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The Circus: 1870s–1950s
The greatest show on earth: The birth of American popular culture For a hundred years, the American circus was the largest show-biz industry the world had ever seen. During the heyday of the American circus from the mid-1800s to mid-1900s, traveling circuses performed for audiences of up to 12,000-14,000 per show, employed as many as 1,600 men and women, and crisscrossed the country on 20,000 miles of railroad in one season alone. The spectacle of death-defying daredevils, strapping super-heroes and scantily-clad starlets, fearless animal trainers, and startling freaks gripped the American imagination, outshining theater, vaudeville, comedy, and minstrel shows of its day, and ultimately paved the way for film and television to take root in the modern era. Long before the Beat generation made ""on the road"" expeditions popular, the circus personified the experience and offered many young Americans the dream of adventure, reinvention, excitement, and glamour.
670 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2008
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1000 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 30, 2008
10 stars! A million stars! All the stars in the sky! 5 lbs of glitter, grit, and glory from the American circus tradition! Text in English, French or German! Best replacement TV ever!
May 5, 2018
I don't think it's fair to say I've read it (because the words are impossibly tiny and the background too much colourful) but I don't think this book is meant to be read but to be lived through its amazing pictures.
It truly feels like you're travelling across time and space, looking at the people in the pictures and wondering how their life at the circus was like, how their lifes turned out to be after it: are they remembered? Were they proud of what they accomplished? Were their families proud? A million questions come to you as you study the pictures in it and for a writer that's a wonder.
I bought this book as part of the research I'm doing for a writing project and I couldn't be happier about that. I think I should buy more art books from now on.
It truly feels like you're travelling across time and space, looking at the people in the pictures and wondering how their life at the circus was like, how their lifes turned out to be after it: are they remembered? Were they proud of what they accomplished? Were their families proud? A million questions come to you as you study the pictures in it and for a writer that's a wonder.
I bought this book as part of the research I'm doing for a writing project and I couldn't be happier about that. I think I should buy more art books from now on.
April 8, 2016
This was a very BIG and HEAVY beautiful book about the CIRCUS!!
Now I'm not all for the animal torture and stuff part of the circus, NOT even thekiller clowns, but this was an insightful history book of everything you could know about the circus from 1870-1950's. :)
Now I'm not all for the animal torture and stuff part of the circus, NOT even the
June 3, 2011
One of my favorite books. Pages and pages of old circus ads and posters, as well as mucho info on the different circuses (circii?) from the time. Great reference. BIG book! Found it at B&N on clearance!
March 5, 2021
Worth a read if only for the hundreds of incredible photos from the circus’s heyday, when the biggest names could draw crowds of 12,000+ spectators. My one gripe is the font size is 10 throughout. Stand-out sections include daily life in the circus - describing the massive operation it was to set up and pull down everything required for the world’s largest entertainment industry on a daily basis, and women performers in the circus, including how they were afforded more freedom and financial independence than others of their era.
January 4, 2020
Didn't "read" so much as look at a lot of pictures and illustrations next to German text.
May 22, 2020
Great image collection!
May 21, 2022
This is a beautifully illustrated historical book about the Circus. It makes a great coffee table book.
September 24, 2024
Comprehensive with great photos, also written in English, German, and French if you want to practice your languages. Very interesting.
December 19, 2024
Awesome images and insights
November 16, 2008
"A Silver Trapeze" by Alice Schertle
A silver trapeze of my own: I dream of it nightly.
A slim silver bar at the end of a rope I seize
and am lifted, carried, I'm flying above the ground lightly.
A silver trapeze
Down and around and up on the crest of a breeze
I swoop, I soar through a cloud, hesitate slightly,
then loop the loop like a pinwheel and hang from my knees.
Up through space I race on a bar shining brightly,
touch the tip of a star whenever I please,
kick off from the moon, sweep soundlessly down, holding tightly
a silver trapeze.
A silver trapeze of my own: I dream of it nightly.
A slim silver bar at the end of a rope I seize
and am lifted, carried, I'm flying above the ground lightly.
A silver trapeze
Down and around and up on the crest of a breeze
I swoop, I soar through a cloud, hesitate slightly,
then loop the loop like a pinwheel and hang from my knees.
Up through space I race on a bar shining brightly,
touch the tip of a star whenever I please,
kick off from the moon, sweep soundlessly down, holding tightly
a silver trapeze.
December 7, 2011
This is an incredible oversize book of reprints of amazing posters and photographs of circuses and its people from 1840-1950. The articles are printed in four languages. In the early circus days, there was no highway billboard space or television. So many of these posters were "sniped" in cities in advance of the circus coming to town.
I borrowed by copy from the local library which had to special order ot. They kept it behind the counter. When I checked it out all the librarians wanted to weigh it!
I borrowed by copy from the local library which had to special order ot. They kept it behind the counter. When I checked it out all the librarians wanted to weigh it!
July 11, 2013
5 stars! 10 stars! All the stars in the sky! This book is simply amazing. Sure sure, it doesn't exactly get into the downside of circus life, sticking to a very romanticized picture of it. But any drawbacks that the writing has is more than made up for with the literally hundreds of photographs taken from the late 1800's into the 1950's. Some of the pictures are absolutely hypnotic. If you have any interest in circus life or old timey photography, I simply cannot recommend this book enough.
April 24, 2016
Even though it is simply called "The Circus: 1870s-1950s", one should pay attention to what is says on the inside: "The greatest show on earth: The birth of American popular culture" as this book shares only stories concerning the American circus (therefore, mostly Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey), even though it was blooming in other parts of the world at the same time.
A collector's item for sure, wondrous photos, important insight and many entertaining details - the only problem with it is that I might drop the idea of moving now with this heavy book always in mind.
A collector's item for sure, wondrous photos, important insight and many entertaining details - the only problem with it is that I might drop the idea of moving now with this heavy book always in mind.
October 21, 2013
My review disappeared, so just listen: Buy this book! It's beautifully illustrated with colorful posters and behind the scenes photos. See the development of the American circus into the entertainment spectacular that came before TV, movies, and major sports events. I'll read and enjoy the book many times, each time imagining and dreaming of the Greatest Shows on Earth.
Want to read
March 19, 2013When this tall, gorgeous, 15-lb. wonder came back from an interlibrary loan patron, I squealed and *hugged it.* Not only is it chock full of fascinating posters and photos, all the text is in English, German, and French. I WANT ONE.
March 11, 2014
I can't afford to buy a full edition of this book as it's too expensive. This one is great and affordable too! Love it! I also posted my full review on my blog: http://korpannita.wordpress.com/2013/...
November 24, 2008
Santa, please bring this.
December 29, 2010
I WANT TO OWN THIS BOOK BUT ITS LIKE $150.00! :(
....Ok nevermind- I got it for Christmas!!!!!!!! WHOOHOO!!! IT's anamazing collectors piece!
....Ok nevermind- I got it for Christmas!!!!!!!! WHOOHOO!!! IT's anamazing collectors piece!
August 20, 2012
(6.4.12) A gift from my beautiful wife. Bought at Powell's last weekend.
January 30, 2013
Really interesting book documenting the 8 decades of circus life. Some of the photography was really interesting and some was kind of creepy..
July 20, 2013
Love this book! Huge collection of old circus photos & posters & other ephemera. The book is well researched and extremely interesting. So happy to have this in my library!
August 9, 2012
Wonderful reference book full of vintage pictures.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews