Customer Reviews

The Carny Kid: Survival of a Young Thief

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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We seldom hear the life stories of people like Kenny Kahn, because people like Kenny usually don't live long enough to TELL their stories. Fortunately, this child of heroin-addicted, con-artist parents did survive, and he shares his tale with a frankness and humor that belies the hardship he experienced. It was the late Fifties in booming, optimistic America, and gangs, ghettos and junkies seemed an unlikely development in sunny southern California. But this was the harsh reality of the only Jewish teenager in the Ramona Gardens projects of East L.A.

Virtually on his own from age five, and living by his wits and creativity, Kenny found safe havens from a roach-infested home and gang-ridden neighborhood in school, library, sports - even Hebrew confirmation classes. Afraid to seek help from the authorities but in constant fear of his parents' raging addiction and neglect, he found outlets for his pent-up aggression on the football field and his thirst for affection with neighborhood girls.

Kenny sees it all: carnies, gang members, and people of every class, color and circumstance, with colorful names like Horseface Joe and No-Sox Bob. He learns about humanity from the bottom up, discovering that human goodness exists at every level -- sometimes in the most unexpected places. His perseverance and tolerance are fully tested during a serious bout with polio and a grueling rehabilitation period to regain his ability to walk. The battleground of his childhood years had prepared him well, and he fights to succeed and graduate at the top of his class. Today he's a prominent defense attorney who has helped bring justice to the lives of immigrants, minorities and indigents.

This book is a testimonial to gritty determination and personal achievement, by a classic American "self-made man." A promised second book will cover Kenny's college years in Berkeley, California, smack in the middle of the Vietnam-era social/sexual revolution. I look forward to the next leg of this incredible journey.

I met the author on a flight coming back from Brazil at the beginning of this year. He was an interesting person with a great sense of humor. He sent us his book to read. I was surprised when I read his book at the horrible things he had to go through - living in the LA slums, having parents that used drugs, and finally having polio. He makes his life story very interesting and keeps you engaged throughout the story. I was very fascinated with his carnival life. We had a carnival that came though the town where I grew up on the east coast, and I enjoyed going to it. My friends told me that there had to be some scam if you could win some big prizes for just a dollar. According to Ken, this is the least of it. His life in the carnival is a great story. However, this book is much more than just carnival life. It is book about kid who had many challenges growing up and has become very successful. I can't wait for the sequel to come out.

One more thing - This book should be a must read for all the kids that go to Inner city schools. Sometimes in those schools it seems like there is very little hope of ever getting to prosperity. The carnival kid should give those kids hope that if Ken could do this so can they. I am surprised that I have not heard of other people (other than sport stars) that have made it out of the slums and into success.

Hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I did.

The human spirit is alive and well and living in Kenny Kahn! I had no expectations for the journey I would be taking when I opened this book, but while reading it, I was rapt in each step of the journey.

Kahn's travels through his early years and especially his carnival "education" became my awakening from the Midwest values with which I was raised (though I will admit I have not just fallen off a turnip truck). I kept thinking how Dickensian this life appeared. I kept asking asking myself, do people really do these things? Do people really believe that it is okay to cheat and that it helps balance the world between the haves and have nots? I will never walk down the rows of carnival games and believe that I can actually win one of those adorable stuffed animals; but, I will probably still try.

Though the book has a lot about carnival life and the story about Shorty is captivating; it is the life and the thoughts of the young man growing up in his challenging environment that is the intriguing story. Kahn is so touching in relaying his experiences and thoughts that at times I felt like a voyeur in a therapy session. Acts of kindness and small, incidental good deeds are remembered in detail.

For those of us in education, we need to recognize how important even small details and actions are when we relate to students. Sometimes a simple smile and good morning at a classroom door may be the one shining moment in some of our students' days. Dedication and bringing all you can to support learning into the classroom is recognized by students. Kahn dedicates his book to Raymond V. Lopez, the teacher who made the difference in his life and career. Sometimes we forget that school is more than a place for learning--it is the safe haven from a threatening or uncaring outside world. Kahn reminds us of this in his book.

Art Buchwald, upon being questioned about what makes a person like him funny, responded, "a very unhappy childhood". After reading Kahn's book, I know why he does stand up comedy and has a comedy routine he takes to law schools. Forget Kahn's being a highly successful and high-powered lawyer when you read this book as the only important thing you need to know about Kahn is what he shows us about the indomitable human spirit that is in all of us and how we all have the ability to impact others' lives, not necessarily with great deeds such as the cure for cancer, but with kindness that feeds the human soul.

