The Giant and How He Humbugged America by Jim Murphy

Bibliography

Murphy, J. (2012). The giant and how he humbugged America. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439691842

Plot Summary

A giant is found in Mr. Newell’s property in upstate New York. It does not take long before word spreads through town and then to the whole United States. Everyone wonders if this giant is a statue or a petrified man. All people put their two cents in and try to make a profit out of this unlikely event. Thousands of people want to see this new discovery and many want a share of the Cardiff giant. Drama unfolds once scientists come down to inspect the giant many claiming it is a petrified man while others that it is a statue. The event causes an upheaval in the United States for everyone wants a share of the money making giant. Though, to the surprise of many it turns out that this giant was a giant scam played out and orchestrated by George Hall and a few others.

Critical Analysis

In Jim Murphy’s The Giant and How He Humbugged America one can see how nonfiction books can be quite interesting. The book goes over how a giant carved out of gypsum and molded to look like petrified man caught America by storm. Two of the main characters William Newell and George Hull were greedy and did not mind scamming Americans out of their money. George Hull had a brilliant and conniving plan to make a profit out of a fake giant. Though, never did anyone imagine it would spiral to be one of America’s biggest scams. People have a natural longing to wish for the impossible and during this time in American history people just wanted to find something to take their mind of what was occurring around them.

This book is written like a mystery story, which keeps the reader interested. However, Murphy’s story is based on well-documented research. The book has pages in which you can find the sources that Jim Murphy used to validate his story. It is very detailed as to what happened during the three month span and gives details as how the characters were involved in the hoax. There are newspaper clippings, posters, and numerous photographs that support the text and give the reader a feeling of the time this story took place.

Through the story Murphy provides photos to illustrate the story that it hardly seems like a nonfiction book. The old photographs are intriguing and spark curiosity about the characters. The illustration in the front mocks the storyline for it shows a ringmaster introducing the scamming Cardiff giant. The title is catchy and even a good source of discussion before beginning the story.

Review Excerpts

• Review in GOODREADS: “Two-time Newbery Honor Book author has written an amazing account of one of America's most famous hoaxes!”
• Review in KIRKUS: “After reading this fascinating story, young people will appreciate the old expression, spawned by this very hoax…”

Connections

This nonfiction takes place during a time in American History that can be tied to the post-Civil War era and the Industrial Revolution that it can be integrated into History curriculum. The book also included other hoaxes that have occurred in history that can be used as a research project. Other books similar to this:

Murphy, Jim. An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793. ISBN 0395776082

Murphy, Jim. Blizzard: The Storm that Changed America. ISBN 0590673092