A century ago, daily life ground to a halt when the circus rolled into town. Across America, banks closed, schools canceled classes, farmers left their fields, and factories shut down so that everyone could go to the show. In this entertaining and provocative book, Janet Davis links the flowering of the early-twentieth-century American railroad circus to such broader historical developments as the rise of big business, the breakdown of separate spheres for men and women, and the genesis of the United States' overseas empire. In the process, she casts the circus as a powerful force in consolidating the nation's identity as a modern industrial society and world power. Davis explores the multiple "shows" that took place under the big top, from scripted performances to exhibitions of laborers assembling and tearing down tents to impromptu spectacles of audiences brawling, acrobats falling, and animals rampaging. Turning Victorian notions of gender, race, and nationhood topsy-turvy, the circus brought its vision of a rapidly changing world to spectators--rural as well as urban--across the nation. Even today, Davis contends, the influence of the circus continues to resonate in popular representations of gender, race, and the wider world.

Semiotics is long on theoretical, often obscure discourses, but short on applications that demonstrate with clarity the applicability of its methods. This book confronts a challenging object, the circus, and endeavors to describe its performances in ways that explain how circus acts produce meaning and cause a deep emotional involvement for their audiences. The approach is not top-down, such as would be a method that would dogmatically apply a particular theory to fully explain the phenomena in terms of this theory alone. Epistemologically, this book is an example of the bottom-up strategy, which consists of considering first the objects and heuristically calling upon methodological resources in a broad theoretical array to come to grips with the problems that are encountered. Any circus act is a complex event that has cognitive and emotional dimensions. It is also a part of a history and an institution, and cannot be abstracted from its cultural and sociological contexts. Thus the range of relevant theoretical and methodological approaches must include structural semiotics, biosemiotics, pragmatics, socio-semiotics, cultural anthropology, the cognitive sciences, the psychology and sociology of emotions, to name only the most important. But the ultimate focus of this book is to enable the readers to better understand the meaning of circus performances and to appreciate the skills and creativity of this traditional popular art, which constantly renews itself from generation to generation.

" Step into the captivating world of the circus with "Nero, the Circus Lion" by Richard Barnum, where bravery, friendship, and adventure take center stage. This enchanting book tells the heartwarming story of Nero, a magnificent lion who finds himself at the heart of the circus, facing challenges and forging unexpected bonds along the way. In "Nero, the Circus Lion," readers will join Nero as he navigates the colorful and vibrant world of the circus. From his first moments under the big top to his daring performances, Nero captures the hearts of both circus performers and audiences alike. Through his journey, readers will witness the power of friendship, the pursuit of dreams, and the courage it takes to overcome obstacles. Richard Barnum's storytelling transports readers into the mesmerizing world of the circus, evoking a sense of wonder and excitement. Through vivid descriptions and heartfelt moments, the bond between Nero and his human companions is brought to life, reminding us of the extraordinary connections that can be formed between different species. Join Nero as he leaps through flaming hoops, treads upon the tightrope, and discovers the true meaning of bravery and belonging amidst the magic of the circus."

A Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2019 This book documents and discusses the meaning(s) of the creative process at play in the crafting and staging of circus acts. It highlights the experience of circus artists as their skills develop and mature into public performances that create aesthetic and emotional values in the modern economy of live spectacles. It scrutinizes the meaning that circus acts produce for the spectators and for the artists themselves who live this process from the inside. This is a book for those studying semiotics and wanting to see it applied to a real life milieu in accessible and passionate prose. The Meaning of the Circus is grounded on the personal experience of Professor Paul Bouissac as both a circus entrepreneur and a researcher with decades of primary material on the significance of past and contemporary circus acts. It is based on substantial accounts provided by many men and women who have agreed to share the challenges, joys, and anxieties of their life as artists. Personal and rigorous, it contributes to the hermeneutics of the circus arts by adding existential depth to the production and reception of their performances.

DigiCat Publishing presents to you this special edition of "Dapples of the Circus" by Clarence Hawkes. DigiCat Publishing considers every written word to be a legacy of humankind. Every DigiCat book has been carefully reproduced for republishing in a new modern format. The books are available in print, as well as ebooks. DigiCat hopes you will treat this work with the acknowledgment and passion it deserves as a classic of world literature.

