Roland Merullo
Author of Breakfast with Buddha
About the Author
Roland Merullo is the author of Revere Beach Boulevard, A Russian Requiem, and Leaving Losapas. He lives in western Massachusetts with his wife and daughters
Image credit:
www.vjbooks.com
Series
Works by Roland Merullo
The Delight of Being Ordinary: A Road Trip with the Pope and the Dalai Lama (2017) 87 copies, 5 reviews
Moments of Grace and Beauty: Forty Stories of Kindness, Courage, and Generosity in a Troubled World (2019) 1 copy
Vatican Waltz 1 copy
Last Call 1 copy
La ragazza del lago 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1953
- Gender
- male
- Short biography
- A former writer in residence at North Shore Community College and Miami Dade Colleges, and professor of Creative Writing at Bennington and Amherst Colleges, Merullo has been a guest speaker at many literary events and venues and a faculty member at MFA programs and several writers’ conferences. His essays have appeared in numerous publications including The New York Times, Outside Magazine, Yankee Magazine, Newsweek, Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer, Boston Magazine, Reader's Digest, Good Housekeeping, and The Chronicle of Higher Education. His books have been translated into German, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean and Croatian.
- Nationality
- USA
- Places of residence
- Revere, Massachusetts, USA
- Associated Place (for map)
- Massachusetts, USA
Members
Discussions
Ex-pat man lives on remote island then returns to US in Name that Book (July 2016)
Reviews
The subtitle of this novel says everything about why it appealed to me from the start:
A Road Trip with the Pope and the Dalai Lama
Then there was the author's note:
I am inclined to put my trust in spiritual figures who show a sense of humor, rather than those who take everything—including themselves—with a miserable seriousness. Life can be harsh, yes. The struggle to live a meaningful life, however we define that, can be rich with problems and challenges. But humor exists to soften show more the sharp edges of things. And so Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama, both of whom laugh a lot, seem to me like wise teachers, extraordinary men in the difficult position of guiding billions of followers, of steering vessels with a heavy cargo of good and bad history, in the same general direction, across the rough seas of modem life.
That right there is guaranteed to get my attention. At school, part of the curriculum was world religions, because, as the nuns said, you can't respect what you don't understand.
So, a story about the Pope and the Dalai Lama dodging their security teams and going on a 4 day road trip? Yes please! When it arrived I couldn't wait to get stuck into it, and what better day to read it than Good Friday?
It was so much more than I expected; true, I didn't quite know what to expect - I bought it on blind faith and the subtitle, but there was the humorous road trip I'd expected, plus theology, and mystical adventure and ultimately, the story of a marriage in crises and a startling narrative on the emotional baggage a relationship accumulates over time.
I didn't go the whole-hog 5 stars because even though I loved it, it did drag in a few places. I think this is my fault; I couldn't put the book down and there's a lot of (really interesting) theology here; real, everyday, relatable theology, and I think the pacing would have worked better had I read this over several sessions, savouring instead of devouring it. Also, the MC and narrator, Paolo, and his wife Rosa are a little too real. The reader is truly inside Paolo's head and that insight to his thoughts is not always comfortable; he's a good man, but he's deeply flawed.
As much as I love this book, I can't honestly say it's for everyone. Those who have confidently turned away from faith in anything greater than man need not bother, although the book does offer an accurate view of what faith should be about. Those who do categories themselves as spiritual or religious or faithful might find this interesting, but it's going to depend on the rigidity of those beliefs. There are as many flavours of Christianity as there are stars in the sky (almost/not really) and RC offends quite a few of them. And even RCs might have a tough time swallowing the ending; I admit I balked myself, at first. What Merullo offers as a plot twist is confronting and I can't say reacted any better than Paolo did (at first).
Still, I loved this book; there are so many parts that resonated, from the faith through to the marriage. I adored Pope Francis before this book, and still do, but now, I might have a bit of a crush on the Dalai Lama. :) show less
A Road Trip with the Pope and the Dalai Lama
Then there was the author's note:
I am inclined to put my trust in spiritual figures who show a sense of humor, rather than those who take everything—including themselves—with a miserable seriousness. Life can be harsh, yes. The struggle to live a meaningful life, however we define that, can be rich with problems and challenges. But humor exists to soften show more the sharp edges of things. And so Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama, both of whom laugh a lot, seem to me like wise teachers, extraordinary men in the difficult position of guiding billions of followers, of steering vessels with a heavy cargo of good and bad history, in the same general direction, across the rough seas of modem life.
