The epic of Spangle takes us on a grand tour of two continents, from an embittered post-Civil War South, to the glittering and decadent capitals of Europe. In The Road Show we meet Zachary Edge, a Confederate soldier, on his way home at the war's close. He stumbles upon a traveling troupe, a chance encounter that is the start of an unforgettable odyssey. Edge hits the road with bawdy showgirls, roguish tricksters, and a host of colorful characters. He soon finds himself in the arms of Autumn Auburn, the lithesome artiste known for her breathtaking sensuality.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"Epic, finely wrought, erudite, richly comic, delightfully bawdy, and highly dramatic. Spangle is impressive in its sheer mass and richness, in the enthusiasm and energy of its telling, in the obvious pleasure the author takes in his work." -Los Angeles Times
"This third novel by the amazing Gary Jennings, who has already chronicled the Spanish conquest of Mexico, and the exploits of Marco Polo, is another whopper." -The New York Times
"A first-class storyteller.... Mr. Jennings has achieved true distinction." -Atlantic Monthly
"This third novel by the amazing Gary Jennings, who has already chronicled the Spanish conquest of Mexico, and the exploits of Marco Polo, is another whopper." -The New York Times
"A first-class storyteller.... Mr. Jennings has achieved true distinction." -Atlantic Monthly
From the Publisher
"Epic, finely wrought, erudite, richly comic, delightfully bawdy, and highly dramatic. Spangle is impressive in its sheer mass and richness. In the enthusiasm and energy of its telling, in the obvious pleasure the author takes in his work." --Los Angeles Times
"This third novel by the amazing Gary Jennings, who has already chronicled the Spanish conquest of Mexico and the exploits of Marco Polo, is another whopper." --The New York Times
"A first-class storyteller...Mr. Jennings has achieved true distinction." --Atlantic Monthly
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
They finally published this again,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Road Show: Spangle #1 (Mass Market Paperback)
I looked for the original hardcopy of all three books, Spangle, for years and could not find it. It took Amazon about 6 months, but they finally got it for me. I just finished reading it, and I must say it was an amazing read. It doesn't have the sexual escapades of Jennings Aztec or the Journeyor, and there is a lull here and there, but overall, all three books make up extraordinary storytelling. While I sometimes glossed over Jennings extraordinary detailed descriptions, this is more than made up for by the characterization of the circus lifestyle in the 1800s, the growth of the various characters throughout the story and the political/cultural background throughout the tale. For several weeks on my train ride home from work, I enjoyed being in a traveling circus in the past, and will never forget Mr. Florian, and will never look at a circus the same way again with my children.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This series is Jennings second best work.,
By adolfo velasquez (Texas) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Road Show: Spangle #1 (Mass Market Paperback)
I was a collector of Jennings's books before many of these got reprinted in paperback, so I haven't actually read Roadshow as an individual work, but as a hardback version of the entire circus story. The whole story, Spangle, was Jennings's second best book, after Aztec. It has violence, sex, and bizarre plot turns that keep you interested, as well as a historical look at circuses, post Civil War America, and 1860's Europe, a continent on the brink of its own war (the Franco-Prussian War).Although not quite as rich historically as Aztec, the series is much longer and covers more territory, so it's my personal favorite. If you like Jennings and you realize that Roadshow was not meant to be a stand-alone work, you won't be disappointed in this series.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Jenning's classic with fabulous characters,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Road Show: Spangle #1 (Mass Market Paperback)
As a Jenning's fan, I felt lucky to pick up Road Show at the airport book shop. Jenning's round up of new characters are as colorful as ever. I enjoy Jenning's ability to draw me into the very heart of the story. The settings are well researched and the post civil war imagery springs to life with Jennings detailed discriptive language. I read voraciously about this vagabond circus troop, their joys and their losses; and I was disappointed to finish the book without the next already in hand. I am waiting on the edge of my seat to finish the saga.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
I'D SAY WE'VE SEEN the last of the elephant, eh, Johnny?" said one of the soldiers in blue. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
balloon wagon, other troupers, museum wagon, bail ring, prop wagon, cage wagon, property wagon, grouch bag, ring curb, circus women, tent wagon, lot lice, circus folk, circus train, center pole, main guy, balloon ascension, circus troupe, circus people, whole troupe Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Clover Lee, Magpie Maggie Hag, Captain Hotspur, Monsieur Roulette, Madame Solitaire, Tim Trimm, Wild Man, Sir John, Colonel Ramrod, Madame Alp, Captain Schilz, Barnacle Bill, Tiny Tim, Phoebe Simms, Jules Rouleau, Crocodile Man, Herr Mayer, Obie Yount, Sarah Coverley, Abner Mullenax, Ignatz Roozeboom, Tattooed Man, United States, Zachary Edge, Carl Beck New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
I'D SAY WE'VE SEEN the last of the elephant, eh, Johnny?" said one of the soldiers in blue. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
balloon wagon, other troupers, museum wagon, bail ring, prop wagon, cage wagon, property wagon, grouch bag, ring curb, circus women, tent wagon, lot lice, circus folk, circus train, center pole, main guy, balloon ascension, circus troupe, circus people, whole troupe Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Clover Lee, Magpie Maggie Hag, Captain Hotspur, Monsieur Roulette, Madame Solitaire, Tim Trimm, Wild Man, Sir John, Colonel Ramrod, Madame Alp, Captain Schilz, Barnacle Bill, Tiny Tim, Phoebe Simms, Jules Rouleau, Crocodile Man, Herr Mayer, Obie Yount, Sarah Coverley, Abner Mullenax, Ignatz Roozeboom, Tattooed Man, United States, Zachary Edge, Carl Beck New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 4
books:
- Aztec Autumn by Gary Jennings in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
- Abraham Lincoln (The Great Americans Series) by Jean F. Blashfield on page 148, and page 151
- The United States (Countries) by Bob Italia on page 298
- Good Samaritan by Kenneth N. Taylor on page 217
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