A Russian circus in trouble. An animal trainer in love. Can the ensemble survive an international scandal?
Russia, 1907. Vladimir Durov loves to make people laugh at his prized pig’s crazy antics. But when it comes to the recently widowed circus owner, Natasha, he can barely get a smile. Desperate to capture her heart, the rough-hewn trainer comes up with a dangerous scheme to impress the woman he loves.
As the circus travels to Germany to seek more paying customers, Durov decides to dress his prized pig as the war-mongering Kaiser himself. But the Kaiser’s faithful dragoon warns Durov he’ll be tossed into prison if he goes ahead with his outlandish satirical taunt…
Will Durov’s pig-headed, hilarious spectacle backfire or bring him fame, fortune… and a woman’s heart?
The Circus Pig and the Kaiser is a rollicking historical satire that deals with freedom of expression under an authoritarian regime – a subject greatly relevant today!
Advance Praise:
“Carolyn Kay Brancato brings an eye for detail, an ear for dialogue, and the heart of a true storyteller to give us characters to root for and thoughtful insights about the roles art and humor play in showing us who we are.”
—Nell Minow, Editor, Miniver Press
“The Circus Pig and the Kaiser: A Novel Based on a Strange but True Event,” by Carolyn Kay Brancato, is a fast-paced drama of wit and humor amid politically charged circumstances. This circus is an unlikely tour de force that heroically upsets the status quo. Read More
—Colin Harrington, The Berkshire Eagle
