The circus of Dr. Lao
About this book
**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.
Reader Profile
3.8/5 · 1528 readers · 154 pages · ≈ 2 h 51 m · Challenging
How long does it take to read The circus of Dr. Lao?
About ≈ 2 h 51 m — 154 pages, assuming roughly 250 words per page at 225 words per minute.
How many pages is The circus of Dr. Lao?
154 pages in its most-read edition.
What genre is The circus of Dr. Lao?
It sits on the Mythology, Fiction shelves.
Has The circus of Dr. Lao been made into a movie or TV show?
Yes — screen adaptations include 7 Faces of Dr. Lao (1964).
Is The circus of Dr. Lao in the public domain?
No — it is still under copyright.
Who wrote The circus of Dr. Lao?
Charles G. Finney.