It’s Baltimore, 1920. You’re 16. You have four adoring sisters and four disapproving brothers. You are the son of devout Orthodox Jewish immigrant parents who escaped Russian pogroms. Your murderously abusive father is repulsed by your artful interests. You’re harboring a big secret. And an even bigger desire. What would you do?

 

Most Orthodox Jewish boys at the turn of the 20th century did not run away from home. Did not join the circus. Did not find fame. And did not find herself. Flo did.

 

From the shtetl to the Big Top, Flo’s true story inspires.

 

Despite all odds, through sheer grit and the power of art, Flo’s escape from a father’s violence, a world of anti-Semitism and Queer intolerance takes readers on a remarkable journey; and one that illuminates a path out for those who similarly struggle.