That right there is guaranteed to get my attention. At school, part of the curriculum was world religions, because, as the nuns said, you can't respect what you don't understand.
So, a story about the Pope and the Dalai Lama dodging their security teams and going on a 4 day road trip? Yes please! When it arrived I couldn't wait to get stuck into it, and what better day to read it than Good Friday?
It was so much more than I expected; true, I didn't quite know what to expect - I bought it on blind faith and the subtitle, but there was the humorous road trip I'd expected, plus theology, and mystical adventure and ultimately, the story of a marriage in crises and a startling narrative on the emotional baggage a relationship accumulates over time.
I didn't go the whole-hog 5 stars because even though I loved it, it did drag in a few places. I think this is my fault; I couldn't put the book down and there's a lot of (really interesting) theology here; real, everyday, relatable theology, and I think the pacing would have worked better had I read this over several sessions, savouring instead of devouring it. Also, the MC and narrator, Paolo, and his wife Rosa are a little too real. The reader is truly inside Paolo's head and that insight to his thoughts is not always comfortable; he's a good man, but he's deeply flawed.
As much as I love this book, I can't honestly say it's for everyone. Those who have confidently turned away from faith in anything greater than man need not bother, although the book does offer an accurate view of what faith should be about. Those who do categories themselves as spiritual or religious or faithful might find this interesting, but it's going to depend on the rigidity of those beliefs. There are as many flavours of Christianity as there are stars in the sky (almost/not really) and RC offends quite a few of them. And even RCs might have a tough time swallowing the ending; I admit I balked myself, at first. What Merullo offers as a plot twist is confronting and I can't say reacted any better than Paolo did (at first).
Still, I loved this book; there are so many parts that resonated, from the faith through to the marriage. I adored Pope Francis before this book, and still do, but now, I might have a bit of a crush on the Dalai Lama. :) show less
Otto Ringling is still at loose ends two years after his beloved wife Jeannie's death. His grown children are doing well but he still feels something is missing in his life. When he visits the family farm in North Dakota which has been turned into a Buddhist retreat center, he doesn't get the rest and time with his daughter Natasha that he expected. Instead, his unpredictable sister Cecelia sends him on another journey with her husband, the wise and humble Rinpoche who has been tutoring Otto show more in the art of meditation. In return, Otto is teaching Rinpoche about life in America. The road trip takes them to Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah where the lessons become deeper and more personal. This particular journey ends in Las Vegas where Otto is presented with a challenge that will hopefully lead to another book about his remarkable family.
I have enjoyed all three books about Otto and Rinpoche. The author doesn't bombard the reader with spirituality, but the lessons are there for those who look for them. Humor plays a big role in these books. It would be difficult to not enjoy reading about an internationally known spiritual teacher with such a lust for life. Rinpoche is most often dressed in the maroon robe of a Tibetan monk, but likes to don a Speedo to relax in the pool when they stop at local inns on their route. He also likes to use his favorite new expression, "Bet your ass", when he agrees with the new people he loves to meet. I am looking forward to the next geographical and spiritual journey Otto and Rinpoche make together. Wherever the road takes them, I will be along for the ride. show less
I have enjoyed all three books about Otto and Rinpoche. The author doesn't bombard the reader with spirituality, but the lessons are there for those who look for them. Humor plays a big role in these books. It would be difficult to not enjoy reading about an internationally known spiritual teacher with such a lust for life. Rinpoche is most often dressed in the maroon robe of a Tibetan monk, but likes to don a Speedo to relax in the pool when they stop at local inns on their route. He also likes to use his favorite new expression, "Bet your ass", when he agrees with the new people he loves to meet. I am looking forward to the next geographical and spiritual journey Otto and Rinpoche make together. Wherever the road takes them, I will be along for the ride. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.The Delight of Being Ordinary: A Road Trip with the Pope and the Dalai Lama – 4 stars – Random House by Ronald Merullo
An absolute delight!
What a spot Paolo has been put in. His cousin, none other than the Pope himself, has asked Paolo to smuggle him and his visitor, the Dalai Lama, out of the Vatican so they can spend some time being ordinary men. That means getting past all of their security guards and disguising their much-too-well-known faces. Joining them will be Paolo’s estranged show more wife, Rosa. Paolo is soon branded a wanted kidnapper and his name and face are all over the news. The hunt and chase is on and this promises to be a road trip to remember.
