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The Merry-Go-Round Man
Do you believe you can shape your future, determine your destiny? One spring day in 1954, three sixth grade boys make a the one who can climb first to the top of a small green merry-go-round outside their school will be “Champ for life!” For the rest of his days he’ll be “on Easy Street!” So they engage in a “mad scramble . . . clambering over each other with murderous intent,” and eventually one of them reaches the summit and stands triumphant, lording it over the others. He is the merry-go-round man. The Merry-Go-Round Man is a novel about three boys growing up in the so-called innocent days of the Eisenhower fifties. It’s about rites of passage, loss of innocence, sexual initiation, racism, and much more . Of the three boys, Johnny Roth is central. He possesses two transcendent gifts which are only beginning to emerge as the novel begins. One of them is the ability to box or fight, something he deeply fears. The other ability is artistic and mystical. He is a natural expressionistic painter of vast potential. Unfortunately, Johnny’s father, an Orthodox Jew, hates both of these pursuits, and his opposition tears Johnny apart. Of the two other boys, Lee Esner grows up to be a gifted football player with what looks like a lucrative pro career ahead of him. He also has a flair for attracting beautiful girls. Is he the merry-go-round man? The third boy, Jimmy Wiggins, is black and from the ghetto. Attending an elite white school with Johnny and Lee, his naive love for a pretty white girl is destroyed by her cruel racism. Another rite of passage. Symbols such as a burning Buddhist monk make us ask whether anyone is really The Merry-Go-Man in life.
262 pages, Paperback
First published May 31, 2014
1 person is currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
John B. Rosenman
78 books22 followersJohn recently retired as an English professor at Norfolk State University where he designed and taught a course in how to write Science fiction and Fantasy. He is a former Chairman of the Board of the Horror Writers Association and has published approximately 350 stories in places such as Weird Tales, Whitley Strieber's Aliens, Fangoria, Galaxy, The Age of Wonders, and the Hot Blood anthology series. John has published nearly twenty books, including SF action-adventure novels such as Beyond Those Distant Stars and Speaker of the Shakk (Mundania Press), A Senseless Act of Beauty (Crossroad Press), and Alien Dreams (Drollerie Press and Crossroad Press). Shorter books include A Mingling of Souls and Music Man (XoXo Publishing), Here Be Dragons (Eternal Press), The Voice of Many Waters (Blue Leaf Publications), Green in Our Souls (Damnation Books), and Bagonoun’s Wonderful Songbird and Childhood’s Day (Gypsy Shadow Publishing). Recent developments: MuseItUp Publishing published two novels, Dark Wizard and Dax Rigby, War Correspondent; and (due in February) Inspector of the Cross, as well as two stories, More Stately Mansions and The Blue of Her Hair, the Gold of Her Eyes. Visit John at his website, www.johnrosenman.com, at his blog, http://minds-eye.ning.com/profiles/bl.... And at --
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.ph...
https://twitter.com/Writerman1, http://www.facebook.com/home.php, and http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu....
Two of his interviews are at
Working Writers http://workingwritersandbloggers.com/...
MILSCFI.com
http://tinyurl.com/d7f5vfa
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.ph...
https://twitter.com/Writerman1, http://www.facebook.com/home.php, and http://s631.photobucket.com/albums/uu....
Two of his interviews are at
Working Writers http://workingwritersandbloggers.com/...
MILSCFI.com
http://tinyurl.com/d7f5vfa
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 7, 2018
Best book I’ve read this year! Granted it’s January the 6th and I read this book a few days ago as part of a slew of books I bought before Christmas, but that aside, I’d have to scroll down my review list a while to see what my previous “best novel in a good while” book was. Alright, I scrolled. It was 26 books / two months ago. Previous book to have that honour was about a month before that. I read 10-20 books a month.
In any case: superbly well-written, and I’m a hard reader to please in terms of technical polish. Beautiful construction, incredibly immersive narrative, smoothly flowing dialogue, a plot that keeps the reader on their toes without giving them whiplash, all coming together to form a stunning whole.
There are books that I read and shake my head because I think I could do better (including my own sometimes, alas!), and there are books that I read and am dismayed because they make me wonder what I’m doing writing books when there is such talent out and about. But, ultimately, they inspire me, I guess. Anyway, enough about the book’s impact on me! I think you’ll love it.
