Marc Hartzman
@marchartzman.bsky.social
Author of We Are Not Alone, Chasing Ghosts, The Big Book of Mars, American Sideshow, and other books. MarcHartzmanBooks.com
I love this preface in The History and Records of The Elephants Club from 1856. True words. I also love the authors’ names.
November 8, 2025 at 10:10 PM
I love this preface in The History and Records of The Elephants Club from 1856. True words. I also love the authors’ names.
My latest article for Weird Historian — do not try this at home or
anywhere else:
www.weirdhistorian.com/alexandre-pa...
anywhere else:
www.weirdhistorian.com/alexandre-pa...
Alexandre Patty: The Man Who Walked on His Head and Headed Straight for Global Fame
The circus has always been a place to showcase remarkable and unimaginable skills. Perhaps one of the most unusual stunts performed was achieved in the early 1900s by Alexandre Patty, the man who walk...
www.weirdhistorian.com
October 22, 2025 at 1:47 AM
My latest article for Weird Historian — do not try this at home or
anywhere else:
www.weirdhistorian.com/alexandre-pa...
anywhere else:
www.weirdhistorian.com/alexandre-pa...
On the side my book projects I have another book project: Curious Publications. I generally republish old, obscure books to give them new life. My newest book is something I edited together: The Talking Dead: A Collection of Messages from Beyond the Veil, 1850 to 1920s (Expanded Edition).
#ghosts
#ghosts
September 16, 2025 at 3:13 PM
On the side my book projects I have another book project: Curious Publications. I generally republish old, obscure books to give them new life. My newest book is something I edited together: The Talking Dead: A Collection of Messages from Beyond the Veil, 1850 to 1920s (Expanded Edition).
#ghosts
#ghosts
Now available through my side publication project, Curious Publications:
The Damnable Life and Death of Stubbe Peter
First published in 1590.
#werewolf #lycanthropy #monsters
#weirdbooks
www.curiouspublications.com/portfolio-1/...
The Damnable Life and Death of Stubbe Peter
First published in 1590.
#werewolf #lycanthropy #monsters
#weirdbooks
www.curiouspublications.com/portfolio-1/...
The Damnable Life and Death of Stubbe Peeter — Curious Publications
www.curiouspublications.com
September 11, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Now available through my side publication project, Curious Publications:
The Damnable Life and Death of Stubbe Peter
First published in 1590.
#werewolf #lycanthropy #monsters
#weirdbooks
www.curiouspublications.com/portfolio-1/...
The Damnable Life and Death of Stubbe Peter
First published in 1590.
#werewolf #lycanthropy #monsters
#weirdbooks
www.curiouspublications.com/portfolio-1/...
Happy 228th birthday, Mary Shelley! Images from the book created in conjunction with the Frankenstein exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum, 2018-19.
#frankenstein #maryshelley #horror #writing
#frankenstein #maryshelley #horror #writing
August 30, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Happy 228th birthday, Mary Shelley! Images from the book created in conjunction with the Frankenstein exhibit at the Morgan Library & Museum, 2018-19.
#frankenstein #maryshelley #horror #writing
#frankenstein #maryshelley #horror #writing
My fascination with the turn-of-the-century #Martians led me to my 2020 book, The Big Book of Mars. So I was especially delighted to speak with author David Baron about his discoveries and fascination in his new book, The Martians. Our conversation follows:
www.weirdhistorian.com/the-martians...
www.weirdhistorian.com/the-martians...
The Martians are Coming! Author David Baron Speaks About His New Book, "The Martians"
Science journalist and author David Baron explores our early fascination with Martians in his new book, "THE MARTIANS: The True Story of an Alien Craze that Captured Turn-of-the-Century America"
www.weirdhistorian.com
August 27, 2025 at 1:51 PM
My fascination with the turn-of-the-century #Martians led me to my 2020 book, The Big Book of Mars. So I was especially delighted to speak with author David Baron about his discoveries and fascination in his new book, The Martians. Our conversation follows:
www.weirdhistorian.com/the-martians...
www.weirdhistorian.com/the-martians...
You may have seen Jellyboy the Clown on America’s Got Talent Season 19, where he amazed audiences and the judges.
In this episode, we talk to Jellyboy about his beginnings as a clown, his start in sword swallowing and much, much more.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music
#sideshow
In this episode, we talk to Jellyboy about his beginnings as a clown, his start in sword swallowing and much, much more.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music
#sideshow
August 8, 2025 at 11:40 AM
You may have seen Jellyboy the Clown on America’s Got Talent Season 19, where he amazed audiences and the judges.
