeared in Grand Street, Summer 1987)
• "The Sepia Postcard"
• "The Eighth Voyage of Sinbad" (featured in Grand Street, Summer 1988)
• "Klassik Komix #1" (published in Grand Street, Autumn 1988)
• "Rain" (included in The Paris Review, Fall 1988)
• "Alice, Falling" (from Antaeus)
• "The Invention of Robert Herendeen"
• "Eisenheim the Illusionist" (printed in Esquire, December 1989)

Reception

Michael Dirda of The Washington Post commended Millhauser's prose as "irresistible," emphasizing that his work functions more as imaginative artifacts rather than narratives driven by plot. Dirda identified Millhauser as a prose poet who prioritizes intricate description over traditional storytelling.

Michiko Kakutani, writing for the New York Times, characterized the collection as somewhat "static," noting its precise attention to detail but limited exploration of character depth or ethical complexity beyond an appreciation for imagination's contrasting aspects.

Aram Saroyan, also from the New York Times, remarked on Millhauser's incorporation of postmodern motifs and supernatural elements, observing his occasional use of science fiction themes without fully committing to the genre.

Sources

• Dirda, Michael. 1990. The Washington Post.
• Kakutani, Michiko. 1990. The New York Times.
• Saroyan, Aram. 1990. Los Angeles Times.
• Walsh, David. 2006. World Socialist Web Site.
• Ingersoll, Earl G. 2014. Understanding Steven Millhauser.