I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. I found this book incredibly interesting the author really kept me hooked until the end. very well written I highly recommend.

This was a really interesting look into the history of the circus. I had some prior knowledge particularly with P.T. Barnum’s history and legacy; this book went into a lot of detail while still feeling accessible for people coming into reading it with no knowledge of the topic at all. It was well researched and a great read. Thank you. NetGalley for the ARC!

I've attended a few circuses in my lifetime, and it's kind of sad that such a once-dominant institution could be slowly dying off as it has been. After the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey company shuttered in 2017 there was a big question as to whether the circus could even work in the United States anymore considering all of the entrainment options, concerns over animal rights, and general antiquated feeling most have when talking about it. Battle for the Big Top - P.T. Barnum, James Bailey, John Ringling, and the Death-Defying Saga of the American Circus by Les Standiford outlines the rise and fall of the industry and attempts to give a glimmer of hope for what could come.

Les Standiford attended the final Ringling Bros. show on May 21, 2017, at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, marking the end of 146 years of continued programming. He talks about what that meant to the industry and compared it to the infamous "Hartford Circus Fire" of 1944 that nearly ended the circus nearly 80 years prior. That fire killed almost 200 people out of a crowd of thousands, and it was far from the last controversy to face them. The majority of the book fills in the gaps in between, describing the lives and business practices of many of the big names involved in the Circus industry including the ones you'd expect such as Barnum, Bailey and Ringling. The book chronicles the move from "Mud Shows" to selling out large arenas, and how they battled competition such as movie theaters and theme parks.

If anything this book is a nostalgic look back at the rise and fall of one of America's most beloved institutions, and perhaps a plea to save the entire industry from a total collapse. Personally, I feel there will always be room for the circus in some form, albeit likely in a smaller more intimate way. One has to look no further than something like a Renaissance festival to see acts like jugglers, clowns, and fire eaters still hanging in there, and there are numerous "alt circus" shows all over the country. The era of a circus selling out Madison Square Garden may be gone, but I feel as if it's far from dead. Overall, this was a fun and well-researched book that taught me a lot about something I had somewhat taken for granted prior. If you are a history buff, or If you are hot of the heels of watching something like The Greatest Showman, I'd recommend this book as a solid companion.

This was a fascinating exploration of the history of circuses. The author covers the foundations of the circus worldwide and then concentrates on the United States. Here he details the growth of the three main circus rivals and their ultimate demise. This was thoroughly researched and written in an easy-to-understand manner. You don’t need to have previous knowledge of circus history to enjoy this book. Anyone who is interested in entertainment, American History, or circus lore should definitely read this.

This was a fascinating look at the behind the scenes beginnings of the circus institution we all grew up attending. I was drawn to this book after watching The Greatest Showman ( I can't be the only one!) and was not diqappotined. I loved learning about the history of the PT Barnum, the Ringling Brothers, and James Bailey.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

After the Greatest Showman I went on a binge of reading PT Barnum books, and so far this one was one of the best. I enjoyed how well this was written and well researched. It was actually really interesting to read about these Circus wars and really enjoyed going through this book.

My grandma's family was from Ringling Oklahoma which was name after John Ringling the founder of Ringling Brothers Circus, which is why I picked up this book. and I am very glad I did. I loved learning the history of the different circuses and the people who made them. This book is perfect for those who love circuses, history and/or American history. I will be telling my mom and dad they need to pick this book up ASAP. Thank you Netgalley and PublicAffairs for letting me read and review this wonderful book. I will be buying myself a hard copy of this book very soon.

I came along in an era when the circus was a major production that anyone would feel lucky to see. I grew up incredibly poor, and my family never could afford to take us, but one year when I was five years old my grandparents took all of us grandkids when they came to Dallas. Being as young as I was I can only remember figments: tons of clowns crawling out of a tiny car and completely blowing my mind, trapeze artists doing death defying stunts without a safety net beneath them, and were up so high I found myself focusing on the tiny workers in the rafters instead of the artists themselves. The whole experience left me spellbound until a man got shot out of a cannon during the finale, the unexpected boom scaring me so much that to this day I have a horrible fear of anything that has a sudden, loud noise. Still, the memories are some that will be with me forever, and I will always be grateful to my grandparents for taking us.

