With the closing of Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey circus in 2017 after 145 years, interest in the American Circus has grown—especially with movies like The Greatest Showman and live shows like Circe de Soleil paying wonderous homage. Now, adding to this growing circus nostalgia is New York Times bestselling author Les Standiford with his new book “Battle for the Big Top: P.T. Barnum, James Bailey, John Ringling, and the Death-Defying Saga of the American Circus.”

Standiford writes the untold story of three Golden Age titans and the confrontations, cutthroat business strategies, and eccentric personalities that built the Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey Circus. He recreates a remarkable era when a community—without regard for gender, creed, or nationality—would be captivated by the spectacle created by three diversely talented individuals who transcended the ordinary. Ultimately, the rivalry of these three men resulted in the creation of an institution that would surpass all intentions and, for over a century, hold a nation spellbound.

Filled with details of their ever-evolving showmanship, business strategies, and personal magnetism, this Ragtime-like narrative will appeal to those interested in principal players of American history and the circus, not to mention railroading, and those interested in the opulence, excess, and exoticism of the Gilded Age and the Roaring Twenties.