In this episode, we talk to Jellyboy about his beginnings as a clown, his start in sword swallowing and much, much more.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music
#sideshow
In this episode, we talk to Jellyboy about his beginnings as a clown, his start in sword swallowing and much, much more.
Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music
#sideshow
Great to see that To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing is on sale at #ripleys in St. Augustine! That’s my co-author Dan Meyer on the cover! Get a copy at Ripley’s or wherever you buy books online.
#swordswallower #tothehilt #swordswallowing #books #sideshow #circus
#swordswallower #tothehilt #swordswallowing #books #sideshow #circus
July 20, 2025 at 8:12 PM
Great to see that To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing is on sale at #ripleys in St. Augustine! That’s my co-author Dan Meyer on the cover! Get a copy at Ripley’s or wherever you buy books online.
#swordswallower #tothehilt #swordswallowing #books #sideshow #circus
#swordswallower #tothehilt #swordswallowing #books #sideshow #circus
July 13, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Big hats can cause big trouble. Just ask the farmer who lost his eye to one in 1908. Check out my latest post on Weird Historian:
#hats #merrywidowhats #weirdfashion
www.weirdhistorian.com/merry-widow-...
#hats #merrywidowhats #weirdfashion
www.weirdhistorian.com/merry-widow-...
Merry Widow Hats Were Not Always So Merry
Though stylish, Merry Widow Hats, in at least one case, also proved dangerous. Just ask Joseph Lewis, a farmer who lost his eye to one.
www.weirdhistorian.com
July 9, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Big hats can cause big trouble. Just ask the farmer who lost his eye to one in 1908. Check out my latest post on Weird Historian:
#hats #merrywidowhats #weirdfashion
www.weirdhistorian.com/merry-widow-...
#hats #merrywidowhats #weirdfashion
www.weirdhistorian.com/merry-widow-...
Happy #WorldUFODay! Celebrate with a copy of We Are Not Alone, published by @quirkbooks.bsky.social!
#ufos #aliens #extraterrestrials #uap
#ufos #aliens #extraterrestrials #uap
July 2, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Happy #WorldUFODay! Celebrate with a copy of We Are Not Alone, published by @quirkbooks.bsky.social!
#ufos #aliens #extraterrestrials #uap
#ufos #aliens #extraterrestrials #uap
The closing party for Carnival, Curated by Joe Coleman at the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery was amazing! Sideshow in all its beautiful artistic glory. #sideshow #circus #joecoleman #art #sideshowart #johnnyeck
June 28, 2025 at 4:18 PM
The closing party for Carnival, Curated by Joe Coleman at the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery was amazing! Sideshow in all its beautiful artistic glory. #sideshow #circus #joecoleman #art #sideshowart #johnnyeck
Contortionist “Slim” Biggerstaff. Never too old to perform! As seen in “Pictorial History of the American Circus” (1957). #circus #sideshow #contortionist #oddities #humanoddities
June 17, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Contortionist “Slim” Biggerstaff. Never too old to perform! As seen in “Pictorial History of the American Circus” (1957). #circus #sideshow #contortionist #oddities #humanoddities
Reposted by Marc Hartzman
Sword swallowing: one of history’s oldest death-defying stunts. To The Hilt Podcast features Dan Meyer (sword swallowing expert), The Lizardman, and co-host Marc Hartzman, author of American Sideshow.
Anatomical Model of a Sword Swallower, ca. 19th c. Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Dresden.
Anatomical Model of a Sword Swallower, ca. 19th c. Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Dresden.
June 16, 2025 at 11:41 PM
Sword swallowing: one of history’s oldest death-defying stunts. To The Hilt Podcast features Dan Meyer (sword swallowing expert), The Lizardman, and co-host Marc Hartzman, author of American Sideshow.
Anatomical Model of a Sword Swallower, ca. 19th c. Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Dresden.
Anatomical Model of a Sword Swallower, ca. 19th c. Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, Dresden.
You know what makes a great Father’s Day gift? Books about UFOs, sword swallowing, ghosts, and Mars. Fortunately, I’ve written books about all these fascinating subjects!
See more here: www.marchartzmanbooks.com
#books #fathersday #ufos #mars #aliens #sideshow #ghosts
See more here: www.marchartzmanbooks.com
#books #fathersday #ufos #mars #aliens #sideshow #ghosts
June 6, 2025 at 12:21 PM
You know what makes a great Father’s Day gift? Books about UFOs, sword swallowing, ghosts, and Mars. Fortunately, I’ve written books about all these fascinating subjects!
See more here: www.marchartzmanbooks.com
#books #fathersday #ufos #mars #aliens #sideshow #ghosts
See more here: www.marchartzmanbooks.com
#books #fathersday #ufos #mars #aliens #sideshow #ghosts
“We Are Not Alone by Marc Hartzman is an easy to read yet incredibly thorough look at the history of UFO sightings and supposed alien encounters.” — thank you for the review, @easyqueenie.bsky.social!
