Cover of The circus of Dr. Lao
Myth & Legend FictionCircus & Carnival

The circus of Dr. Lao

by

  • 1935 first published
  • 154 pages
  • ★ 4.0 (5 ratings)
  • 10 editions
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The circus of Dr. Lao is a 1935 mythic fiction and circus fiction novel by Charles G. Finney. The story is set in Arizona. Readers will find themes of circus, circus performers, depressions and Mythology.

Open Library readers give it an average of 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, and 18 more have it on their want-to-read list. It has been published in 10 editions.

At about 154 pages, most readers finish it in 2–3 hours.

About The circus of Dr. Lao

**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.** 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, The Circus of Dr. Lao has been acclaimed as a masterpiece of speculative fiction and influenced such writers as Ray Bradbury.
Description from Open Library

Themes, setting & tropes

Genres

Setting

Subjects

  • Circus
  • Circus performers
  • Depressions
  • Mythology
  • Arizona
  • Fantasy
  • Kinderverhalen
  • Amerikaans

Publisher

Quick answers

Who wrote The circus of Dr. Lao?

The circus of Dr. Lao was written by Charles G. Finney and first published in 1935.

What genre is The circus of Dr. Lao?

It is usually shelved as Myth & Legend Fiction and Circus & Carnival.

How long is The circus of Dr. Lao?

The median edition has 154 pages, about 2–3 hours of reading at 250 words per minute.

What books are similar to The circus of Dr. Lao?

Readers who like it often enjoy The Lost Hero, Water for Elephants and Doctor Doolittle's circus.

Books like The circus of Dr. Lao