This book analyses two features of the traditional circus that have come under increasing attack since the mid-20th century: the use of wild animals in performance and the act of clowning. Positioning this socio-cultural change within the broader perspective of evolutionary semiotics, renowned circus expert Paul Bouissac examines the decline of the traditional circus and its transformation into a purely acrobatic spectacle. The End of the Circus draws on Bouissac's extensive ethnographic research, including previously unpublished material on the training of wild animals and clown make-up, to chart the origins of the circus in Gypsy culture and the drastic change in contemporary Western attitudes on ethical grounds. It scrutinizes the emergence of the new form of circus, with its focus on acrobatics and the meaning of the body, showing how acrobatic techniques have been appropriated from traditional Gypsy heritage and brought into the fold of mainstream popular entertainment. Questioning the survival of the new circus and the likely resurgence of its traditional forms, this book showcases Bouissac's innovative approach to semiotics and marks the culmination of his ground-breaking work on the circus.

A highly original and influential work of modern British literature, Angela Carter’s Nights at the Circus combines a fantastically creative plot with a strong political undertone. The result is an emotive and provocative novel, which has attracted much critical attention from a range of perspectives including poststructuralism, gender studies, postmodernism and psychoanalysis. This guide to Angela Carter’s complex novel, presents: an accessible introduction to the text and contexts of Nights at the Circus a critical history, surveying the many interpretations of the text from publication to the present a selection of new critical essays on the Nights at the Circus, by Heather Johnson, Jeannette Baxter, Sarah Sceats and Helen Stoddart, providing a variety of perspectives on the novel and extending the coverage of key critical approaches identified in the survey section cross-references between sections of the guide, in order to suggest links between texts, contexts and criticism suggestions for further reading. Part of the Routledge Guides to Literature series, this volume is essential reading for all those beginning detailed study of Nights at the Circus and seeking not only a guide to the novel, but a way through the wealth of contextual and critical material that surrounds Carter’s text.

A Hindi film star, an American missionary, a pair of twins separated at birth, a diminutive chauffeur, and a serial killer collide in a riotous novel by the author of The World According to Garp “His most entertaining novel since Garp.”—The New York Times Book Review “A Son of the Circus is comic genius . . . get ready for [John] Irving's most raucous novel to date.”—The Boston Globe “Dr. Farrokh Daruwalla, reared in Bombay by maverick foes of tradition, educated in Vienna, married to an Austrian and long a resident of Toronto, is a 59-year-old without a country, culture, or religion to call his own. . . . The novel may not be 'about' India, but Irving's imagined India, which Daruwalla visits periodically, is a remarkable achievement—a pandemonium of servants and clubmen, dwarf clowns and transvestite whores, missionaries and movie stars. This is a land of energetic colliding egos, of modern media clashing with ancient cultures, of broken sexual boundaries.”—New York Newsday “His most daring and most vibrant novel . . . The story of circus-as-India is told with gusto and delightful irreverence.”—Bharati Mukherjee, The Washington Post Book World “Ringmaster Irving introduces act after act, until three (or more) rings are awhirl at a lunatic pace. . . . [He] spills characters from his imagination as agilely as improbable numbers of clowns pile out of a tiny car. . . . His Bombay and his Indian characters are vibrant and convincing.”—The Wall Street Journal “Irresistible . . . powerful . . . Irving's gift for dialogue shines.”—Chicago Tribune BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from John Irving's In One Person.

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - "That is what I am asking you. Have you had any misunder-standing - angry words or anything of the sort with him?" persisted Phil Forrest, with a keen, inquiring glance into the face of his companion. "Well, maybe," admitted the Circus Boy, with evident reluctance. "What made you think I had?" "From the way he looked at you when you were standing in the paddock this afternoon, waiting for your cue to go on."

In Richard Barnum's book, 'Nero, the Circus Lion: His Many Adventures,' readers are transported into the thrilling world of a circus lion and his extraordinary escapades. Written in a whimsical and engaging style, the book explores Nero's daring feats and heartwarming interactions with humans. Set against the backdrop of the circus, Barnum skillfully weaves together themes of friendship, loyalty, and courage, making this a compelling read for all ages. The vivid descriptions and lively narrative draw readers into Nero's world, creating a truly immersive reading experience. Richard Barnum, known for his love of animals and captivating storytelling, draws on his own experiences with wildlife to bring Nero's story to life. His deep understanding of animal behavior and his passion for conservation shine through in this delightful tale of a lion's adventures. I highly recommend 'Nero, the Circus Lion: His Many Adventures' to anyone who enjoys heartwarming stories that celebrate the bond between humans and animals. Barnum's enchanting prose and the endearing character of Nero will surely captivate readers and leave them with a renewed appreciation for the wonders of the natural world.