Reading Battle for the Big Top brought back this distant memory that I haven't thought about in a long time. I've never been one that had a passion for the circus, but I've always had a deep respect for all of the work, time, effort, and dedication it must take to put on such a production. What I never realized was how deep the history of the circus goes!

Battle for the Big Top goes into incredible detail, almost to the point of overwhelming a reader that knows literally nothing about the circus, but I appreciate all of the time and dedication it took to have such a detailed and meticulously researched novel. My one caveat with this is that there were moments where it was very textbook, having a monotone "just giving the facts" feel, which did make parts difficult to get into, but the facts themselves fascinated me and motivated me to keep reading. Seeing the evolution from a small side show to a production that enraptured and captivated audiences for decades was thrilling to read, especially finding out what went on beyond the tent.

An at times overwhelming, yet comprehensive text, Battle for the Big Top left me in awe and with knowledge I didn't previously know, and left no stone unturned. If you've ever wanted to learn about the circus and the major players behind it all, this is your book!

I remember as a kid growing up in Tucson, Arizona when the Ringling Brothers train would come to the rail yard and the would have the animal parade to the convention center. Going to the circus what a way to spend a couple of hours and get lost in the moment.

This tells the history of PT Barnum, James Bailey and John Ringling along with the other Ringling brothers on how each came to have a Circus and how in time they were brought to together into one group. I really found interesting in particular with PT Barnum with how many times he would find an act or exhibit that would be successful and then he would be struck by tragedy but still find a way to rise above it and move on. Overall this is a great read if you were a fan of the circus and want to learn about the Greatest show on Earth. Thank you to Netgalley and Perseus Books for an ARC for a fair and honest review.

One of my earliest childhood memories is of going to the circus. I was enthralled with the pageantry, the animals, the performers - I was hooked. That led to a fascination with the great man himself, P. T. Barnum and his museum. When I saw that Les Standiford had written a book about the world of the circus and its impact on our culture, I had to get a copy. I was not disappointed in the least.
This is so much more than the history of Barnum and Bailey and the Ringling Brothers. I was captivated by the history of the circus including Europe and our own Colonial period, 1792. I read way past my bedtime and would have been happy to have a book in my hands that was twice as long. I enjoyed every page.
My thanks to the publisher PublicAffairs and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Standiford delivers his signature combination of intellectual assurance, lively voice, and lively narrative in this rich history of the circus and the three outsized personalities that created its greatest manifestation. After identifying the Big Top's ancient roots and charting its evolving traditions, he delves into the lives, times, and innovations of circus titans James Bailey, P.T. Barnum, and John Ringling. Both the men's commonalities and their differences come vividly alive in Standiford's telling, as do the business, entertainment and media environments in which they operated; though he doesn't shy away from the exploitation of otherness and powerlessness at the heart of circus profits, he deftly captures the reasons the circus was so beloved for so long. Packed with both amusing anecdote and historical insight, THE BATTLE FOR THE BIG TOP is wonderful entertainment as well as a shrewd exploration of some of America's most enduring passions and preoccupations.

I received an advance reading copy of this book from NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. I absolutely love a good circus story. This book is filled with great tales of a bygone era. Author Les Standiford gives us a good look at the greatest showman, P.T. Barnum, as well as Michigan native James Bailey who teamed up with Barnum who was in his seventies and Bailey in his thirties. When Barnum died Bailey took over and then along came the five Ringling Brothers. One thing all of these men had in common is that they were self-made entrepreneurs who started off with nothing. In today's world, the circus is looked down upon for many reasons, but in its hey day, it was more than entertainment--it was an event. When the circus came to town, businesses and schools closed. Residents turned out in droves and everyone enjoyed the show. Many kids (like James Bailey) ran away to join the circus in the hopes of finding a better life. In retrospect, the circus did provide a living for many who otherwise would have had nothing. General Tom Thumb is a fine example of a young man whom Barnum took under his wing and eventually made a partner in his business. This book was well-written and well-researched and filled with entertaining anecdotes, as well as fascinating circus lore. If you ever wondered how the circus began or why the Ringling Circus Museum is in Sarasota, Florida--this book will give you the answers. A great read!

