(Pub date 5/12/2026)
The Golden Age of circuses and travelling shows began in the early 1800s. People like Annie Oakley, Buffalo Bill, and Tom Thumb became household names that are still recognized today. One of the best know "exhibits" was the conjoined twins, Eng and Chang. They were born in Siam (Thailand today) and are the source of the label "Siamese Twins". What you may not know is that the twins spent most of their lives in Mount Airy, North Carolina where they built several plantations farmed by slaves, married two sisters, and had 21 children between them.
Christina Baker Kline is best known for historical fiction. Her newest book, "The Foursome", about the Bunker twins is particularly special because she is descended from this family. Kline chooses to tell her story from the perspective of the older and quieter of the Yates sisters, Sallie, who is pushed by her sister Addie into marrying Eng when Addie marries Chang. For most readers, as well as the Bunker's Mount Airy neighbors, the first question that springs to mind is how two couples share intimacies when they can never be alone. In the hands of another writer, this question could have mired the novel in salacious details. Kline chooses to tackle the details early and with a light touch. The reader is able to focus on the bigger historical context of the Bunkers' lives.
The Bunker twins were extraordinary. They were born into a poor Thai family but met kings, queens and presidents, becoming wealthy by handling their own tours. They were considered nonwhites but were accepted in an antebellum Southern community. At times, they and their wives shared one bed during an era when feminine purity was almost worshipped. Despite being exploited themselves, they were slave holders. Seen through Sallie's eyes, Kline is able to explore these contradictions.
As Sallie says, "It changes your perception of the world to realize that people can, and do, live in all kinds of arrangements. That few of us, when it comes down to it, are truly normal. That civility is a thin veneer. Here's the truth: even the most extraordinary life feels ordinary when you are living it."
reviewed by Jean C VanNoppen
