The World of Clowns
Bishop
1976
Submitter: Yes, the history of clowning in one scary volume, including bad oil paintings!
Holly: I know Mary has a thing about clowns, the poor dear, but clown books aren’t inherently awful. That said, this one is definitely old, and definitely not politically correct, what with the whole section on “midget clowns” (their words). Most public libraries can probably let this go, but at least it is in historical context. Small consolation for a book that is just taking up space if it isn’t circulating.
Mary: I can’t believe the book’s retail price was 20 bucks in 1976. Probably to compensate for all the evil.
Hey wait, my family has circus connections including clowns so my parents “surprised” me with a clown party at the tender age of 4. I’ve never recovered and this book brings back all that childhood angst! đŸ™‚
What does a “producing” clown produce? Something out of the jacket-flap “mine of clowns”?
Now I’m imaging the Backyardians’s Tyrone (as the clown-hating circusmaster) yelling “CLOWNS!”
I have never really found clowns to be scary in of themselves. If they’re presented as scary, then yes. But I’m not really all that frightened of them in general. I don’t find them particularly funny neither. Although I do have fond memories of watching Bozo when I was a kid.