A thrilling behind-the-scenes biography of the Ringling brothers' chief henchman. Art Concello wasn't born into the circus. But he was in the right place at the right time, becoming one of the world's best trapeze artists before transforming himself into a shrewd circus businessman. In the Shadows of the Big Top: The Life of Ringling's Unlikely Circus Savior details Concello's fateful path from flyer, to manager, to owner. Against the backdrop of the golden age of the American circus, this book goes beyond the showmanship displayed in the ring to reveal how the circus could both thrill a crowd and make incredible money-and exposes the human toll extracted for doing so. Maureen Brunsdale not only tells Art's incredible life story, but also that of his wife, an orphan-turned-acrobat who was determined to never be left behind in a career every bit as terrifying and electrifying as her husband's. The first-ever biography of Concello, In the Shadows of the Big Top draws back the curtain on the inner workings of the circus and casts a light on the man who shaped not only Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, but the circus industry as a whole.
Maureen Brunsdale is a circus historian and board member of the Circus Historical Society. She is the Special Collections Librarian at Milner Library, Illinois State University. Brunsdale is the coauthor of The Bloomington-Normal Circus Legacy. Learn more at MaureenBrunsdale.com.
One of the greatest circus performers and managers of the 20th century, Arthur Concello was as controversial as he was brilliant. Using a mountain of unmined sources, Maureen Brunsdale has brought this complicated and charismatic showman back to life in this first-rate biography. If you want to know how the great Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus really functioned, this is the book for you.--Fred D. Pfening III, former president, Circus Historical Society As Art Concello himself would have said, Great f--ing read!--John Ringling North II, circus owner and son of Henry Ringling North Maureen Brunsdale takes you under the sidewall and into the spangled world of the circus, where the spotlight shines on performers and shrewd operators, and the craftiest of them all provides a breathtaking center ring performance.--Chris Berry, Circus Historian and Author A stupendously fascinating biography of Art Concello - a complex individual who had a Jumbo-sized impact on the 20th century American circus. Maureen Brunsdale brings to life this enigmatic man as he stayed "in the shadows" yet modernized John Ringling North's giant extravaganza, charting it through turbulent as well as triumphant times. The interwoven account of Concello's first wife and triple-somersaulting flyer, Antoinette, is equally compelling. Bravo!--Greg Parkinson, Editor of Bandwagon, former Executive Director of Circus World Museum Brunsdale brings to life the controversial Arthur Concello in her in-depth new book. Brunsdale takes a clear-eyed look at the team of Antoinette and Arthur, the Flying Concellos and how Arthur sometimes bullied his way into becoming a circus legend.--Leslie Zemeckis, best-selling author, actress, and award-winning documentarian
