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Circus of the Scars : The True Inside Odyssey of a Modern Circus Sideshow
 
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Circus of the Scars : The True Inside Odyssey of a Modern Circus Sideshow [Hardcover]

Jan T. Gregor (Author), Ruby Dalsgard (Author), Ashleigh Talbot (Author), Tim Cridland (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)


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Book Description

September 1998 0966347900 978-0966347906 1st
If you ever wondered what happened to the original Jim Rose Circus Sideshow, then you will definitely want to read this book! This is the ONLY book that tells how it all began!

The most imaginative casting agent couldn't have chosen the original troupe with more flair.

The Amazing Mister Lifto

The Torture King

The Enigma

Matt The Tube Crowley

with Dolly the Doll Lady

They were led by the maniacal hype-master himself, Jim Rose, who was assisted by Bebe the Circus Queen.

These Human Marvels came together to revive the ancient art of Sideshow . . . which had been nearly lost . . . but not forgotten.

Before rock-and-roll there was Sideshow, which also captivated, mystified and enraged audiences for over a hundred years. But by the end of the 20th century, you could count remaining Sideshows on one hand. Entertainment had become sanitized and corporatized for mass consumption; lukewarm safe with no sharp edges.

There was a whole new generation that had been born and raised on rock-and-roll. Sideshow virgins who knew absolutely nothing about the eyeball-bulging, faint-inducing antics of the Human Marvels of Yesteryear. That is, until a modern Sideshow came to town.

The contemporary tale--as told by tour manager Jan T. Gregor--is one of bannings, sex, drugs, fame, lust, longing, camaraderie and betrayal. Intertwined into the present-day story is an equally compelling historical voice: the intimate passages from a long-lost and only recently discovered 142-year-old diary.

The average person, inherently curious, has always been both fascinated and repulsed by Human Oddities and their unusual feats. Circus of the Scars is the ultimate rollercoaster ride, careening through two years of Sideshow present while simultaneously barreling down 150 years of Sideshow past. Circus of the Scars takes you on a bizarre odyssey around the globe with a Sideshow troupe that truly was live, real, raw and dangerous. Learn the hidden secrets behind one of the most emotion-inducing acts of the 20th Century.


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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Brimming with eye-popping anecdotes, vibrant writing, and enough twists and turns to leave you gasping for air and more." -- Eye Magazine Pick of the Month

"Sure to have everyone talking. You better grab a copy before Jim Rose's lawyer's get wind of it!" -- Chris Fellner, Freaks!

"The first 165 pages went by like a pamphlet before I even looked up to check the clock." -- Doug Higley, Circus Report

"You won't see many books like this around . . . captures the wild, absurd, highly enjoyable, totally objectionable world of Marvels." -- The Book Reader, Spring/Summer 2001

"photos are mindbending, the illustrations by Ashleigh Talbot are amazing, and the writing is insightful, humorous and riveting . . . highly recommended." -- Pleasant Gehman, Los Angeles Pleasant Gehman, Los Angeles

From the Publisher

Circus of the Scars is jam-packed with generous amounts of inside information and juicy backstage details, as well as plenty of historical anecdotes from the golden age of sideshows past.

Circus of the Scars is a hardbound (sewn - not glued!) book that comes wrapped within an elegant and beautifully designed dust jacket. The book weighs in at a hefty 3 pounds, with page-after-page of atrocities and wonderment printed on lush paper.

All 50 chapters have been embellished with over 100 hand-drawn pen-and-ink illustrations drawn by Ashleigh Talbot. The book is also visually crammed with a smorgasbord of show posters, handbills, ticket stubs and other related ephemera which became the identity of the original Jim Rose Circus Sideshow.

Hidden Sideshow secrets are revealed within the intimate entries from a 142-year-old recently discovered diary. There are also 32 pages of never-before-seen photographs of the original Jim Rose Circus Sideshow troupe. Plus a complete index for your convenience and curiosity.


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 385 pages
  • Publisher: Brennan Dalsgard Pub; 1st edition (September 1998)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0966347900
  • ISBN-13: 978-0966347906
  • Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.1 x 1.7 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,483,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Go backstage with Circus of the Scars, October 2, 2001
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Circus of the Scars : The True Inside Odyssey of a Modern Circus Sideshow (Hardcover)
Written by Jan Gregor, who held the position of road manager for the Jim Rose Circus Sideshow, this volume is an excellent counterpoint to Rose's "Freak Like Me." Having read both, I found this to have a broader viewpoint, including more details about and from the varied members of the group. The book covers mid 1991 through 1993 (Gregor's tenure), with notes from many of the groups tour dates of this time. Also included are many notes on historical sideshows, pictures of the original members and a 142-year-old circus diary....
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Circus of the Scars, May 6, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Circus of the Scars : The True Inside Odyssey of a Modern Circus Sideshow (Hardcover)
As I am passionate about sideshows and a fan of Jim Rose I paid(for this book) and hoped I wouldn`t be dissapointed...Iwasn`t, this book is a true "warts `n` all" account of two years touring with the Jim Rose circus. If you enjoyed the "ego trip" Freak Like Me then I strongly suggest you purchase this book to get a more rounded view of the troupe. You get an insite into the world of the marvels, the problems of being on the road for allmost two years straight, and the enormous ego of the "master of hype". It also reveals the real story behind the Matt "the tube" and the Torture Kings departure. Well written, wonderfully illustrated, moving, humorous, honest... one of the best biographies I have ever read.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Circus of the Scars, October 9, 2007
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This review is from: Circus of the Scars : The True Inside Odyssey of a Modern Circus Sideshow (Hardcover)
This is one of my favorite books i have ever read. I Own 3 books about jim rose. Freak Like Me, Snake Oil and this book circus of the scars. I love jim rose's act. He is amazing at what he does. You will not be hate this book. It is a good read and very entertaining. I read it in 2 days i could not put it down. There are a lot of funny stories about when the circus was on the road in the early days.This book can be costly depending on where you buy it. I bought mine from a site called madom talbot. If you look on e-bay you can find it cheaper. I bought my book brand new about 4 years ago i paid about 40.00 for back then. I still have it wrapped in the original plastic. I think it is actually worth about at least 60.00 if not more now. Mine is still mint! I have seen this book on e-bay for about 30.00 used.
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