A well-researched book. Full of interesting facts. Brought back childhood memories of going to see the circus.. Very informative. I enjoyed it.

I seem to be reading an almost equal amount of fiction and non-fiction at the moment and usually it takes me longer to finish a NF title but that wasn't the case here. I certainly got through this one fairly rapidly! The subject matter here is unusual and original, in all my years as a reader I don't think I have come across a book dedicated to telling the story of the "founder" of the modern circus or anything similar for that matter, not that I have actively sought those out.

Initially, I was concerned about stories of circus animals as that would usually upset me but I do acknowledge that things were different in times past. However, I am glad that this practice is set to be banned in England in 2020, about time too! This is basically a biography about Philip Astley (the guy behind the character of Billy Buttons, 8th January 1742-27th January 1814.) Having ascertained that people would pay good money to be entertained, Astley went on to create various components of the circus we know today.

"Father of the Modern Circus Billy Buttons" describes the start and subsequent development of what would become known as the circus. Being a law graduate I was particularly intrigued to learn about the legal proceedings brought against him and his battles to continue to provide entertainment for the people. It charts the rise of the circus and circus performers and how it became what is today. Although the various elements were different to those we see if we attend the circus now, the fundamental ideas are still the same.

I would recommend this concise guide to those who enjoy history (the book is jam packed with information about the times in which he lived) and to those with an interest in the entertainment industry.

Many thanks to Pen & Sword for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book is basically a biography about Philip Astley. The author started with a chapter about how the skills we think of as circus skills have been around for thousands of years. They were used to entertain in courts and at fairs. He then talked about the birth and marriage records he found for Philip Astley and about his military service. Not much is known about his personal life, though.

Most of the book covered 1768 to 1801 and focused on the start and development of his circus. The author quoted the newspaper articles, court records, and advertisements that he found about Astley and then commented on the various entertainments at his shows, the legal battles he faced, etc. The author also talked about Astley's competitors and how things developed into what is typical of a modern circus. Overall, I'd recommend this book to circus fans. The entertainments were usually referred to rather than described in detail, so it may be more enlightening if you've seen similar acts.

I have now read a few historic books published by Pen & Sword and I have always found them to be well written and informative and this latest one of the biography of the Georgian equestrian and circus owner Philip Astley who is indeed attributed as the founder of the modern circus is no exception. Not only are you given the biographical details of Astley's life (8 January 1742 – 27 January 1814) but also you learn of the historic and social events of the time. One of the interesting things is that due to the strict licensing of entertainment laws prevalent at the time Astley often found himself the focus of legal proceedings. The circus that Astley developed included not only horses and domesticated animals but also acrobats, clowns and jugglers. This would later develop after his death to the travelling American big tops that we are more accustomed to today.

This is a well researched book and the use of contemporaneous newspaper reports give an immediacy to the period. Also there are some interesting prints and photographs accompanying the text.

Of course tastes change and the use of wild animals in travelling circuses is scheduled to be banned in England in 2020 and are presently banned by many local authorities and throughout Scotland already but in there place new circuses have emerged performing in the UK which are animal free with the focus instead on feats of human agility, speed, strength and balance which in many ways is a direct legacy of Astley. A concise enjoyable read that I would recommend to lovers of the circus and those who have an interest in history.