I had only read some short stories of Le Guin's in college, but kept hearing from others of my fantasy reading friends that I needed to read her. So, I picked up the Wizard and thoroughly enjoyed it. After reading this book and thinking back over the fantasy I've read that has been written since this book, I can see her influence in so many ways. She truly created a mythology that other writers whether consciously or unconsciously draw from to create their stories."
I loved the parallel stories: Jacob at "90 or 93" and Jacob as a young man. The end of life is heartrendingly portrayed. I've only been to the circus once and it wasn't even in a tent, but I have always loved stories about the circus. The view of the depression from a circus performer's eyes was interesting and the way the troupe treated mental illness was very interesting to me too. The book is an entertaining read. I'll probably read it again at some point and I will recommend it to others."
