Celebrations of Curious Characters: Taking it on the Chin

Ricky Jay is an actor, a historian, a magician and a collector. He is also a superb storyteller with a keen eye for the most gruesomely enchanting detail, and he delights in tales of the most delicious oddity. Limbless jugglers! Piano-playing parrots! Confessions and misconceptions and Jesus on a Tortilla! Celebrations of Curious Characters (published by McSweeney’s) features highlights from the author’s remarkable collection, and is a thing of pure delight. Adapted from “Jay’s Journal of the Air” — a series of radio essays produced for KCRW in Santa Monica — this elegant volume (designed by Coco Shinomiya and the author) pairs a single image with each individual story. There are 45 stories in all.

Design Observer is pleased to share a selection of the original recordings — brought to you along with the image (Jay calls this a “visual catalyst”) that inspired its tale. This is the third of four installments. Listen to the previous ones here.

Image: Detail from hand-colored engraving, Michael Boai the Celebrated Chin Performer with his wife and M. Engles the Violin Accompanist (London: S. W. Fores [1830]) From the collection of Ricky Jay.