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From Booklist

Wall had the great fortune of realizing the archetypal childhood dream of running away to join the circus when he secured a Fulbright fellowship to do just that. After visiting the nouveau cirque as a college student in Paris, Wall was intrigued by the high cultural regard the French held for the circus as performance art. Wall spent a year in the intensive Ecole Nationale des Arts du Cirque, learning the skills of juggling, tumbling, and clowning. He also researched the origins of the disparate circus arts, from ancient Chinese culture through the Romans until 1798, when a British cavalier pulled together the circus of human and animal feats. The appeal of traditional circus had been on the wane until Cirque du Soleil dropped the animal acts and focused on choreography and human dexterity with spectacle worthy of Las Vegas. Wall chronicles his year of discovery of the history and future of the circus as well as the dramatic personalities and grueling physical training in this behind-the-scenes look at the evolving art of the circus. --Vanessa Bush

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Review

“Lovely…There is plenty in The Ordinary Acrobat to set circusphile and circus-skeptic alike to dreaming.”—The Washington Post“An exquisite exposition…Proving himself even more adroit verbally than physically, Wall offers a revelatory love letter to the simultaneously ancient and contemporary art of acrobatics, the circus, and its denizens.”—Library Journal“In this enchanting memoir sprinkled with historical anecdotes, Wall pulls the reader into the world of circus, past and present…his captivating journey of discovery may lead others to consider running away to join one.”—Publisher’s Weekly “Wall is a charming guide… [his] appreciation of the circus is deepened by his understanding of its long and distinct history.”—The New Republic “Blending cultural history with biography, memoir and travelogue, Wall’s carefully balanced book is, in itself, a successful tightrope traverse.” – Kirkus Reviews“If ever you have the urge to run away and join the circus, you can save yourself the trip and still have the thrill of it all by reading The Ordinary Acrobat. Duncan Wall’s adventures as a novitiate in a Parisian circus school are wonderfully entertaining. A beautifully written account of life past and present under the big top.” —Eric Lax, author of Woody Allen: A Biography  “The Ordinary Acrobat is an incandescent odyssey—personally and historically—into the captivating transnational world of the circus. A fascinating, funny, effervescent story told with great affection.” —Janet M. Davis, author of Circus Age: Culture and Society Under the American Big Top“Wall [does] an admirable job of pursuing the circus’s road-show mysteries and endlessly winding paths…it isn’t a conventional memoir, but the circus isn’t a conventional subject, either.”—NPR “Wall is intoxicated and obsessed with the circus, and…it’s infectious.”—Biographile  “Lively and wide-ranging…Wall’s eye for anecdote, in both past and present, is sharp.”—The Seattle Times “Meticulously researched, intensely reported and brightly written, The Ordinary Acrobat…[is] an entertaining, artistic several-hour act that leaves indelible impressions.”—The Minneapolis Star Tribune

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Product details

Hardcover: 336 pages

Publisher: Knopf (February 26, 2013)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0307271722

ISBN-13: 978-0307271723

Product Dimensions:

6.5 x 1.3 x 9.5 inches

Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review:

4.1 out of 5 stars

40 customer reviews

Amazon Best Sellers Rank:

#1,294,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Why do I love this book? Why have I sent copies to 7 different young people I know who are professional circus artists? Because of PERSPECTIVE. This book details the fascinating history, traditions and evolution of the circus arts in an interesting, highly-readable and ultimately inspiring narrative by a writer who has lived his story. Modern circus is well known to millions around the world largely through familiarity with Cirque du Soleil performances, but few know the story behind the highly refined disciplines we watch with awe inside the tent or theatre. Reading this book gives valuable insight into the past, present and future of circus, and opens a window for spectator and performer alike to appreciate these demanding arts which continue to fascinate and inspire. Highly recommended!

What an entertaining read! Well written, fascinating history, first person experiences - the chapter on being on the trapeze is worth the price of the whole book, lots of circus lore and just plain fun to read! Great memories for those who have been to a circus, and for those who haven't, it will make you want to go.

Duncan Wall knows the circus from the inside out. His perspective on the history and the potential of the art form is meticulously examined using both current and historical references. Well worth the time for both serious historians and casual readers.

Wall's book is a fine mix of slice of life and history, showing how the circus is and how it was. A nice sourcebook for learning to love the circus... IT'S ALL ON THE INSIDE!

I really liked this book. The author manages to blend history, anecdote and a charming self deprecation into a really easy read.

Absolutely adored this book! I highly recommend it to both circus and non-circus lovers alike, or anyone who likes to read. I found the mixture of memoir and history kept the book spinning and always interesting. An over all illumination of circus arts.Many thanks to the author!

The Ordinary Acrobat is a great book that made me discover how the "New Circus" is nothing new.Duncan Wall has both an impressive erudition and a physical experience of the circus which make the history very lively.

In consideration of other reviews here and my own reading taste I will first tell you what I think is most helpful to a majority of readers, there is a lot of circus history here. We are talking about a lot of facts! Author Duncan Wall who decided to enter a circus training school in Paris essentially on a whim, becomes not only interested in the experience but has a thirst to learn about the history of the circus itself. I personally read a lot of memoirs and also appreciate varied non-fiction in addition to fiction novels. That said, what some consider dry is actually fascinating to me and that is why The Ordinary Acrobat was a true delight for me to read!We most often think of the circus being comprised of generational participants with fine tuned skills that are practiced from a very young age. It's described as a way of life and a tradition passed down in families. So when it came to The Ordinary Acrobat, I was expecting the unique view of an "outsider" who jumps into this world. I did expect more of that view than the utter volume of facts however, if you take in mind that the author then goes on teach circus history then you will know better what to expect here. Having read the novel "The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb" which is a bit of historical fiction, I was familiar with some of the facts beforehand. I have read a few other fictional stories of the circus or travelling shows before that give you the feel but without the history lesson. Duncan Wall brings the two together because the information he discovers is told along with his fascination on the subject. We watch his interest in circus history grow and the telling for me was so moving, I could feel how enchanted and fascinated he was to discover more. His perspective unique and ability to convey his experience with such feeling is remarkable.His training at the school is interesting, physically and emotionally he had no idea what he was getting himself into. He immediately gets a wake up call to the fact that there is a big difference between being athletic and being able to do acrobatics. Starting from nothing, then getting some basic skills, he goes on to become obsessed with juggling. It's said that's a common thing that jugglers experience. The thing he went in the least interested in or able to relate to was clowning. Keeping an open mind he learns more about the art of clowning than he would have imagined possible, the true theatrical component to it. There is a good deal of comparison between the American and European versions of the circus. While the American pangs a feeling of nostalgia, the European inspires more a vision of art. Hence I am happy to have found this book categorized in the art category here on Amazon. If anything, that's the point that you walk away from the strongest here the art of circus.Back in the seventies, I went to the circus as a kid and was fascinated (possibly even overwhelmed.) In the 1990's I was treated to the experience of a Cirque du Soleil show and fell in love. We went on to refer to it as "the grown-up" circus and was very dramatic and theatrical, interesting to explain to friends and family who at the time never heard of anything other than the Ringling Bros. sort of circus. The European and world variety takes it to a whole other level artistically. Not to down up on Cirque du Soleil but the criticism of that company from a world view is the commercialism. Still for me at that time, it was so magical, emotional and thought-provoking. This book hit me in that same "new" way.

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