I do try to include a little positive and negative in each review I write, but some books make it a little more difficult to do one or the other. In this case… The title is a little weak? Honestly, I’m struggling to find a criticism here. Over to you, fellow reader.
In any case: superbly well-written, and I’m a hard reader to please in terms of technical polish. Beautiful construction, incredibly immersive narrative, smoothly flowing dialogue, a plot that keeps the reader on their toes without giving them whiplash, all coming together to form a stunning whole.
There are books that I read and shake my head because I think I could do better (including my own sometimes, alas!), and there are books that I read and am dismayed because they make me wonder what I’m doing writing books when there is such talent out and about. But, ultimately, they inspire me, I guess. Anyway, enough about the book’s impact on me! I think you’ll love it.
I do try to include a little positive and negative in each review I write, but some books make it a little more difficult to do one or the other. In this case… The title is a little weak? Honestly, I’m struggling to find a criticism here. Over to you, fellow reader.
January 4, 2018
The Merry Go Round Man by John B Rosenman, set in the 1950's. The main character is in fact based on the writer, fulfilling the dreams he couldn't himself. The book covers several topics such as rites of passage, loss of innocence, racism and much more.
Although Johnny Roth is the central character the reader meets his two friends, Jimmy & Lee. The book starts seeing the three boys make a bet on who can climb to the top of a small green merry go round outside their school first. Whoever was the winner would be crowned the champ for the rest of their days. Johnny is a great artist and boxer that doesn't sit well with his orthodox Jewish father. Lee is a talented football player that is quite the ladies man and there's Jimmy, the only black boy from the Ghetto attending an elite white school.
The book has been written well and captures the reader from the first page. Although fiction the characters were based on people from the authors life.
Although Johnny Roth is the central character the reader meets his two friends, Jimmy & Lee. The book starts seeing the three boys make a bet on who can climb to the top of a small green merry go round outside their school first. Whoever was the winner would be crowned the champ for the rest of their days. Johnny is a great artist and boxer that doesn't sit well with his orthodox Jewish father. Lee is a talented football player that is quite the ladies man and there's Jimmy, the only black boy from the Ghetto attending an elite white school.
The book has been written well and captures the reader from the first page. Although fiction the characters were based on people from the authors life.
February 22, 2018
Great coming of age story
The Merry Go Round Man is a coming of age story that follows 3 boys, Jimmy Wiggins, Johnny Roth and Lee Esner from 11 years old to 21. Jimmy is a young black boy, struggling with going to school in a white community in the ’50s. Johnny is a Jewish boy whose father does not approve of his chosen past time of being an artist and later a fighter. Lee is a classic golden boy who is good at everything, and gets all the girls, he is “the merry go round man” who always comes out on top. Together, they get in trouble and grow into teenagers, they all part ways through different life changing choices when they are 16. Alone, they grow into young men, Jimmy and Johnny reunite and Lee finally meets his match at 21.
The book is well written and all of the characters are intense and multidimensional. I’d love to read a second book telling of the rest of these young men’s lives.
The Merry Go Round Man is a coming of age story that follows 3 boys, Jimmy Wiggins, Johnny Roth and Lee Esner from 11 years old to 21. Jimmy is a young black boy, struggling with going to school in a white community in the ’50s. Johnny is a Jewish boy whose father does not approve of his chosen past time of being an artist and later a fighter. Lee is a classic golden boy who is good at everything, and gets all the girls, he is “the merry go round man” who always comes out on top. Together, they get in trouble and grow into teenagers, they all part ways through different life changing choices when they are 16. Alone, they grow into young men, Jimmy and Johnny reunite and Lee finally meets his match at 21.
The book is well written and all of the characters are intense and multidimensional. I’d love to read a second book telling of the rest of these young men’s lives.
December 30, 2017
How strange how this book set us back to the 50’s when problems such as racism and trying to fit in society were considered as ‘serious problems’ rather than today standards.
A coming of age story, three young friends, growing, learning more about the world and themselves, this is truly an inspiring story because how it reflects the main problems we are facing, some parents force their children to fill a role they are probably not so nice to fit, it could be a career they don’t want to pursuit, a job they don’t find that engaging or anything similar.
