The Advance Man: A Journey Into The World Of The Circus,Used

Publisher39;s Description'The golden age of the circus had passed but under Irvin Feld, the ruthless, unpredictable, super salesman, another golden age of promotion had just begun. 'And so begins the extraordinary tale of The Advance Man. It's a history, a love story, and a tale of selfdiscovery. And as much, it's a captivating inside look at the largest traveling entertainment conglomerate on the globe, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.'From dwarfs and lion tamers to Siamese twins, a cast of fascinating characters. But the really exotic are behind the scenes, the promoters. A coming of age tale and a story of circus struggles in a new age of mass entertainment. Enormously readable, as compulsive as popcorn at a Saturday matinee. ' Ted Bishop, Author, awardwinning Riding with Rilke'A firstclass book that is strikingly original. What Harvard and Wharton don't teach. This is the treatise on marketing and promotion. An illuminating and riveting tale! ' David Hogan, Producer, Broadway HeroesFrom page one the reader is pulled into the heart and mind of the advance man. I was there and can attest to MacVicar's travails of ponderous pachyderms and hardball tycoons. A marvelous inside treat, superbly done. Peter Halbin , former publicist for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey CircusFrom the Publisher'From here on in you'll be living on the road, your life's belongings in a suitcase. Do you think you'd enjoy that?'And so begins a fascinating journey into the world of the circus as Jamie MacVicar skillfully blends the secrets of marketing and promotion as taught by the masters, a captivating personal tale, and an inside look at an American icon, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.Richly textured and meticulously researched, The Advance Man is an incomparable bridge from the circus past to the present. It is a spellbinding narrative inhabited by strange and seductive characters: Chang and Eng, the Siamese twins who couldn't be engaged in unlike conversations simultaneously; Irvin Feld, the Napoleonic genius who wrested control of the circus from Ringling's heir; the smallest man in the world who continuously stymied the show s most virile man; the naive, young woman who risked too much aspiring to become a model; the Cleveland tycoon and a host of others from extraordinary everyday people to wellknown celebrities.From San Diego to Cleveland to mossdraped, beguiling Savannah, the story illuminates the fabric of American citiestheir cultures and moresand reveals a tapestry at the heart of who we are. We almost forget that this is a true story when MacVicar leisurely pulls us in and then masterfully sets the hook. 'Until now you ve been with me and the circus, ' a fellow promoter warns. 'Wait until it's just you, and you re all alone for weeks before the show arrives. 'As events gather speed, catapulting the reader and the advance man down a heartpounding track, it becomes easy to forget that 'sometimes the most complex illusions have the simplest explanations.'Artfully, MacVicar invites us into a world of splashing color while the story within the story comes to light. Whether the reader is a history or circus enthusiast, a student of business, or just the lover of a remarkable yarn, the ride will be memorable, as unforgettable as a childhood night at the circus.