The Circus at the Edge of the Earth: Travels with the Great Wallenda Circus

by Charles Wilkins

FORMER LIBRARY BOOK WITH USUAL STAMPS AND MARKINGS. OUR COPY HAS THE SAME COVER AS STOCK PHOTO SHOWN. CLEAR TAPE PROTECTING COVER AND SPINE EDGES. THREE SMALL BLACK-OUTS ON FIRST PAGE.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1900

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. This profile might contain books from several authors.

Reviews

[Halie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating work of nonfiction following a dying act in its dying days. Wilkins' reporting gives life to glitter, tragedy, and the almost unbelievable tales of the ring while managing to sculpt the circus as a microcosm of America, consumerism, and life on the edge.

[Diana Sandberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite fascinating, I read it in the course of one sick day. In 1997, a journalist travels for a month with a small circus, getting on friendly terms with the numerous people (and animals). He tells the tale of this remarkable community with affection and sharp insight. He is on particularly good terms with the boisterous elephant trainer, who presciently observes that the life of the travelling circus is coming to an end and will be gone in 20 years. In fact, the "Greatest Show on Earth" (ex-Ringling Bros, Barnum and Bailey) did indeed close down in 2017. There are still circuses, of course, although few in North America, and in other parts of the world they are generally small, even just one family travelling about and putting on their own show.

I read with a horrid fascination about each performer's history, nearly all involving harrowing near escapes, or semi-escapes, from brutal death - particularly the animal trainers. And I was especially intrigued to read that the large majority of these people were born and raised in the circus, often the descendants of several generations of performers, trainers, even concession workers. I wonder what is becoming of them now.

[Tricia Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now, it’s been years since I read this book. It’s a story of a circus so that gets it a star, plus the fact that it’s non-fiction gets it another star. Add to that it’s a circus I’ve attended as a child … well another star for that…. and it hovers in my little part of the work of Northern Ontario Canada (Thunder Bay) of course another star! I read this book years ago and have never forgotten it so I cap it with its fifth star. Sounds ridiculous…but I actually enjoyed this book and gave me an alternative view of circuses.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stellar. I waited a long time to find a used copy of this travelogue/memoir about the Wallenda Circus in Canada. I am glad I finally read the book. A longer review appears at www.cloquetriverpress.com.
Peace.
Mark

[Katherine Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish. About half way through. Nothing wrong with it but the writing just isn't doing anything for me. I'm kind of bored. Moving on.

Good reads needs a "did not finish" option, so I can comment on what I read without removing book from my list.

[Mary-Margaret Scrimger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in this region and during this time period. I was unaware it was the edge of the earth.
Great book.

[Murray Poppins · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most enjoyable books I've read in a long time -- pure delight. I would've gladly spent another 300 pages in the company of Bobby Gibbs.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story Description:

In a narrative that is by turns funny, informative and poignant, Wilkins chronicles a month on the road in his native Canada with the Great Wallenda Circus in the spring of 1997 and, in the process, offers remarkable insight into a subculture. A diverse assortment of gymnasts, animal trainers, daredevils and wanderers who identify themselves as circus folk that is slowly disappearing from public consciousness. Ricky Wallenda, the producer and organizer of the outfit, inherited his famous name from his grandfather Karl Wallenda, the patriarch of the famous "Flying Wallendas" circus family. Wallenda, forced off the high wire and into show production by two harrowing accidents and haunted by the memory of family and personal tragedy, is an example of the dogged persistence that drives these performers to stay in the circus business despite the grind of constant travel and preparation, dwindling profits and omnipresent danger (what these circus folk have to say about tigers will make readers afraid of their Frosted Flakes). Wilkins's primary guide through both the lore and the practical reality of the circus is Bobby Gibbs, the 370-pound animal trainer and social provocateur who lovingly shepherds his 60-year-old, blind elephant, Judy, through the backroads and chilly arenas of Canada. Gibbs exhorts Wilkins to capture the experience truthfully: "Don't sugarcoat it!" Wilkins, with a love for the circus nurtured since childhood, balances his admiration for the performers and their craft with a probing exploration of their humanity.

My Review:

The story begins in Sioux Narrows, Ontario on May 13, 1997 where the author, Charles Wilkins, tagged along for an entire month through the rural and remote areas of Canada with performers of the Great Wallenda Circus.

The line-up of performers were talented: David Connors was the prop boss and his wife, Sissy, was a aerialist; Wilson Barnes was a tiger trainer raising his three-year-old daughter, Connie, on the road; Bobby Gibbs was an elephant trainer, Bill Barren was a singing ringmaster; Pat Delaney ran the concession stand; and Jill Goncalves performed a wonderful sword balancing routine, to name a few.

