The Strongest Man in the World: Louis Cyr

This book, in graphic novel format, tells the story of one of Canada’s most amazing and famous heroes. As he prepares for his final circus performance in November 1900, Mr. Cyr looks back on his life as the world’s strongest man. His grandfather always believed Louis would be a great strongman and helped him train from the time he was a little boy. When he as 17 he entered a contest in a county fair and was the only one who could lift a horse! That was the beginning of his career, and he went on to perform in circuses and other venues all over Canada, the United States and Europe. Nobody could match his skill in weight lifting, and some of his records still stand today. The drawings clearly show how big & strong he was, and how tremendous his feats of strength were—in one he is shown using his back to lift a plank with 18 men standing on it. This is a fun and informative read (but don’t try lifting a horse yourself!).