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The hand-puppet play starring the characters Punch and Judy was introduced from England and became extremely popular in the US in the 1800s. This book contains the record of what the author has learned about almost 350 American Punch players. And it explores the significance of the 19th-century American show as a reflection of the attitudes and conditions of its time and place.

Besides the author's research on Paul McPharlin and puppetry, this book draws on significant contributions from McPharlin wife, puppeteer and author. The chapters take the reader through McPharlin's childhood as a loner in Detroit, his maturation and education in New York, and his early, erratic and often unsuccessful attempts at making a living.