A nineteenth century circus troupe, including a beautiful aerialist, a lion tamer, a strongman, a gypsy fortuneteller, and a sideshow, tours the post Civil War South and the courts of Europe
Gary Jennings led a paradoxically picaresque life. On one hand, he was a man of acknowledged intellect and erudition. His novels were international best sellers, praised around the world for their stylish prose, lively wit and adventurously bawdy spirit. They were also massive - often topping 500,000 words - and widely acclaimed for the years of research he put into each one, both in libraries and in the field.
Jennings served in the Korean War, where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal- a decoration rarely given to soldier-reporters- and a personal citation by South Korean President Syngman Rhee for his efforts on behalf of war orphans.
Where the erudition came from, however, was something of a mystery.
Aquest llibre va anar a para a les meves mans de casualitat... Estava per casa, no sé d'on el deuria treure ma mare, i vaig decidir llegir-lo. Crec que ha estat una de les millors sorpreses literàries que he tingut mai! Ara, en el moment d'escriure això, ja fa temps que el vaig llegir i no puc recordar fil per randa tota la trama. Però sí recordo la sensació de satisfacció en acabar-lo, com sempre que dones per acabat un molt bon llibre, sentint que no has perdut el temps, tot el contrari. Qualsevol dia d'aquests tocarà repetir-lo.