Project Gutenberg 2005-07-01 Public domain in the USA. 228 Locke, William John 1863 1930 Locke, William J. (William John) Locke, W. J. (William John) The Mountebank Produced by Curtis A. Weyant and The Online Distributed Proofreading Team "The Mountebank" by William John Locke is a novel written in the post-World War I era, specifically in the early 20th century. The story introduces Brigadier-General Andrew Lackaday, who reflects on his tumultuous life, particularly the events surrounding his rise from humble beginnings and his experiences in the circus as a child. The narrative unfolds through a correspondence with a friend who has agreed to compile Lackaday's life story, highlighting his struggle with identity and his efforts to reconcile his past with his present status as a military figure. The opening of the book presents a thoughtful and introspective look at Lackaday's life, marked by a peculiar combination of comedy and tragedy. As he grapples with his past as a circus performer known as "Petit Patou," we see his attempts to transition into the world of military leadership. The reader is introduced to a whimsical yet serious tone, capturing Lackaday's charming yet awkward personality alongside his memories of the Cirque Rocambeau, where he was raised and nurtured by a clown named Ben Flint. Through engaging dialogue and vivid descriptions, the narrative sets the stage for Lackaday's journey of self-discovery, as he grapples with his identity and develops connections with other characters, including Lady Auriol, who plays a significant role in shaping his reflections on life, love, and the complexities of human existence. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 74.1 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read. en Circus -- Fiction World War, 1914-1918 -- Veterans -- Fiction Clowns -- Fiction PR Text Category: Novels Category: British Literature 583034 2025-07-04T05:50:59.818892 text/html 585755 2015-02-13T19:53:32 text/html 302463 2025-07-04T05:51:07.659815 application/epub+zip 312673 2025-07-04T05:51:01.663876 application/epub+zip 312673 2025-07-04T05:51:00.516840 application/epub+zip 531544 2025-07-04T05:51:12.379806 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 494732 2025-07-04T05:51:06.964858 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 457595 2022-09-04T10:22:53.273801 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 564481 2025-07-04T05:50:58.666887 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 564413 2015-02-13T19:53:24 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19335 2025-07-04T05:51:12.508787 application/rdf+xml 12211 2025-07-04T05:51:01.042877 image/jpeg 3342 2025-07-04T05:51:00.789863 image/jpeg 226112 2015-02-13T19:55:48 application/octet-stream application/zip 229221 2015-02-13T19:55:48 application/octet-stream application/zip 296167 2025-07-04T05:50:59.880844 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia