Under the Big Top

“Under the Big Top” by Bruce Feiler was an excellent read, revealing the intricate social hierarchy of the circus. Feiler joined the circus and over the course of that one year, went from being a complete outcast to becoming an accepted insider. Throughout his time with the circus, he interviewed every performer. I found what each performer had to say fascinating. They each differed from each other on many levels, but there were always several ideas tying them together. Most of them had a love/hate relationship with the circus. The remaining few just hated it—it was their back-up plan, their alternative, and they had many places they rather be, but had neither the will nor the money to leave. One character I found particularly interesting was in this group. However, what set him apart from the rest is that he did find a way out. He left the circus. But, he came back, not telling why he really left or returned. It was unspoken, yet understood, that although he grieved about the circus, he couldn’t live with out it, which is a theme repeated throughout the book. Feiler captured the spirit and character of the circus, by getting to know the performers, who had a life time of experience to share with him.

A review on a review for Under the Big Top

After reading a review by Sarah Rachel Egelman about Under the Big Top by Bruce Feiler, I do not feel as if she captured the more important aspects of the book. She discusses what it’s about, how it’s honest and fun, but ends up giving more of a summary than writing about the meaning, moral, and significance of events. However, she does a great job in describing the tone and mood of the book. For example, she wrote “All the circus employees knew he was writing a book about them, but he was also allowed to travel as a performer. Thus the perspective of this book is unique, both insider and outsider”. Feiler’s status in the circus is indeed fascinating. In fact, the book is equally about him fitting in to the circus hierarchy than the hardships and joys of the circus. On the other hand, Egelman did not pick on Fieler’s subtle hints of his opinion. In fact, she even stated that he “refrains from taking sides on the issue” of animal rights. I found that Feiler makes his views quite clear, not through his own words necessarily, but through the quotes he chooses to include in his novel, and through actual incidents. He does this so sneakily and effectively, that he leads the reader to believe that animal rights activists are all lunatics and that animals should be a part of the circus. Egelman’s reviews on Under the Big Top do tell the book’s story, but she neglected to read between the lines, and discover Feiler’s attitude, which I view as the most interesting part of the book.