Arthur Barnes--"The 100 Somersault Man"--was the world's greatest acrobat, a legend of the circus. He toured for 23 years with the biggest companies in Britain, Europe and the United States, performing for all the crowned heads, as well as for Abraham Lincoln. This book traces his story as a bright thread of triumphs and tragedies running through the tapestry of the mid-Victorian era, a tapestry made rich by extraordinary events of the day and by the eccentric characters attracted to such a profession as the circus. We follow Barnes as he escapes the doom of the iron foundry by bounding out of the desperate slums of the East End of London at the age of 14 to become the "champion vaulter of all the world."

About the Author
The late John Stewart was the author of nonfiction books on a variety of topics including African states and rulers, Antarctica, the British Empire, Moons of the solar system, Italian movies, Broadway musicals, the British circus, Lord Byron, and the flight of the Confederate government from Richmond. Winner of numerous reference book awards, he lived in West Jefferson, North Carolina.

Reviews
"examines the life of this record breaking performer and explores the world of the circus in an era of expanding leisure and entertainment opportunities"-Reference & Research Book News.



Book Information
ISBN 9780786470235
Author John Stewart
Format Paperback
Page Count 246
Imprint McFarland & Co Inc
Publisher McFarland & Co Inc
Weight(grams) 340g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 13mm