MIDWAY FLASH! ... Showbiz David Called "Borderline Racist" in Amazon Book Review .... Has He Finally Reached Prime Time, He Wonders ...

Full disclosure:  I have never asked a single person to post a review for any of my books on Amazon.

For the most part, I believe my books have been fairly reviewed by Amazon consumers.   Only twice have I been savaged, by somebody working an agenda, I believed, but never on a circus title. 

Recently, very recently, checking up on two of my books, I came upon very good news and very bad news.

First, the good:

FALL OF THE BIG TOP: When it was published, it garnered  a couple of good reviews on Amazon, and a 2-star stinker, my being accused of “a lot of whining and ranting about the old days."    I could see how it might have been my fault, in not making clear that the narrator, a guy called Sage, was  meant to have a voice of wistful regret, going a little poetic in his exclusive hold over a small crowd of people having arrived on a near deserted midway to see a circus.  Yes,a little tongue-in-cheek, I thought.  On this count, I wish I had done a better job at the outset of setting up and defining Sage.  (I talk about this in my book, Big Top Typewriter)

Well, let the whining and ranting take a bow.  Yesterday, I discovered to my elation  a five star review on Amazon, posted by one Hugh Lowther, about whom I know nothing.  I checked on his other book reviews, and there are dozens of them on a wide range of subjects. Of a few other circus titles he has reviewed, he gave four stars to The Circus Fire, only two stars to The Great Circus Train Wreck, and four to The Hartford Circus Fire.

Surely, he was well prepared for the adversity that opens my book on that fateful day in Pittsburgh. I had often wondered about its placement.  Now, I’m glad I put it there.

Okay, onto the bad news, I guess -- to my alleged status as a "borderline racist"

INSIDE THE CHANGING CIRCUS: When the book came out, it received two good reviews, a five and a four star.  Now comes a blast to deflate my air, if there is any left in my ego.  Me, a racist?  My mind scrambled to recall, defaulting to the usual object of such complaint.  What had I said about or referring to  African Americans?

No, turns out that BaderState Transplant, the Amazon critic, was offended by a term I've coined and often used, "The Mexican Family Plan," meaning a family of Mexican performers with varied talents, bringing many acts to a show, some average or below, one or two possibly outstanding, and likely a good bargain for your typical struggling circus owners.  But let me quote my new accuser: 

"The final nail in the coffin for me was his borderline racism. He often referred to shows use Latinx circus performers as using the 'Mexican family plan.' It doesn't matter that a large amount of these families come from Central and South America, he lumps all Latinx performers as Mexican."

I checked Transplant's other reviews, of which there are six, one of another circus book -- five stars for Paul Binder's tome with that impossible-to-remember-spell title about Sea Lions, a book I also much enjoyed. Congrats, Paul!   And, please, another? ....

What can I say?  I'll  only note, that on this very blog, I recently raved about one of the top acts that appeared on Jim Judkin's Circus Chimera: Alex Chimal.  The gifted juggler came with a Mexican Family Plan, THANK YOU, Chimal family.  And Gaonas and Vazquez, and on and on ...

This borderline jolt has caused me to wonder:  whenever I criticize a white circus performer, am I not also being a racist?  And if I am, who will accuse me of the sin but another person of my own color?  White performers matter too!

ALREADY GONE TOO FAR, David. No, No.  I could have a field day with this one.  Oh, could I ever.  I'm putting a gag order on myself.  NO MORE.