Marketplace.
First Showman
£10.98
£10.98/each
Sold and sent by Speedyhen
Delivered by post or courier
FREE standard delivery on this product
Find out more about Marketplace
First Showman
£10.98
£10.98/each
Description
The First Showman is a hugely entertaining history of the man who created the modern circus: Philip Astley. There have been many books about aspects of the circus but little written about its inventor. Here, New York Times bestselling author Karl Shaw draws on original research to tell the story of Britain’s Barnum. He brilliantly evokes the time, the place, the drama, pitfalls, successes, characters and passion behind Astley’s rise to fame. Born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, ‘Mr Astley’ is also a local hero for the author, who now lives there.Astley served as a sergeant major in the British Army where he learned his horse-riding skills, before becoming a brilliant innovator of equestrian tricks and spectacles. In April 1768 Astley staked out a ring at Halfpenny Hatch near Waterloo in London and he and his wife Patty put on displays of trick horse-riding in the open air. Two years later, he put a clown in the ring and gave birth to the modern circus. His circus performers included a strongman called Signor Colpi and a clown called Mr Merryman. He established the still-standard diameter of the circus ring, 42 feet. He was invited to perform before European royalty and built France’s first purpose-built circus building, the Amphitheatre Anglais, in Paris. Almost incredibly, he built circuses in twenty European cities.At home, Astley’s Amphitheatre was mentioned in books by Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. He died on 20 October 1814 and was buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris. His life is a wonderful story of perseverance and flair on the way to achieving everlasting renown.
Sold by Speedyhen (Speedy Hen LTD)
| Author | Shaw, Karl |
|---|---|
| ISBN-13 | 9781398119529 |
| Item Height | 2.2 |
| Item Length | 12.8 |
| Item Width | 19.7 |
| Publisher | Amberley Publishing Plc |
Delivery
Here are your delivery options from this Marketplace partner:
Standard delivery - arrives in 3-4 working days
- FREE on this product sent by this partner
Standard returns
Not happy with a Marketplace item? You can request a return and refund online up to 30 days after the delivery date. You'll need to return the item to the Marketplace partner.Our returns policy
About Marketplace
We're giving you more choice than ever before. Shop more products from more brands across homewares, beauty, electricals and much more.
And all delivered from our partners right to your door.
No reviews yet
Help other customers like you
Reviews are submitted by our customers directly through our website. We also share reviews from other retailers' websites to help you make an informed decision.
Write a review