The Circus of Dr. Lao, Paperback/Charles G. Finney

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. About the Author: Charles G. Finney (1905-84) was a newspaperman and writer based in Arizona. John Marco is the author of the Tyrants and Kings series, whose books include The Jackal of Nar , The Grand Design , and The Saints of the Sword . Michael Martone is a professor of English at the University of Alabama and the author or editor of numerous books, including Double-Wide: Collected Fiction of Michael Martone . Boris Artzybasheff (1899-1965) was a surrealist illustrator who was best known for his magazine art, which has been featured in Life, Fortune, and Time .