{"product_id":"kid-of-coney-island-the","title":"Kid of Coney Island, The","description":"\u003cp\u003eA generation before Walt Disney, Fred Thompson was the \"boy-wonder\" of American popular amusements. At the turn of the 20th century, Thompson's entrepreneurial drive made him into an entertainment mogul who helped to define the popular culture of his day.In this lively biography, Woody Register tells Thompson's remarkable story and examines the transformation of commerce and entertainment as American society moved into an era of mass marketing and\n\u003cbr\u003elarge-scale corporate enterprise. Getting his start as a promoter of carnival shows at world's fairs, Thompson was one of the principal developers of Coney Island, where he created the majestic Luna Park.\n\u003cbr\u003eRegister traces Thompson's career as he built the mammoth Hippodrome Theater in Manhattan, where he mounted many productions noted for their spectacular--and spectacularly costly--staging effects. Register shows how Thompson's fantasies appealed to the growing legions of Americans who found themselves in a world that seemed increasingly \"businesslike\" and profit oriented. He illustrates how Thompson aggressively marketed to adult consumers a world of make-believe and childlike play, carefully\n\u003cbr\u003ecrafting his own public image as \"the boy who never grew up.\"Colorful, well-written, and insightful, The Kid of Coney Island brings to life a kaleidoscopic era in New York history as well as\n\u003cbr\u003eone of its most striking characters.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oxford University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44156605366510,"sku":"9780195167320","price":63.69,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0630\/9612\/7726\/files\/9780195167320.jpg?v=1706229007","url":"https:\/\/bookland.com.au\/products\/kid-of-coney-island-the","provider":"Book Land AU","version":"1.0","type":"link"}