The Wallenda Circus suffered a lot of tragedy first with the death of the patriarch Karl Wallenda when he died in a fall from the high wire in 1978. Six other family members died performing: uncles, cousins, an aunt, a grandfather, and a stepfather. The human pyramid collapsed during a show in Detroit on January 30, 1962 leaving two aerialists dead, a third paralyzed for life and a fourth with internal and head injuries.

In the late 1950’s they performed on the grandstand at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, Ontario.

There were many obstacles for the Wallenda Circus to overcome: immigration regulations for both the performers and the animals; severe flooding from torrential rains; and vicious competition from other circus’s, to name a few.

The stories that the performers and workers tell about the very real delights and dangers of being part of a circus is breathtaking. The book conveys the sights, sounds, and smells of the circus as though you were really there and sitting under the Big Top! The description and detail makes the book come alive and I would highly recommend it to other people.

[DW · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was interesting to read this book about a "traditional" circus (with most of the people born into circus families) after reading "The Ordinary Acrobat" about modern circuses. One thing The Ordinary Acrobat never touched on was the extreme risk of circus stunts, perhaps because the modern circus has fewer of them. The Wallenda circus that the author followed had elephants and tigers. Their elephant (Judy) was docile but tigers are always looking for the chance to eat their trainer, and this book had some horrifying stories about homicidal bears and elephants. The Wallendas are also known for their high wire 7-person pyramid, that collapsed and killed several of them. Rick Wallenda himself, who ran the circus that the author followed, had fallen from a high wire twice and sustained severe injuries that left him in constant pain.

Reading the description of the high wire falls, it seemed as if the accidents were preventable. For the collapse of the pyramid, the performers were worried about Dieter, who was on the bottom of the pyramid and caused the accident, before the performance and some of them thought he shouldn't go on that day. For Rick's accidents, he admits that he made mistakes (not setting the rigging first, jumping without adjusting his balance) because he had gotten away with being careless before. It made me, a government employee, wonder if the circus couldn't benefit from safety training, the kind of stuff that I have sit through every year. (And then it disgusted me that I had thought of that.) The book mentions that the performers go on when they are tired, hurt, and sick, because they have to. Can a circus operate with strict attention to safety? Scientific scuba divers have much better safety records than recreational divers, because they have much more training and oversight. And the book mentions that the Ringling Circus didn't allow the Wallendas to do their 7-person pyramid because it was too dangerous.

From what I remember of the modern circus, there are jugglers and clowns, who clearly don't risk their lives. Acrobats and flying trapeze artists definitely risk injury, but unless they are working without a net it doesn't seem like they are risking their lives. Maybe it depends on the height. I guess maybe I don't know enough to really evaluate the risks. Anyway, I thought more of the point of modern circus was "look at the cool things I can do" than necessarily "watch me risk my life."

But overall, it was cool to read about the lives of circus performers, about how hard it is to travel with all that gear (and find enough food for the elephant). One story that stuck with me was the (widowed?) ring master contemplating announcing in the ring that he was looking for a date "because there has to be some woman out there as lonely as I am."

[Dsinglet]

A non fiction look at a small circus making the rounds starting in Thunderbay and going althe way to Thompson Manitoba. The author joins them for the trip to satisfy his life long fascination for the Cicus. The boss is one of the world famous Flying Wallendas who lost many family members in a high wire accident. The author Charles befriends and interviews the different performers. He tells their stories, the dangers they face and sadly the coming demise of the traveling circus. They can see then (99) that animal rights people would be closing down the animal acts. There is a lot of information on how the animals are cared for and loved by many of their handlers. An enjoyable read with the story of the FlyingWallendas great tragedy told in Carl Wallendas own words. Sad to see t his piece of Americana coming to an end.

[Uncleg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A writer travels with a circus contracted with the Shriners to do a Canadian tour from southeastern Ontario to northwestern Manitoba and records his conversations with Ricky Wallenda, the owner, an elephant trainer, a tiger trainer, and assorted aerialists and specialty performers, as well as describing the tough business climate for a circus in North America.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting and entertaining! It's a great insider's view of what it's like being in a circus. Great read.

[T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get me a bag of peanuts I am going to the circus with a greater appreciation! Thank-you Charles.

[Jenny Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insightful, vibrant recreation of a tour around the wilds of Western Canada with a circus troupe.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

great story

[Laura]

Interesting story of life in the circus in 1997 travelling in Manitoba