Setting
Where does 93-year-old Jacob live?
Nursing home
Who is the protagonist of the story?
Jacob Jankowski
What are the performers called?
kinkers
Why doesn't Jacob complete veterinary school?
His parents die in a car accident and leave him broke.
What are hobos?
Homeless people who have job skills.
Where is the main setting of the novel?
Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth
Who does Jacob fall in love with?
Marlena
What are the circus handymen called?
roustabouts
Who gets Jacob hired at the circus?
Camel brings him to Crazy Joe.
What is jake?
Illegally manufactured alcohol from the Jamaican ginger extract.
What is Prohibition?
People weren't legally allowed to drink alcohol.
Who is the target of August's rage?
Rosie
How did the order of the train cars represent the circus hierarchy?
The least important people were closest to the animals and the most important people were in the cars farthest back.
Name 2 things that Jacob learns about Rosie that are surprising.
1. Rosie understands commands in Polish.
2. Rosie likes alcohol.
What is a dukey?
A boxed lunch meal.
What year did Jacob first start at the circus?
1931
Which roustabout suffers from the jake leg?
Camel
Describe the seating arrangements for the circus people in the food tent. Use circus terms in your answer.
There was a clear separation of kinkers and roustabouts.
What happens between Jacob and Marlena during the speakeasy and after the raid.
They dance. Jacob kisses Marlena but she runs off.
What does it mean to be a wet noodle?
To be a wet noodle means to be weak and depressed about something.
What city did the circus travel to in order to scavenge from a circus that had just died?
Joliet
Who is represented as a dwarf and clown in the novel? (Both names)
Kinko / Walter
What is a First of May?
A novice performer or worker in his first season. Shows usually play the season's opening spot on the first of May, so the term means someone "green" who is new to circus life.
Name two reasons why the 93 year old Jacob doesn't like the nursing home.
1. He wants food that he can chew.
2. He feels limited and treated like a baby.
What does it mean when something is cockamamie?
To be absurd or ridiculous.