I found this book to have a very refreshing view of religion. Basically, both the Pope and the Dalai Lama believe that the most important religious “rule” is to show love and compassion to all others. All throughout the engaging plot, there are religious discussions but they aren’t presented in a pretentious or stuffy way at all. Both the Pope and the Dalai Lama are shown as very calm, centered men and while they want to be ordinary for a while, they seem to have no objection to being questioned extensively by Paolo and particularly Rosa about their beliefs. The religious discussions, while an essential part of the book, don’t override the enjoyable plot. There’s the love story between Paolo and Rosa and the difficulties they’ve encountered in their marriage. There’s their daughter Anna Lisa and her unexpected news. And there’s the surprise encounter at the end of the book that may hopefully be leading the author to write a sequel. Comic moments abound and I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this delightful book.
Recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher for discussion in Goodreads group “Keep Turning Pages”. show less
An absolute delight!
What a spot Paolo has been put in. His cousin, none other than the Pope himself, has asked Paolo to smuggle him and his visitor, the Dalai Lama, out of the Vatican so they can spend some time being ordinary men. That means getting past all of their security guards and disguising their much-too-well-known faces. Joining them will be Paolo’s estranged show more wife, Rosa. Paolo is soon branded a wanted kidnapper and his name and face are all over the news. The hunt and chase is on and this promises to be a road trip to remember.
I found this book to have a very refreshing view of religion. Basically, both the Pope and the Dalai Lama believe that the most important religious “rule” is to show love and compassion to all others. All throughout the engaging plot, there are religious discussions but they aren’t presented in a pretentious or stuffy way at all. Both the Pope and the Dalai Lama are shown as very calm, centered men and while they want to be ordinary for a while, they seem to have no objection to being questioned extensively by Paolo and particularly Rosa about their beliefs. The religious discussions, while an essential part of the book, don’t override the enjoyable plot. There’s the love story between Paolo and Rosa and the difficulties they’ve encountered in their marriage. There’s their daughter Anna Lisa and her unexpected news. And there’s the surprise encounter at the end of the book that may hopefully be leading the author to write a sequel. Comic moments abound and I had a smile on my face the whole time I was reading this delightful book.
Recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher for discussion in Goodreads group “Keep Turning Pages”. show less
Once Night Falls by Roland Merullo once again demonstrates the skill of a talented writer to create a highly engaging fictional story to surround some actual non-fiction. In several of his books, the non-fiction has concerned spirituality, but in this book a wonderful suspense story surrounded the actual events of the last days of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. Author Merullo speculates what it would have been like to be a freedom fighter working to end Mussolini’s rule and to throw show more off the brutality of the Nazis who were his allies.
It is a wonderful, tense, highly suspenseful and very realistic feeling read. The constant fear the inhabitants of Italy (and any other country controlled by totalitarian dictators) leaps from the pages and engages readers emotionally in their plight. The horror of not knowing who to trust, of not knowing if your oldest and dearest friends and even relatives might betray you creates a sense of hopeless isolation that contributes to the terror of living in such circumstances, and serves as a warning to
Those who might choose to put despots into power for short term advantages, exchanging freedom for comfort and discovering it is a Faustian bargain.
I am always reading four books at once, some are ones that I am studying to learn from while others are things that have simply caught my interest. When I started reading Once Night Falls, I pretty much stopped reading anything else I was working on because Once Night Falls completely captivated me, making me glad I had a long airline trip ahead of me to give me time to immerse myself in the book.
This was a great book and I enjoyed all of it. show less
It is a wonderful, tense, highly suspenseful and very realistic feeling read. The constant fear the inhabitants of Italy (and any other country controlled by totalitarian dictators) leaps from the pages and engages readers emotionally in their plight. The horror of not knowing who to trust, of not knowing if your oldest and dearest friends and even relatives might betray you creates a sense of hopeless isolation that contributes to the terror of living in such circumstances, and serves as a warning to
Those who might choose to put despots into power for short term advantages, exchanging freedom for comfort and discovering it is a Faustian bargain.
I am always reading four books at once, some are ones that I am studying to learn from while others are things that have simply caught my interest. When I started reading Once Night Falls, I pretty much stopped reading anything else I was working on because Once Night Falls completely captivated me, making me glad I had a long airline trip ahead of me to give me time to immerse myself in the book.
This was a great book and I enjoyed all of it. show less
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- 32
- Members
- 2,830
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- Rating
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- Reviews
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