A Circus Without Elephants: A Memoir

All at once sweet, entertaining, exciting, unique, and moving, A Circus wihout Elephants was a pleasant surprise. Though Wills's family is distinct from any other, the reader cannot help but notice traits common to all families in her stories.

I have been a fan of Maralys Wills since reading her first memoir, HIGHER THAN EAGLES, so it was no surprise to me to find that I'd missed this family and their adventures. Maralys didn't have to run away to join the circus, she was living in one. These vignettes of family life kept me laughing even through the tears. There may have even been a guffaw or two that escaped my lips. Do yourself a favor and read this book, you'll make new friends within its pages and maybe you'll appreciate your own 'circus' a little more.

Maralys Wills has really done it with this memoir. It had me laughing out loud, and I was riveted from the start. Maralys has a way of picking out the key moments in her life and weaving them into a complete story. And her comic timing is superb! What makes this book special, is that it's a book for all ages, and it has a lightness to it that keeps you wanting to read through the night. It really is that good. I highly recommend this book for all family members. I think everyone will learn the lesson of keeping the levity in your life, despite the tough times...which is a wonderful and inspiring lesson for us all. Pick it up and you won't be dissapointed!

This book is simply delightful! So funny, so real and so touching that I literally couldn't put it down. I finished the book and turned out the light at 4:26 AM! I had been hooked by Maralys Wills when I read HIGHER THAN EAGLES and should have known that my sleep would be postponed. This is a book that I can still pick up, open to almost any page and find myself laughing out loud. I didn't want to exaggerate; so I just tried and opened to page 269, and laughed. I could visualize, through Mrs. Wills' words...how her husband "became all too aware that he bore a remarkable similarity to King Henry the Eighth." If you feel that you are deserving of something truly great--then, you must buy this book! Nothing else will be good enough for you!

Maralys Wills has an extraordinary gift of sharing vivid accounts of the antics of a perfectly normal family, well normal probably isn't the right word. Every one of her children is a stand out in their own way. The articulation of her life experiences had me constantly laughing out loud while reading the book. This family has experienced more joy and certainly more tragedy than many of us ever will. I loved this book and look forward to the sequel