Today, March 28th is Barnum and Bailey Day-a time to celebrate the Greatest Show on Earth. I have a few books to discuss that entertain the circus, and perhaps another surprise. This is no one trick pony show-It is a Three Ring Circus!
We will start this show of with a Landmark Book classic, “The World’s Greatest Showman-life of P.T. Barnum” by J. Bryan III, 1956. This book goes well into his life beginning with his birth in Connecticut, to his “Sucker is born every minute”. P.T. Barnum didn’t start his circus until later in life, well after his museums were famous. There are many pictures and illustrations highlighting these events and the people and acts he promoted. This is a good book to begin understanding circus life.
“Jumbo-King of Elephants” by Edmund Lindop, signed, 1960, is second of Lindop books I have (Herbert the Traveling Hippopotamus the other). This is a children’s book on the Story of Jumbo. He was born in Africa, caught as a small elephant and put in a zoo in Paris. He was so small, that he was traded to the London Zoo for an adult rhinoceros. He then grew to over 13,000 pounds, and was a wonderful attraction to the zoo. P.T. Barnum offered the zoo $10,000 for Jumbo, and they accepted. P.T. Barnum then brought Jumbo to America to his zoo, then toured with his circus.
The next book is a good one about the circus. “Wild Tigers and Tame Fleas” by Bill Ballantine, 1958, is great about the history of training animals for circus acts. Ballantine was an author, and also a clown. He taught clowning at Ringling Brother’s and Barnum and Bailey Circus, married a Trapeze artist, then raised a family. Each chapter of his book is about a different type of animal act that one sees in the circus. Then we turn to another ring:
The circus came to town several times, but they were pretty small ones. My most memorable circus was perhaps in fifth grade going to the Shriner Circus, at Medinah Temple auditorium in Chicago. My Grandfather took us. I have the book “Medinah Temple-Pictorial History from 1883-1977.” My grandfather’s picture is inside, along with a photo of the auditorium. He was a Shriner Noble. It was a sad time during the making of this book. My dad was also a Shriner, but passed away right before the photographs for the book.
The temple was built in 1912, and the auditorium could seat 4200 people. It had three levels, and I remember walking through the old hallways going to the circus, with popcorn in one hand and a sparkler gun in the other. The Shriners also were present at our Zion Labor day parades, with clowns, motorcycles, and miniature cars.
But the show must go on. In our last ring:
March 28th is also National Hot Tub Day.
To observe this moment, I have “California Hot Tubbing: The Scene and the People” by Barrie M. Schwortz, and Bruce A. Hall, 1978. In this small paperback book, these two photographers show us various hot tubs and their owners, smiling and soaking with friends. This is a cute hippy, dippy look at hot tubs and being mellow while marinating. Peace out and chill with these Californians.
*You don’t. You get down from a duck.
Librarytomes 