As an aspiring author, I always look forward to the readings at UMW, especially the novelists. I was most intrigued to hear that her book was in fact, real nonfiction events that happened to her. I’m usually most interested in fiction, but hearing bits of Tessa’s memoir was shocking and unexpected. Tessa did what most people would never attempt— fire eating, snake-charming, knife-throwing, sword-swallowing, and more.
She began by reading the prologue of her book, The Electric Woman, she detailed on that there actually isn’t even a trick to it. You just have to eat fire, swallow a sword, etc. I particularly thought what she said about “unlearning body defense mechanisms” was interesting. She simply joined the traveling sideshow because she thought she could do it, despite the danger. She mentioned that even though the things she did were required a level of fearlessness, she actually was very afraid. I was very surprised by how simple the acts were in actuality. Like many people, I always assumed there was some sort of hidden trick or limits to the things that performers do to their bodies, like in a magic show. At one point, when the audience chose to have her read a portion about sword swallowing, she said she had to practice and force it to happen, just like any other skill you’d practice. She also said that snake-charming is just acting as a tree for a huge snake to slither all over you and prevent the snake from “falling onto a baby in the audience,” which was funny.
Although the most surface-level exciting things involved the incredible way Tessa learned several circus sideshow acts along the way, I was also moved by the personal aspects of the journey portrayed in the book that inspired her, such as her mother. Tessa was actually inspired by her mom to let go of her fears and do something wild and different. Her mother had a series of strokes that paralyzed her. Tessa talked about her mother’s paralysis in the text as she narrated the first time she lit herself on fire. Tessa’s overall message was impactful and realistic. She reiterated that there are no tricks in the sideshow, or in life in general.
