The Circus Of Dr. Lao

Viking Press, New York, 1935; First Edition; tall 8vo, 154 pages; red cloth; illustrated. Charles G. Finney’s first novel, a fantasy about a bizarre traveling circus that suddenly appears in the remote desert town of Abalone, Arizona carrying a load of extraordinary creatures overseen by a mysterious Chinaman. Winner of Best Book Of The Year at the first National Book Awards in 1935 and later adapted to the screen by Charles Beaumont and Ben Hecht for the 1964 MGM film "The Seven Faces Of Dr. Lao." It has been cited as a creative influence by numerous fantasy writers including Ray Bradbury, who expressed his greatest admiration for it. In his memoirs, author Charles Grandison Finney (1905-1984) revealed that the idea for "Dr.Lao" was conceived while he was stationed with the U.S. infantry in China from 1927-1929. After discharge, Finney moved to Tucson, Arizona and took a job as journalist for the Arizona Daily Star, where remained for forty years, and the fictional Abalone, Arizona was modeled after his adopted home town. Fine condition, clean, crisp, bright, binding tight, sound, and square, corners sharp. No dust jacket. Marvelously illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff. A handsome copy.