This review originally appeared on Goodreads on September 2, 2015.

A Curious Man: The Strange and Brilliant Life of Robert “Believe It or Not!” Ripley

By Neal Thompson – Crown Archetype – May 7, 2013

Review by Robin Marx

While a somewhat obscure figure these days, this biography shows how Robert Ripley went from humble beginnings to world-famous cartoonist and one of the richest men in America.

Ripley lived the life of a pulp hero, and the book often has the same sort of breathless voice found in the old adventure magazines. I found it interesting that the narrative focuses more on his life in New York (and later Florida) than the details of his overseas excursions. Despite the adventurer mystique, it turns out that he tended to spend his many trips in relative comfort and surrounded by other Westerners, rather than do much in the way of trailblazing. It turns out that his life in America—as a somewhat awkward figure thrust into the celebrity spotlight—is every bit as interesting as his travels, however.

Ripley is represented as an interesting and conflicted human being, and the book doesn't shy away from presenting some of the more negative aspects of his personality (alcohol abuse, womanizing, and a propensity towards fits of rage as his health declined later in life).

The book makes an effort to parallel his unlikely life with the subject matter of his “Believe It or Not” newspaper cartoons, with occasional sidebars mentioning unusual coincidences or people mentioned in passing who later went on to do notable things. While these sidebars are interesting, they didn't feel frequent enough to fully carry off the conceit.

“A Curious Man” is a brisk read. Just like the man whose life it chronicles, the narrative is always on the move. Recommended for those with an interest in early 20th century Americana and world travel.

★★★★☆

#CapsuleReviewArchive #BookReview #Nonfiction #Biography #ACuriousMan #RipleysBelieveItOrNot #NealThompson