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Datas: The Memory Man is the autobiography of the celebrated stage performer and human prodigy known as "Datas," famed in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries for his extraordinary feats of memory. Writing under the modest attribution "by himself," Datas recounts his rise from obscurity to international fame, detailing how he astonished audiences by recalling dates, events, and personal details with uncanny precision. The narrative blends show-business memoir with social history, offering vivid anecdotes of music halls, theatres, prizefighting circles, and criminal trials, and introduces a cast of well-known figures encountered during his career, including Jem Mace, Tom Sayers, and Albert Chevalier.
The book is especially notable for its illustrated plates (lacks frontis all others present), which reinforce its documentary value and situate Datas firmly within the popular entertainment culture of his era. Chapters range from reminiscences of celebrated boxing matches and scaffold tales to Australian experiences, reflecting both the global reach of his performances and the public's enduring fascination with feats of memory. Published in London by Wright & Brown, 12-14 Red Lion Court, Fleet Street, this work appeared circa 1930, printed by Ebenezer Baylis & Son Ltd., and remains a scarce and engaging first-hand account of a vanished world of Victorian and Edwardian popular entertainment. This title would particularly appeal to collectors of theatrical memoirs, boxing history, and early twentieth-century popular culture.
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Light wear and fading to covers and spine as shown. No inscriptions. Lacks frontis, a blank endpaper and 2 plates. Should carry 10 plates + frontis - 8 plates are present. Binding is solid with no loose pages. Pages clean and well presented. An n otherwise decent copy in good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