I will never take an orange and break it into its segments without thinking of Kahn and his inspiring book. You need to read the book to understand.

I really enjoyed reading this story and was moved by how Mr. Kahn overcame an environment that should have left him a looser. His stories about the carny life are both funny and enlightening. This book would be a great read for anyone, and especially for someone who is curious about the circus.

Wow...where to begin...

This book used to be on a required reading list for teens, and I have NO IDEA why it no longer is...

This book is a necessary read-I don't care WHO you are! I picked it up in a waiting room and was entranced from the first paragraph. An amazing read for young teens with a history of rough childhoods...heck...a MUST read for anyone who has had "it rough"...
BEYOND inspiring...I've recommended it to dozens of people and have gotten so many responses on how this book helped them cope. Please read this book. And PLEASE pass it on...

I bough 9 copies of it and have given 7 away...I keep a copy to lend out :)The other 7 copies have been enjoyed, treasured, and passed on for others to benefit. Unfortunately, I believe this book is out of print...but maybe if enough are sold, they'll start up again!

Enjoy and pass on! I would give this 6 stars if I could!

Kenny spoke at the high school I work at this past fall and what the students saw was that no matter how far down the ladder of life you are there is always the possibilty of making it out. I did not see this so much as the story of the only jewish family living in Ramona Gardens as much as the story of a determin young man who dealt with his surroundings, made friends and did what most other children of families living in the projects do, try and get ahead.

What struck me as ironic is the section that tells of how he and his mother going to the the Jewish relief agency for help and being turned down because, as they said, " your to needy." I wish Kenny had named that agency.

I would hope that he has kept in touch with the Delgado's who opened their home, even in the projects one can find solace and warmth and that is what I saw that he received from this family. The friends you make when growing up are forever family and Kenny will always be a part of East Los Angeles family.

This book is enjoyable to read because the author as a kid is very likeable with an indomitable spirit. Imagine growing up the only jewish family in a mostly hispanic housing project. Kenneth ended up with this predicament because both parents were drug addicts who supported their habit by running crooked games during the summers on traveling carnivals. It seems like Kenneth was born with a survival instinct that can not be denied. Aside from trying to survive living in the projects, he also had to deal with constant poverty since the money went to his parents viens. When things seem to be looking up for Kenneth, being a football player, honor student and sorrounded by great friends, he contacts Polio and spend months recovering at a Children's hospital. It is amazing how this kid just keeps on going without so much a whine, just a sense of humour and wit that is infectious. The book is chock full of neat details about how these Midway carnival games are run and the characters around them. I thought the funniest part was when Ken gets home to his ramschackle abode in the projects during Christmas and finds it full of beautiful college girls. Apparently, it was a Jewish Sister Sorority that collected food and money to distribute among poor jewish families in the projects and seeing that Ken and his family were the only Jews living in Ramona Gardens they got to keep all the food, money and the warm wishes of a dozen college girls. Ken and his book keeps you glued and rooting for him in the next page. A really enjoyable book and to think this is a true story.

The Carny Kid: Survival of a Young Thief is the true-life memoir of a young Jewish boy forced to grow up in a multi-ethnic ghetto with parents who are drug users and drug dealers. One summer the father leads the family on a vagabond life as thieves traveling the carnival circuit. Yet in spite of adversity, young Kenneth Kahn develops his people skills, befriends black and Hispanic ghetto residents, uses the library as his safe haven and draws upon the advice of teachers and coaches to excel, eventually becoming a successful Los Angeles criminal defense attorney. Kahn sees no need to condemn or moralize about most facets of the gang life he grew up around; he just tells his experiences as they happened, and lets the reader judge for himself or herself. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate the author's tenacious and amazing journey from struggling to survive to penthouse prosperity.

Everyone should read this amazing book. It is truly inspirational and will keep you interested to the very end. It provides detailed insight on the hardships of growing up in the projects of L.A. and will also educate you on the workings of a carnival, which is very interesting and provides an occasional chuckle. Its not a kids book, but I am only 14 and loved it!

Kenny Kahn's book is so entertaining - and informative, too. I did not expect to be so pleasantly surprised. Every chapter is a story in itself. Every story keeps you reading, keeps you turning the pages to see what happens next. It's not the most grammatically correct book on the market, but it's entertaining and it provides unique insight into several worlds and ways of life that most of us have no clue about. And, I really believe it has reawakened for me some sort of belief and faith in the possibilities for every child, regardless of life circumstances. Thank you, Kenny Kahn.