Circus History Books

American Circus Anthology, Stuart Thayer's Essays of the Early Years (early history, biographies)

Circus Life and Circus Celebrities (1700s-1880). Early history, circuses, menageries, showmen, performers, acts.

History of the American Stage (1733-1870), T. Allston Brown's biographical sketches.

Burnt Cork and Tambourines (1800s). William Slout's Directory of American Minstrelsy

     Charles Wilkens, minstrel

Ins and Outs of Circus Life (1835-1877). Forty-Two Years Travel of John H. Glenroy, Bareback Rider, through United States, Canada, South America and Cuba.

Ink From A Circus Press Agent (1860s to 1907). Press agent Charles Day's anthology of circus history.

A Spangled World (1800s). Life with the circus.

Affairs of James A. Bailey (mid 1800s-early 1900s). Bailey and the circuses he worked on and owned. Author Richard Conover. (Pdf file)

The Great Forepaugh Show, 1864-1894. Author Richard Conover. (Pdf file)

The Telescoping Tableaus Richard Conover explores the history of the big circus parade wagons of the 1870s. (Pdf file)

The Fielding Bandchariots (circa 1866-1880s). Author Richard Conover traces the history of a number of elegant band wagons build by the Fielding brothers, including information on the shows using these magnificent wagons. (Pdf file)

On the Road with a Circus (early 1900s). W. C. Thompson's description of the circus, circus life.

The Circus by press agent Klara E. Knecht. 1934 children's book about the circus when Klara was educational director for the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus. (Pdf file)

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