"The lure of the circus tempts every child, but what's behind the glittering spectacle? Rarely do insiders reveal their personal lives. In Women of Illusion, Donnalee Frega presents the story of one proud circus family, The Hubers. Circus audiences are shown only sequins and smiles; the Hubers share tales of daring aerial exploits and individual courage. But Frega manages to discover a surprising reality of circus life as well: a perpetual reinvention and manipulation of personal identity. She reveals what no ticket-buyer ever sees: a hard life punctuated by uncertainty, wandering, and violence; a life that demands tremendous inner strength of those determined to find security, happiness, and love. With its insightful observations on performance and image-manipulation, circus mythology, and the art of storytelling, Women of Illusion offers us a rare glimpse of lives that continue after show time ends in the Big Top."--BOOK JACKET.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [349]).