Books with title The Circus Kings: Our Ringling Family Story

"Told in the first person with spirit, modesty, and almost stunning candor, . . . [North's] intimate documentary of a restless, quarreling, affectionate, often vulgar, innately genteel, greedy and generous, tricky but honest, vividly imaginative clan comes perilously close to being a tour de force. . . . A wonderful and worthwhile book."--New York Times Book Review "A fascinating, excellently written book for everyone, young or old, who has ever loved a circus."--Herald Tribune Book Review After years of being out of print, the story behind "The Greatest Show on Earth" is back for new generations to discover. Through the early twentieth century, the Ringling Brothers created a spectacle like no one had ever seen, and one that still wows audiences to this day. Yet what most people do not know is that events behind the scenes rivaled the excitement and intrigue of the center ring. Originally published in 1960, and told with remarkable honesty by the nephew of the original Ringling brothers, The Circus Kings remains a clear and unexaggerated telling of what the circus was like for those who lived it.

The Circus Kings, first published in 1960 and authored by a nephew of the original Ringling Brothers, is a fascinating insider's account of circus life and lore. From humble beginnings in Baraboo, Wisconsin, the Ringling family would go on to create “The Greatest Show on Earth,” delighting audiences across America. Along the way, however, were the behind-the-scenes financial struggles, tragedies such as fires and labor strikes, legal battles, and changing entertainment tastes. Henry Ringling North ran Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus from 1936 to 1967, along with his older brother, John. Included are 18 pages of photographs."Told in the first person with spirit, modesty, and almost stunning candor, . . . [North's] intimate documentary of a restless, quarreling, affectionate, often vulgar, innately genteel, greedy and generous, tricky but honest, vividly imaginative clan comes perilously close to being a tour de force. . . . A wonderful and worthwhile book."--New York Times Book Review"A fascinating, excellently written book for everyone, young or old, who has ever loved a circus."—Herald Tribune Book Review

Excerpt from The Circus Kings: Our Ringling Family StoryLooking back, I strongly suspect that my uncle Al Ringling, who was equestrian director of the Ringling Show that year, had dreamed up this fantasy and also engineered it. Even then I thought it was a strange thing to do to a horse.About the PublisherForgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.comThis book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

Excerpt from The Circus Kings: Our Ringling Family Story Looking back, I strongly suspect that my uncle Al Ringling, who was equestrian director of the Ringling Show that year, had dreamed up this fantasy and also engineered it. Even then I thought it was a strange thing to do to a horse. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This is the story of a lusty, gusty American family who achieved the peak of the entertainment world and in so doing gave America a beloved national institution- the circus. Here we see the seven Ringling brothers in all their outrageous magnificence. They were imaginative, daring, and when it came to money they gambled and succeeded in owning virtually all their rivals. Having made their great fortunes, they lived in sultanic splendor amid palaces, yachts , and great art.