What I truly love is how even if you can’t relate to them in any aspect, you can feel you are walking the same path with your own struggles in life, but to not spoil any details of this book, when you know that deep down the struggle is worth it, will you still give it a chance?
A coming of age story, three young friends, growing, learning more about the world and themselves, this is truly an inspiring story because how it reflects the main problems we are facing, some parents force their children to fill a role they are probably not so nice to fit, it could be a career they don’t want to pursuit, a job they don’t find that engaging or anything similar.
What I truly love is how even if you can’t relate to them in any aspect, you can feel you are walking the same path with your own struggles in life, but to not spoil any details of this book, when you know that deep down the struggle is worth it, will you still give it a chance?
March 4, 2018
A coming of age story in the 50’s that follows three very different boys in their quest to prove top each other who is the ultimate “merry-go-round” man. This being the designation for someone who has it all. It starts out with a mad scramble to climb a merry go round, but does this really prove which of the boys will grow up to live on easy street? A Jew, an African American and a gifted Jock, all with different lives living through the same turbulent times but great friends. They have to figure out how to come to terms with who they really are versus how the world sees them and expects them to behave.
Although the story was a good plot and had a good idea behind it, the writing style was a bit off-putting for me. I felt that the writer could have done more to help me care about the individual characters. This was a good book overall
Although the story was a good plot and had a good idea behind it, the writing style was a bit off-putting for me. I felt that the writer could have done more to help me care about the individual characters. This was a good book overall
January 16, 2019
Based on the cover, my mind went directly to romance and internally, I groaned. Thank the book gods, The Merry-Go Round Man by John Rosenman is most definitely not romance. The term Merry-Go Round Man refers to a title given to one of three boys who can clamber to the top of a school merry-go-round the quickest in the 1950s. Johnny is the central character, a gifted boxer and artist torn between his gifts and his disapproving father. Lee is an aspiring pro-football player destined to be a womanizer and Jimmy is the lone black student at their elite private school. This is 1954 so the lives of these three boys is drastically different, their experiences widely varied from one another. We watch them grow up, struggle, fail, persevere, and mature in this coming of age tale that is far more than the usual in that vein of novels.
September 22, 2020
In 1954, while still in elementary school, best friends Lee Esner, Jimmy Wiggins, and Johnny Roth create a game: “Whoever gets there [top of the merry-go-round] first is the real King of the Mountain. Whoever wins is Champ for life. For the rest of his life he’s on Easy Street!”
Lee was the handsome one, a rich white boy from an influential family. Jimmy was an African-American born to a has-been boxer dad, and Johnny was a Jewish boy whose dad wanted him to become a rabbi.
Lee won the battle to the top of the carousel as author John B. Rosenman tells the story of each boy as they progress through high school and their years after graduation.
The Merry-Go-Round Man is a coming of age novel about three boys growing up during the “innocent” Eisenhower Era.
Through Lee’s eyes we see an entitled boy getting into the best college on a football scholarship and the myriad of women he attracts. Jimmy, who is from the ghetto, also attends Lee’s elite white school. Through him we see the ugly racism of his society. Finally, there’s Johnny Roth, the central character of the novel, who clashes with his father about his future. Johnny wants to be an artist, but his orthodox Jewish father has other things in mind for his son. Johnny, who comes across as a mild mannered boy, can wallop a punch that knocks out the worst bully in his school. When Jimmy’s dad learns about Johnny’s talent he tries to lead the boy into a boxing career.
Author John B. Rosenman writes a well-written book with life lessons everyone can relate to. The dialogue flows naturally, the plot moves quickly, and the settings are beautifully described. This is one book that should be a part of every high school student’s curriculum.
Lee was the handsome one, a rich white boy from an influential family. Jimmy was an African-American born to a has-been boxer dad, and Johnny was a Jewish boy whose dad wanted him to become a rabbi.
Lee won the battle to the top of the carousel as author John B. Rosenman tells the story of each boy as they progress through high school and their years after graduation.
The Merry-Go-Round Man is a coming of age novel about three boys growing up during the “innocent” Eisenhower Era.
