Jack S. (jack1) reviewed on 8/1/2009 + 67 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

This is an absolutely fabulous book on several levels! Five stars, no question. Level 1: with a depression-era timeline, we discover or re-discover just how hard times were and what simple pleasures a circus coming to town could bring.
Level 2: What was it like to be a part of a travelling circus--not a great one, maybe not even a second-rate one, but how they were probably similar to Ringling Brothers, rolling into town, setting up the tents, running a parade through town as advertisement, getting the rubes (patrons) in and flim-flamming them. Level 3: a bit of romance thrown in to provide the conflict. Level 4: told through the first person account by a 90 or 93 year old man (he is not sure which) who is the narrator. The insight and the humor blended in to this tale is so realistic. Here is an old man in an assiste-living facility, still with all his marbles, but living and re-acting to being patronized by the nurses and attendants. There is so much truth here about aging, but told with great humor and laugh-out-loud dialogue. The ending is perfect and brings about a great deal of satisfaction to having read a totally wonderful story.

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