From Barnum & Bailey to Feld: The Creative Evolution of the Greatest Show on Earth

This reads as if it was assembled from a score of spreadsheets. I suppose such a book could be useful to someone writing or producing a slavishly accurate serial drama about the circus. Barring that it's hard to imagine a scenario wherein reporting the numbers of horses and chorus girls for every era of show is a good use of ink. You see this isn't so much a history of Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey's circus as it is an audit. It's astounding that with such a subject Albrecht can breeze past the use of dyed pigeons or the logistics of an elephant ballet, his focus never deviating from the ledger books, scheduling, acquisitions and management changes.

This is a circus junkie's dream. The book is an excellently researched and written history of the evolution of the Barnum and Bailey Circus to its current manifestation run by Kenneth Feld's daughters. I learned so much about the celebrities and spectacles staged over the years. There are many wonderful visual aids to enhance your enjoyment including one in which well over thirty elephants are posed in tutus each one with its front legs on the back of the one in front. I never fully realized how extravagant it all was. Even today there is so much effort and care put into the production. I wish it was coming to town so I could go.

This wasn't what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting a more bare bones or encyclopedia type book, but in fact this is a detailed account of the development of the circus. It was sometimes too in-depth for my interest level, but I could still appreciate the level of research that went in to this book.

This is a scholarly book, as well as a labor of love. Ernest Albrecht provides almost too much detail in his accounting of "The Greatest Show on Earth," how many elephants, how much they cost, how many mirrors in the elephant's costumes, how often the costumes were laundered, and by whom, etc., etc. The relentless recounting of names and dates, facts and figures, the dizzying quantification of the circus and its evolution was couched in too few anecdotes and explanations or descriptions of the actual circus acts and performers to really hold my interest. Luckily, the format allows for skipping around and reading whatever passages may capture one's attention. In my case, I read carefully the "1967 to 1984" chapter, looking for that spark show more to a sentimental childhood memory. Overall, this was an interesting book and the illustrations were delightful. I recommend it to circus enthusiasts and students. The general reader may find it a bit dry. show less

A very thorough and comprehensive biography of the evolution of the Barnum & Bailey circus from the 1800's to now. Very well researched and documented. This circus always strove to be the Greatest Show on Earth and made it. The changes in the circus mirror the changes in society around it. A good history of a great extravanganza.

Both my husband and myself are long time lovers of the circus. He was even lucky enough to take part in a performance of the "Greatest Show on Earth" as a guest "clown". Therefore we both looked forward to reading this book.
We found the book well researched and interesting. The changes in the circus and the tastes of its audience over almost 150 years was a fascinating window into the changing tastes of America as a whole. Recommended for circus lovers and lovers of history.

The book was very well researched and well written. It as a bit dense at times, but overall was an interesting read about the history of, and America's love affair with, the Big Top.