The Greatest Shows on Earth: A History of the Circus

I would imagine it's difficult to write a strictly-chronological history of the circus because there are so many different facets that developed along different timelines. As such, Simon breaks out a variety of facets into individual histories. The roots of the circus as an equestrian showcase, The Greatest Shows on Earth, acrobats, animals, clowns, tricks & performances, and human oddities. Other reviewers have noted the abundance of names Simon mentions along the way, and I agree that those can get in the way of a strong narrative throughline for each of the chapters. Instead, the book reads in two ways.

First, it feels like a book researched and written by a scholar for a more general audience. If this is the case, I think Simon can't show more help herself but drop the names of minor historical figures she ran across as part of her research. This tendency is probably out of respect for the value and quality of her source material (which I can appreciate), but it really bogs down any narrative momentum she manages to generate.

The other way to read this book is as a starter text for people who want a light, historical overview of different facets of the circus. For instance, I came to this book wanting to learn more about circus clowns. The info was pretty good, but Simon seems stuck between covering several different influential clowns and offering us a more thorough description/analysis of any given performer. That's pretty common for a text meant as an introduction to a topic, so I don't see it as a flaw.

My biggest disappointment with this book is that I was hoping Simon might pay more attention to the everyday lives of the circus performers. There's virtually none of that. Again, I don't think that was ever Simon's intent, so it's not a flaw.

Overall, a good introduction to circus history with decent coverage of different elements that make up the spectacle of the circus. show less