I immediately fell in love with the 90 (or 93) year-old narrator and protagonist of this story. His memories of his time with the circus and his love for one of the performers were detailed and fascinating. The research of Sara Gruen was apparent. I was engrossed in the history and the characters. Some of it was very dark but that was offset by the antics of the animals and the strong backbone of the characters. The author pulled no punches, but instead opened a window on a world that most of us have never even imagined.
peggy moyer says
Since I am a clown, and have a friend who worked for Ringling Brothers and always enjoy his stories about his life in the circus, I look forward to finding this book and reading it.
Allie says
It was a very intriguing book, but do bear in mind that the life of a carnival worker in the less than respectable circuses sometimes involved animal cruelty, alcoholism, sexual immorality, and profanity. As good as this book was, it did have a dark side.