Clownland is a journey through an unusual country to discover what its extraordinary inhabitants have learnt about life, loss, and happiness. Injured, and living on the edge of country town, Lanigan embarks on an unconventional, at moments disastrous, but ultimately inspiring guided tour of this strange land - Clownland. This is not a text book. This is not an objective, academic look at an artform. This is not a book that will teach you how to become a clown - though it might help. This is a guided tour, a travelogue, through a part of the world - Clownland - where we meet those employed in studying the stupid, the ridiculous, the clumsy and deluded, both beautiful and ugly, to hold up a mirror so that we can laugh at ourselves. You don't need to love clowns to love this book. Clownland is; "...a work of admirable daring and spirit." Fiona Capp The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. "Judith Lanigan puts us in her suitcase and takes us with her on a 'fly on the wall' journey through what she calls Clownland, to discover not only what is clown but also what can we learn from the ethos of clown and perhaps apply to our daily existence...a great read." Kristy Seymour, Artshub Publishing. "...Heartfelt, honest, funny, endearing, insightful and beautiful...this book pressed all my buttons and ticked all my boxes...easy to read and hard to put down." Shep Huntly, League of Sideshow Superstars. "part travelogue, part plain language philosophy, set in a conceptual and real place called 'Clownland'." Antonella Casella , Circus Oz. "fascinating, thoughtful and moving" Suzanne Donisthorpe, Art Swank, Maine FM. "...that rare thing, a non-fiction novel of ideas that actually has a plot, and is completely readable whilst having a seriousness, depth and humour all its own...Lanigan has captured lightning in a bottle..." Patrick Bath, Australian Circus and Physical Theatre Association. "fascinating, thoughtful and moving" Suzanne Donisthorpe, Art Swank, Maine FM (former ABC RN arts producer and writer).