This morning in the hotel I got to finished “The Circus of Dr. Lao” by Charles G. Finney. Though classified as a novel, it is really a novella, clocking in at 134 pages of big typeface. It was originally published in 1935.
For the record, Dr. Lao rhymes with show and go, not now and cow as I originally thought. The plot is simple. Dr. Lao brings his not normal circus to Abalone, Arizona. Some of the stuff in the circus is either just crazy, or very fantastical. They have a sphinx, a unicorn, a mermaid, a medusa, and a sea serpent to name a few. Dr. Lao’s partner in crime is Apollonius of Tyana.
Being written so long ago there are many very non-PC names used. And Dr. Lao himself, usually when he is very mad, speaks with a stereotypical Chinese accent. Though given some of the humor in the book, it seems very ahead of it’s time. Some of it I could see someone like Terry Pratchett writing. Especially at what is described of the parade before the midway opens.
It was entertaining, especially given that it was a quick read. Though at times Dr. Lao’s stories or explanations of the things within the circus were a bit long winded. Other times though they were very interesting or funny.
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