Josser: The Secret Life of a Circus Girl

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

An account of Oxford-educated Nell Stroud's life in the circus. It is also the story of the people of the circus, from the trapeze artists and clowns to the high-wire acts and grooms, as Nell reveals their commitment and expertise, and their hard, marginalized lives. Following a terrible riding accident which left her mother permanently brain-damaged, Nell ran away to the circus. What she found there was a life which became more real to her than the one she left behind. She found people who had sacrificed their lives for their art, who worked in all weathers, perfecting some of the most dramatic and beautiful acts she had ever seen. She found third-generation show-people who travelled around forgotten parts of Britain to bring their abstract, polished, multi-layered show to ever-dwindling audiences. She found herself in an art form that may soon be lost. Nell lived and worked among the circus people for several years, but she is not one of them: she was not born in the circus. In their words she is a "josser" a person in the circus from the outside world.

Reviews

'A dream book' THE BOOKSELLER 'She did something we all dream of doing. Her book is a brave attempt to keep this dream alive' Dea Birkett 'Above all Stroud has written an elegy for the circus and its traditions...We are lucky to have the record of this book' INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY 'JOSSER is a paean to the circus: an impassioned plea for understanding and tolerance of its performers, as well as an obsessive account of the daily hardships of life in the Big Top' TLS 'You may think you know about the circus. But if you really want to find out about it, read this beautifully written, lucid account of the secret life of a circus girl.' Nigel Williams 'Unflinchingly honest.' LITERARY REVIEW 'This book is about glamous, hard work and art... It's an extraordinary achievement, pulling you in with a kind of solemn warmth and quite brilliantly written.' MAIL ON SUNDAY 'Stroud's book is measured but expressive, and beyond her own story lies a moving depiction of a form of entertainment on the brink of extinction.' OBSERVER '[A] fascinating journey through the emotional border-lands of England.' NEW STATESMAN 'A captivating first book which will change the way you see the circus forever.' IRISH TIMES 'This is a compelling book, offering a rare glimpse into a disappearing world.' DAILY MIRROR

Author Bio

Nell Stroud was born in Oxford in 1973. She studied English Literature at the university before leaving to join the circus. This is her first book.