Tiltawhirl John
by Gary Paulsen
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Description
A fifteen-year-old runaway discovers that a carnival's razzle-dazzle doesn't shield it from the cruelties of life.Tags
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Member Reviews
Intriguing coming-of-age story. Quick and easy read, but I thought it was also an interesting social commentary about those who exist on the bottom and those who keep them there.
Short coming-of-age story, told from the perspective of a 16 year old runaway who winds up working as a carnie. There are some touching moments as well that made the characters more human than caricature.
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Author Information
235+ Works 100,086 Members
Gary Paulsen was born on May 17, 1939 in Minnesota. He was working as a satellite technician for an aerospace firm in California when he realized he wanted to be a writer. He left his job and spent the next year in Hollywood as a magazine proofreader. His first book, Special War, was published in 1966. He has written more than 175 books for young show more adults including Brian's Winter, Winterkill, Harris and Me, Woodsong, Winterdance, The Transall Saga, Soldier's Heart, This Side of Wild, and Guts: The True Stories Behind Hatchet and the Brian Books. Hatchet, Dogsong, and The Winter Room are Newbery Honor Books. He was the recipient of the 1997 Margaret A. Edwards Award for his lifetime achievement in writing for young adults. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Common Knowledge
- Original publication date
- 1977
- People/Characters
- Boy; T-John; Wanda; Billy the Geek
- Important places
- North Dakota, USA
- Dedication
- This book is dedicated to Ruth and Gito, the only two who have ever meant anything to me; with deep love.
- First words
- It was in the summer when I came onto being sixteen that I ran off and met Tiltawhirl John and learned all about life and sex and what it meant to be a man.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Maybe done is done.
But I doubt it.
Classifications
Statistics
- Members
- 94
- Popularity
- 341,346
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.67)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
- 3