Through Lee’s eyes we see an entitled boy getting into the best college on a football scholarship and the myriad of women he attracts. Jimmy, who is from the ghetto, also attends Lee’s elite white school. Through him we see the ugly racism of his society. Finally, there’s Johnny Roth, the central character of the novel, who clashes with his father about his future. Johnny wants to be an artist, but his orthodox Jewish father has other things in mind for his son. Johnny, who comes across as a mild mannered boy, can wallop a punch that knocks out the worst bully in his school. When Jimmy’s dad learns about Johnny’s talent he tries to lead the boy into a boxing career.
Author John B. Rosenman writes a well-written book with life lessons everyone can relate to. The dialogue flows naturally, the plot moves quickly, and the settings are beautifully described. This is one book that should be a part of every high school student’s curriculum.
January 22, 2016
This novel is no fun. If there's any point to it, it will require too much effort to find it. I finished the book still wondering when the story would begin.
If it weren't for my commitment to write this review, I'd have not finished it at all.
At first, I was almost disgusted with Aze Fellner's style of narration, but by the end of the audiobook, I began to see why he used that style for this
novel. Aze Fellner has a really good voice, but his style would have been more appropriate for a children's book. I wish he'd given more distinctive voices
to some of the characters. Far too often I found it difficult to know who was speaking in a conversation. Part of the fault might be the author's overuse
of pronouns.
The bottom line is that I cannot recommend this one. I sort of regret the time I put into it.
NOTE: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this unbiased review.
If it weren't for my commitment to write this review, I'd have not finished it at all.
At first, I was almost disgusted with Aze Fellner's style of narration, but by the end of the audiobook, I began to see why he used that style for this
novel. Aze Fellner has a really good voice, but his style would have been more appropriate for a children's book. I wish he'd given more distinctive voices
to some of the characters. Far too often I found it difficult to know who was speaking in a conversation. Part of the fault might be the author's overuse
of pronouns.
The bottom line is that I cannot recommend this one. I sort of regret the time I put into it.
NOTE: I received a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for this unbiased review.
December 24, 2015
The Merry-Go-Round Man is a YA novel with a different flavor. Three boys in the 1950s play a game in which the one who scrambles first to the top of a spinning schoolyard merry-go-round will be a Winner for Life, the Merrry-Go-Round Man. These sixth graders all have personal struggles. Jimmy Wiggins is black and battles racism; Lee Esner is a natural football player and far too irresistible to girls for his own good; and Johnny Roth will be torn between his immense artistic and boxing abilities. What is fate and does anyone truly have it made in life? The Merry-Go-Round Man explores issues that are important for all adolescents. I like that it is available in all formats, including audio. Highly recommend!
August 26, 2015
This book was a most enjoyable read. I was never sure what was going to happen next. Great book.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
November 27, 2017
5 Stars! Wow!! Wonderful story of what it takes to be a man!
John B. Rosenman, an award-winning author, takes the reader by storm and you don't even see it coming like a quick uppercut as he unfolds the lives of young teen boys figuring out what it means to be in this world, what is important, and what is flash in the pan. From the beginning, the reader is hooked, delving into the life of Johnny Roth and his significant friends Lee and Jimmy. The growth of each character molds their paths and they learn the value of life's lessons. Will Johnny be a professional fighter or follow his true passion for art? There is more to being a man than wielding a knife or fist. This is a must-read for all those who appreciate quality prose with action and thought-provoking situations!! Well worth twenty times the price. Do I hear Hollywood in the wings? This would make a great blockbuster. Move over “Stand By Me.”
John B. Rosenman, an award-winning author, takes the reader by storm and you don't even see it coming like a quick uppercut as he unfolds the lives of young teen boys figuring out what it means to be in this world, what is important, and what is flash in the pan. From the beginning, the reader is hooked, delving into the life of Johnny Roth and his significant friends Lee and Jimmy. The growth of each character molds their paths and they learn the value of life's lessons. Will Johnny be a professional fighter or follow his true passion for art? There is more to being a man than wielding a knife or fist. This is a must-read for all those who appreciate quality prose with action and thought-provoking situations!! Well worth twenty times the price. Do I hear Hollywood in the wings? This would make a great blockbuster. Move over “Stand By Me.”
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews