I just finished listening to the audio of this book. The two readers, one playing Jacob at age 23 and the other Jacob at age 93, are excellent and very engaging. The circus story, taking place simultaneously in 1931 and in 1991, is a credible tale of life in the circus during the depression. It is also a story of life in a nursing home towards the end of life, when one becomes a drain on family members, both children and grandchildren. The two perspectives make the story much richer, even though the circus itself could stand alone. The circus has everything you would want, wonderful animals such as Rosie the elephant and Bobo the monkey, performers/trainers to love and to hate, workman both warm and obnoxious , a shrewd and abrasive owner, and a unique love story too. The way in which the author resolves everything in the end is heartfelt and beautiful, not to be revealed here.