As a child, I grew up attending a three-ring circus nearly once a year in my hometown’s large city auditorium. In my thirties, I was able to take my two young daughters to the Ringling Brothers’ Circus World Museum and big top performance in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Although I generally read historical or international fiction rather than non-fiction but because of happy memories, I jumped at the chance to request Les Standiford’s Battle for the Big Top: P. T. Barnum, James Bailey, John Ringling and the Death Defying Saga of the American Circus. This colorful, well-researched, and dramatic history should please not only every lover of cultural history, but also almost any lover of historical fiction. As a novelist and creative writing professor as well as non-fiction writer, the author knows how to tell a story.

Standiford drew me in with his introduction—his account of attending the final performance of the Ringling Brothers-Barnum and Bailey Circus on May 21, 2017 with its diverse and awed, but also sad, audience bidding good bye to a popular form of entertainment about to vanish after nearly a century and a half. Thinking of the current owners statement that everyone must “embrace change” as well as about those who had founded and developed the Greatest Show on Earth,” Standiford explains the inspiration for his book: “Because the circus mattered to them, not simply for practical reasons, but because they believed the enterprise contributed significantly to the world about them. That was something worth looking into, I decided. Grown men, able and accomplished men, entranced by the circus, fighting to keep it alive. Who shouldn’t want to know why?”

Chapter One, “World on Fire,” recounts the circus world’s greatest disaster. On July 6, 1944, as the Great Wallendas performed their death-defying high-wire act overhead without a safety net and cages of animals awaited their turn to perform, fire broke out and quickly spread across the big top, causing some to scramble under the canvas and more than 150 to die. This tragedy alone could have spelled an end to the Ringling Brothers, yet the circus miraculously survived.

Touching on older history in Rome and Britain, Standiford focuses on the history of the American circus and the three biggest names behind it. However, readers also meet other people who played a role, including George Washington’s Scottish-born cousin, John Bill Ricketts, who had come to Philadelphia in 1792 to open a riding school.

Standiford teaches us how the elephant led to the establishment of an American circus, eventually causing P. T. Barnum to declare that “clowns and elephants are the pegs upon which the circus is hung.”
From the early days of the circus through Chapter 33, “What Remains,” Standiford has written a highly readable history of the American circus, its entrepreneurs, and its attraction to the American public. Although he does not use footnote or endnote numbers, his chapter-by-chapter notes at the back of the book reveal major sources for this highly entertaining and informative non-fiction book.

My thanks to NetGalley, Perseus Books/Public Affairs, and Les Standiford for the opportunity to read and review an advance reader copy.

Now that the "Greatest Show on Earth" is not, Standiford has written the definitive history of the traveling circus in America. He begins in the 1830s before any of the components of RBB&B had begun. He traces the beginnings and growth of the three major components: Ringling Brothers, James Bailey and P T Barnum.

The section where he describes the change over from 'mud shows' (that traveled the dirt roads in the US) to use of the railroads, to the final changeover to playing large indoor arenas (like Madison Square Garden). His discussion of why the circuses began to fail is a very reasonable one, if not what you'ld want to hear. With TV, Cable, Pay for View, Disneyland, Legoland, etc. the circus lose its' glamour and uniqueness.

I had to abandon this book at 21% and here is why. First of all, there was a lot of circus history, which was awesome. BUT the big things for me were:
1) I'm 1/5th of the way in, and the three big names have barely been mentioned. I just finished reading about James Bailey, but there were only mere mentions of P.T. Barnum and John Ringling so far.
2) The very clinical and monotone writing style just didn't keep my interest.
3) There's a lot of USA-specific history, and I'm Canadian so I just don't care much about US history.
4) This book wasn't what I thought it would be, it was a lot of history and facts, and I thought it would be more about Barnum, Bailey and Ringling, and how they were competing in the circus industry. It's of course important to know the history of it all, but I'm just not a history buff and I'd much rather have gotten a quick introduction to how the concept of a circus got started, how they travelled, things they endured, then move right into the 3 main "Ringmasters" and more stuff about them.

