Daniel Lambert was, quite literally, the greatest celebrity of his age. Universally proclaimed as the heaviest man in the world, between 1806 and his death in 1809, he regularly exhibited himself to “the high-born as well as the vulgar” at a residence in London’s Piccadilly at the cost of a shilling per person.

Yet despite his fame, very little has been published in the past century or so, save for the occasional entry in assorted collections of medical marvels and human curiosities. But Daniel was far more than the sum of his bulk; he was an author of poems (a small selection are included in this slim volume), a fine singer, noted conversationalist and philosopher, accomplished swimmer, renowned sportsman and breeder of dogs, and highly esteemed gaoler of the Bridewell in his native Leicester.

Daniel Lambert: A Life in Five Sittings brings together five of the most important writings on the man between 1806 and 1864. Combined, they tell Lambert’s story in a comprehensive, charming, affectionate and always respectful manner; from the first proper biography by G.H. Wilson to reflections by Charles Dickens. 95 pages.