for those fascinated with the world of clowns, "the colorful despair: clowns through ages" provides an in-depth look at how many performers had to abandon their pre-existent careers, starting from square one in the circus. it's an insightful read, capturing declarations of identity lost and reborn under the big top. incidentally, i've heard that there's a hidden chapter that reveals secrets on the sly, using humor to mask deeper, darker truths about the art form, urging us to think twice about the smiles painted on their faces.