I don’t know if it’s ever been said that a clown is the heart of circus, but it sure rings true. It seems a clown’s job is not only to move an audience toward laughter but also to represent the humanity of circus and project that for us to be reminded of our own. Circus artists can be not only strong acrobats, graceful dancers, quick jugglers, and smart magicians but also vulnerable people like you and I. Empathy—this is perhaps what clowns help us feel, that although we are each unique, we actually are not so different from one another.

Jeff Raz. Photo courtesy of Stuart Locklear Jeff Raz is a master clown teacher and performer. So when I heard he had written a book on clowning, I thought it must contain not just an entertaining look into a clown’s life but also valuable insights on the sap of life t...