{"product_id":"the-circus-of-dr-lao","title":"The Circus of Dr. Lao","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDazzling and macabre, literary and philosophical, \u003ci\u003eThe Circus of Dr. Lao\u003c\/i\u003e has been acclaimed as a masterpiece of speculative fiction and influenced such writers as Ray Bradbury.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAbalone, Arizona, is a sleepy southwestern town whose chief concerns are boredom and surviving the Great Depression--that is, until the circus of Dr. Lao arrives and immensely and irrevocably changes the lives of everyone drawn to its tents. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eExpecting a sideshow spectacle, the citizens of Abalone instead confront and learn profound lessons from the mythical made real--a chimera, a Medusa, a talking sphinx, a sea serpent, witches, the Hound of the Hedges, a werewolf, a mermaid, an ancient god, and the elusive, ever-changing Dr. Lao himself. The circus unfolds, spinning magical, dark strands that ensnare the town's populace: the sea serpent's tale shatters love's illusions; the fortune-teller's shocking pronouncements toll the tedium and secret dread of every person's life; sensual undercurrents pour forth for men and women alike; and the dead walk again. ","brand":"Bison Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51943878590695,"sku":"9780803234949","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0449\/4075\/5096\/files\/imageloader_fbc39d51-4f0a-4b88-867d-ebf72ab3468a.jpg?v=1775344080","url":"https:\/\/arvidabookco.com\/products\/the-circus-of-dr-lao","provider":"Arvida Book Co.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}