Just posted my May wrap up over on Substack. My three featured books for the month are The Temple House Vanishing by Rachel Donohue, We are Not Alone by @marchartzman.bsky.social, and Welcome to the United States of Anxiety by Jen Lancaster.
What I Read in May 2025
There’s not much in it, but May has ended up being my best reading month of the year so far, with 15 books read and the vast majority of those getting four-star or better ratings from me.
readnerdywithme.substack.com
June 5, 2025 at 4:58 PM
“We Are Not Alone by Marc Hartzman is an easy to read yet incredibly thorough look at the history of UFO sightings and supposed alien encounters.” — thank you for the review, @easyqueenie.bsky.social!
New episode of the To The Hilt podcast with The Lizardman: sword swallower, multi-talented performer, author, and as his site says, he’s “The Modified Marvel from the dark heart of Austin, a man with more ink in his skin, than blood in his veins.”
Listen here:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Listen here:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
May 29, 2025 at 6:07 PM
New episode of the To The Hilt podcast with The Lizardman: sword swallower, multi-talented performer, author, and as his site says, he’s “The Modified Marvel from the dark heart of Austin, a man with more ink in his skin, than blood in his veins.”
Listen here:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Listen here:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Adam Realman, talks to me and Dan Meyer on the new episode of our To The Hilt podcast—straight from the historic Coney Island Museum!
Adam is featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing.
Apple Podcasts
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Adam is featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing.
Apple Podcasts
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
May 15, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Adam Realman, talks to me and Dan Meyer on the new episode of our To The Hilt podcast—straight from the historic Coney Island Museum!
Adam is featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing.
Apple Podcasts
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Adam is featured in the book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing.
Apple Podcasts
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
May 10, 2025 at 3:45 PM
I’ll be selling and signing books at the Coney Island Book Fair tomorrow! Stop by if you can! #books #coneyislandbookfair #bookfair
www.coneyisland.com/event/cibf-b...
www.coneyisland.com/event/cibf-b...
Coney Island Book Fair: Book Fair — Coney Island USA
Free Admission!
www.coneyisland.com
May 9, 2025 at 2:33 PM
I’ll be selling and signing books at the Coney Island Book Fair tomorrow! Stop by if you can! #books #coneyislandbookfair #bookfair
www.coneyisland.com/event/cibf-b...
www.coneyisland.com/event/cibf-b...
Episode 5 now available! Featuring Brad Byers - who holds 73 world records in various stunts, from sword swallowing to blowing bubbles with a tarantula in his mouth. #sideshow #circus #podcasts #swordswallowing
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
May 8, 2025 at 7:02 PM
Episode 5 now available! Featuring Brad Byers - who holds 73 world records in various stunts, from sword swallowing to blowing bubbles with a tarantula in his mouth. #sideshow #circus #podcasts #swordswallowing
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Episode 4 of the To The Hilt podcast is now available! Hosted by me and Dan Meyer. This episode features the most swashbuckling sword swallower, Cyrus Pynn! Hear about his adventures in sword swallowing and other #sideshow arts!
Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
May 1, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Episode 4 of the To The Hilt podcast is now available! Hosted by me and Dan Meyer. This episode features the most swashbuckling sword swallower, Cyrus Pynn! Hear about his adventures in sword swallowing and other #sideshow arts!
Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Apple Podcasts:
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
Dan Meyer and I spoke about the history and art of #swordswallowing at the @coneyislandsound.bsky.social #Sideshow Hootenanny this weekend. Check out this clip of Dan swallowing a saw! And pick up our new book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, now available worldwide!
April 28, 2025 at 6:31 PM
Dan Meyer and I spoke about the history and art of #swordswallowing at the @coneyislandsound.bsky.social #Sideshow Hootenanny this weekend. Check out this clip of Dan swallowing a saw! And pick up our new book, To The Hilt: A Sword Swallower’s History of Sword Swallowing, now available worldwide!
Ep 3 of the To The Hilt podcast is out! Hear from Jim Ball, at 89 years old, he’s the world’s oldest and longest-performing sword swallower. Taught my his mother, Estelline Pike, Jim learned at age 12, making him the world’s youngest sword swallower at the time.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
April 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Ep 3 of the To The Hilt podcast is out! Hear from Jim Ball, at 89 years old, he’s the world’s oldest and longest-performing sword swallower. Taught my his mother, Estelline Pike, Jim learned at age 12, making him the world’s youngest sword swallower at the time.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...