Circus History

The History of the Circus: From Ancient Spectacles to Modern Big Top Entertainment takes you on a fascinating journey through one of the world’s most enduring forms of performance. From the roaring crowds of the Roman Circus Maximus to the colorful parades of Barnum & Bailey, and from medieval jesters to the groundbreaking artistry of Cirque du Soleil, this book tells the full story of how the circus has evolved over two thousand years. Discover how the circus began as a symbol of power and public spectacle in ancient Rome, survived through traveling fairs in medieval Europe, and was ...

The acclaimed author of the “lyrical coming-of-age novel” (Good Morning America) The People We Keep returns with a luminous contemporary women’s fiction story about strong female characters, family estrangement, found family, and the transformative power of redemption. It’s been ten...

Viva Durant, New Orleans’ youngest detective, is on a quest to solve a jazzy mystery. Every summer, Viva heads to New Orleans to spend time with her loving but stern Grandmother, known as Gram. After Gram reads Viva an article in the local paper about a missing treasure related to the world-famous song, “Miss Mary Mack”, Viva heads through the Crescent City on an epic adventure to track down the treasure. The clues lead Viva to the French Quarter, a jazz club, a creepy cemetery, and even the circus.

In the history of modern sport, there have never been two high-level teammates who loathed each other the way Shaquille O’Neal loathed Kobe Bryant and Kobe Bryant loathed Shaquille O’Neal. From public sniping and sparring, to physical altercations and the repeated threats of trade, it was warfare. And yet, despite eight years of infighting and hostility, by turns mediated and encouraged by coach Phil Jackson, the Shaq-Kobe duo resulted in one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.

International Bestseller and #1 LibraryReads Pick Water for Elephants meets The Night Circus in this World War II debut about a magnificent travelling circus, a star-crossed romance, and one girl’s coming-of-age during the darkest of times. “A powerful reminder that to live is not just to...

In 1944, the big top of Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus in Hartford caught fire during the middle of an afternoon performance. Nine thousand people were inside. In seconds, the big top was burning out of control. The toll of the fire, and its circumstances, haunt Hartford to the present day. But it is the intense, detailed narrative - before, after, and especially during the panic under the burning tent - that will remain with listeners long after they finish this book.

The circus promised thrills. Sometimes it delivered catastrophe instead. Step right up for the disasters the posters definitely did not advertise. STRANGE BUT TRUE: THE WEIRD HISTORY OF CIRCUS DISASTERS dives into the fires, train wrecks, runaway animals, collapsing tents, failed stunts, deadly falls, panicked crowds, and spectacularly bad days that followed the circus from town to town. These were enormous traveling shows built almost overnight, packed with wild animals, wooden railcars, canvas roofs, aerial performers, temporary grandstands, and thousands of spectators. Most days, ...

The History of Clowning: From Ancient Fools to Modern Day Circus and Culture For thousands of years, clowns have made us laugh, think, and even cry. From sacred fools in ancient rituals to the circus stars of the 19th century and the pop culture icons of today, clowns have always held a unique place in human history. The History of Clowning explores their complete evolution, showing how these performers have reflected society’s joys, fears, and contradictions across time. Inside this comprehensive and engaging guide, you will discover: The origins of clown-like figures in ancient Egypt, ...

He was the most feared fighter pilot of the First World War. He became a legend in a red aircraft. He died chasing one last victim too low over enemy lines. Manfred von Richthofen — the Red Baron — remains the most famous airman in history. To his enemies he was the red machine in the sky. To Germany he became proof that victory could still be counted, named, and celebrated. To the men who flew with him, he was not simply a symbol, but a disciplined hunter who turned air combat into method. RED BARON tells the story behind the legend: the aristocratic cavalry officer whose first arm was...

Turn your daily commute into a wondrous escape through this cultural history of thrilling spectacle and human danger. From ancient arenas to sprawling global railway tours, follow the gritty evolution of acrobatics, clowns, and daring performances. Perfect for a relaxing weekend listen, this...

The pressure is unmistakable—conform or get cancelled. New York Times bestselling author Mark Batterson invites you into a different way of living in the digital age with a call to Christlike nonconformity that doesn’t withdraw from the world but transforms it. “In Not My Circus, Mark...

A magical story spanning from Jazz Age Paris to modern-day America, full of family secrets, sacrifice, lost love, and a mysterious circus, from the author of A Witch in Time. "Fans of Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus will love this page-turning story of dark magic, star-crossed love, and...

Hill House Manor is a haunted house in Texas. These stories are inspired by legends and other reported events associated with the old manor house. Many a Ghost Hunting team has captured evidence of those who have lived in this spot since the mid 1800’s. And, yes, there is usually a ghost in the story. This is a great book for thirteen to ninety-nine year olds.

They called them freaks. History rarely bothered to learn their names. FREAKSHOW is the true story of the performers who built one of the strangest and most profitable industries in American history, and the real people history reduced to a single word on a ticket booth banner. Meet Joseph Merrick, exhibited as the Elephant Man before finding four years of genuine peace at the London Hospital. Meet Chang and Eng Bunker, sold as children and exhibited across two continents before building a fortune, a family of twenty-one children, and an uncomfortable legacy of their own. Meet Julia ...

“Les Standiford takes us under the big top and behind the curtain in this richly researched and thoroughly engaging narrative that captures all of the entrepreneurial intrigue and spirit of the American circus.” —Gilbert King, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Devil in the Grove Millions...

Captain Eddie V. Rickenbacker, originally from Ohio, was best known as one of the commanders of the 94th "Hat-in-the-Ring" Squadron, a crack unit of World War I pilots that included many former members of the famed Lafayette Escadrille. The 94th ended the war in France with the highest number of air victories of any American squadron.

P. T. Barnum's career of showmanship and charlatanry was marked by a surprising undercurrent of honesty and forthrightness. His exuberant autobiography forms a happy combination of all those traits, revealing the whole story of his world-famous hoaxes and publicity stunts. Here is a pageant of 19th-century America's gullibility and thirst for marvels, as told by the master of revels himself.  

Imagine that there are American MIAs who chose to remain missing after the Vietnam War. Imagine that there is a family in which four generations of strong, alluring women have shared a mysterious connection to an outlandish figure from Japanese folklore. Imagine just those things (don’t even...

Nearly five million men and women have served the United States as police officers. Only one has been executed for murder. They called it Satan’s Circus–a square mile of Midtown Manhattan where vice ruled, sin flourished, and depravity danced in every doorway. At the turn of the twentieth...

A gloriously funny, nostalgic memoir of a popular ESPN reporter who, in the summer of 1994, was a fresh-out-of-college intern for a minor league baseball team. Madness and charm ensue as Ryan McGee spends the season steeped in sweat, fertilizer, nacho cheese sauce, and pure, unadulterated joy in...