I did find the history about the animals, and how the circuses had to travel, and how they setup interesting, so I may come back to this in the future and try to continue it.

Read if you: Want a succinct and entertaining history of the three main circus rivalries in the United States, as well as the rise and fall of big top circus companies.

I knew a little about P.T. Barnum's life story, but nothing about Bailey or Ringling; this is a fascinating portrayal of a unique time in entertainment. A great read for those who enjoy entertainment history.

Many thanks to Perseus Books/Public Affairs and NetGalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book about the history of Barnum and Bailey and the Ringling Brothers. It was more than just the history of the Greatest Show on Earth, it was about the circuses before they got big. I love to read about the circus and watch movies about them but I never really was a fan of them in person. I think I didn’t like how the animals were kept chained up or in cages.

If you a5e a fan of circuses and books about them then this is a good one for you. Thank you NetGalley and Perseus Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

This was a 4 star read for me.

Often seems Les Standiford is one of the few writers today who knows how to write. Here he goes again!
This is a fantastic book bridging tough subjects and winnowing all to this tight volume of lives and pursuit of success.
Since this dovetails with Florida history, I, again, create the bulk of the review in my Swampy's Florida podcast:

https://anchor.fm/swampysflorida/episodes/Swampys-Florida-Podcast-Book-Review--Outstanding-Standiford-book--Battle-for-the-Big-Top-eua35p

Bottom line: I recommend this book. 10 out of 10 points.

Just finished watching movie of P.T. Barnum. Over my lifetime I have been to not only the Greatest Show, but other smaller circuses that passed through my town. I never understood the attraction to them, I hated to see the animals in the shows knowing they were mistreated (kept in cages was wrong in my young mind. I never imagined anyone would treat them even worse until I was older. Never liked zoos either.) Still, if humans wanted to do what THEY were doing (Cirque de Soleil) good for them. That doesn't mean I haven't found the concept of a circus to be interesting. I have read many books on the subject and it's founders. Some academic, some about curiosities, histories, and entertainment. This one is all about the competition, sensationalism, and entertainment of the circus. Those who have never been can now read about them as a now gone entertainment (at least the ones with animals!). And all of us can marvel at the spectacle it once was. Ringling Bros did produce an amazing show., just a somewhat sad one. As for the under the canvas circuses, I've always thought they were a fire hazard, especially back in the day when everyone smoked and would think nothing of smoking during performances. Seriously, hay or straw everywhere, canvas tent, wooden bleachers, and teens and adults would be lighting up! Stuff of nightmares.... But for everyone who remembers the shows, and for those who will never experience them, this is an entertaining book. Loads of info. Circus lovers would enjoy this as a gift. Kudos Les Standiford!

Battle for the Big Top by Les Standiford sets himself a sizeable task in providing a history of the circus while tapping into that sense of joy and wonder that the circus has brought generations of children and families. If one is going to write a history of the circus, a dry, formulaic, academic history will not do. But how does one capture the wonder and excitement of the circus in book form. From page one, Standiford sets a tone by portraying both Barnum and Bailey as these larger than life character-people that are on par with any of their attractions.

One does see an evolution of the circus from controversial side show human oddity acts to the animals, clowns, and death-defying feats that someone of my age is my familiar with. One also sees in a way the evolution of America from a country that traveled by horse and buggy to the railroad, cars, and today’s more modern technologically based world and have the circus has either adapted or more often been placed under increasing challenge.

I certainly wasn’t expecting a book where the human intrigue was as wonderous as the circus itself, but Battle for the Big Top accomplishes the twin tasks of illustrating the evolution of the circus and capturing it’s magical hold over generations with a flair rarely seen in book form.