Leaf Seligman

Being isolated from society is difficult, alienating, stressful. And the stories Seligman has collected in From the Midway are sometimes difficult, alienating, and stressful. This modest book tells a non-linear narrative of a traveling carnival in the American South during the 1920s and 30s. Each story is from the point of view of a different character, each of whom has been somehow separated from both "regular" society and each other. Some, because of their race, others their unusual choice of trade, but most because of their physical difference. They are the exceptional and the oddity, people with disability and deformities who have been practically drafted by the carnival as the entertainment. Each has a similar but narratively distinct story of how they came to be part of this grueling life, and their own difficult ways of dealing with it.

I believe Seligman is telling these stories to explore how society isolates those with differences, and the complicated and painful emotions that struggle creates. In this process, they write a visceral world of fairgrounds and sagging stages, but strongest are the voices. I had to take my time to sink into the emotional landscapes of these characters, and it took me a few segments to grow accustomed, but never comfortable. Some of the stories, particularly those with black point-of-view characters, felt forced and very on-the nose. However, all of the characters had a deep humanity that glowed off the page. The final chapter, written years after the rest if I understand correctly, framed the whole collection in a sort of mythic, allegorical space that reminds me of Bradbury, but with more heart. From the Midway snuck up on me a little, and while I don't think it's the greatest work exploring "redemption and belonging", as stated in the subtitle, I found Seligman's writing alluring and different. Give it a try.

I received this book as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program.… (mer)

Beasley's Traveling Amusements is just as it sounds. The troop travels through the south offering rides, amusements and "freaks".
Each chapter introduces us to these people: Flipper Boy, Lizard Man, Tiny Laveaux, etc. Each character is given a voice and a history.
The feel of these stories is such longing and feeling a need to be loved and looked at as normal people. There is a bit of religion intoned in the book, but we are talking about the South, with its strong religion.
The book really made you want to make these people feel good about themselves and look at others with more understanding.… (mer)

This book had the potential to be a great book if the writing was akin to the title. I kept waiting for the redemption, as I read chapter after chapter, but I never felt the characters were redeemed from the sad situation they found themselves in. Each chapter is about a different "oddity" and how they became part of the traveling midway. This was interesting but as the book progressed it became crude, crass, and at times even gross. The treatment that the "oddities" endured to be "taken care of" by the carnival owners, was inhumane and so outrageous that it became unreadable. I thought I would like the book and I tried, but I cannot give an honest review and state that the book was better than it was or claimed to be. I was given this book by LibraryThing as an early readers copy. I can only hope that the final version of this uncorrected proof turned out better than the early version that I read. I am unable to recommend it due to the ill-bred nature of the novel.… (mer)