The Circus of Dr. Lao -- Charles G. Finney

Abalone, Arizona, is a sleepy southwestern town whose chief concerns are boredom and surviving the Great Depression--that is, until the circus of Dr. Lao arrives and immensely and irrevocably changes the lives of everyone drawn to its tents. <p/>Expecting a sideshow spectacle, the citizens of Abalone instead confront and learn profound lessons from the mythical made real--a chimera, a Medusa, a talking sphinx, a sea serpent, witches, the Hound of the Hedges, a werewolf, a mermaid, an ancient god, and the elusive, ever-changing Dr. Lao himself. The circus unfolds, spinning magical, dark strands that ensnare the town's populace: the sea serpent's tale shatters love's illusions; the fortune-teller's shocking pronouncements toll the tedium and secret dread of every person's life; sensual undercurrents pour forth for men and women alike; and the dead walk again. Dazzling and macabre, literary and philosophical, <i>The Circus of Dr. Lao</i> has been acclaimed as a masterpiece of speculative fiction and influenced such writers as Ray Bradbury.<br><br><b>Author:</b> Charles G. Finney<br><b>Publisher:</b> Bison<br><b>Published:</b> 06/01/2011<br><b>Pages:</b> 176<br><b>Binding Type:</b> Paperback<br><b>Weight:</b> 0.45lbs<br><b>Size:</b> 7.90h x 5.30w x 0.50d<br><b>ISBN:</b> 9780803234949<br><p><b>About the Author</b><br>Charles G. Finney (1905-84) was a newspaperman and writer based in Arizona. John Marco is the author of the Tyrants and Kings series, whose books include <i>The Jack