Polidore [Paperback]

John Meah (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2003

Polidoreis a little book about little people in the dark recesses of show business. Both of the story's principals are real. Lenny, the more contemporary of the two, is somewhat more fictionalized than the title character, Polidore. Often, when being interviewed, theatrical celebrities will confess that they occasionally suffer from stage fright. Whether they actually do or not is secondary to the reaction it evokes: it humanizes them. We relate to them, atleast briefly, because they've revealed a flaw. The two men whose lives are examined in Polidore are affected by a condition less understandable than opening night jitters. It could aptly be termed "reverse stage fright"; the fear of stepping out of the spotlight. In doing so, they are plunged into a terrifying labyrinth of confusion and past horrors. Are they, then, the fore runners of the "Evil Clown" that today's media titillate sour darker senses with? The grease painted gargoyle with a basement full ofcorpses? No. With one poignantly psychotic exception they killed only thethings they loved most, themselves.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Johnny Meah is a third-generation artist. His great-grandfather emigrated form Ireland to make his mark in the New World as a designer of silverware patterns. His father was an editorial cartoonist and portrait artist. Johnny is best known for his huge vivid canvases portraying the bizarre and flamboyant world of the side show curiosities. He is, in fact, a side show performer, one of those individuals who swallows swords and eats fire, Johnny is, to say the least, unique. Born in Bristol, CT in 1937, Johnny began his art career at an age when most youngsters are still happily at play in their back yards. At age 9, billed as the 'World's Youngest Portrait Artist,' he traveled the fair and exposition circuit with his father, Harold. Meah's fascination and admiration for circus entertainers grew with each year of exposure to the outdoor amusement industry. When he was 14, with the blessings and encouragement of his family, he spent his school vacation with the celebrated Zachinni Family, traveling with the King Brothers and Cristiani Circus. Hugo Zachinni, the original 'Human Cannonball' was also a fine artist and Johnny benefited greatly from the association. Meah said, 'My formal art training came via the Horace Wilcox Technical Institute and a brief period at the Rhode Island School of Design. My practical art training came via my dad and Hugo Zachinni, I learned the basics from my father. Hugo charted a path connecting the mind, eyes and heart that would eventually allow me to paint dreams. 'Johnny's first full year of circus trouping began in 1954, when he joined the Hunt Bros. Circus as a clown, an occupation that he still pursues on an occasional basis. 'Clowns and art are almost synonymous. Good clowns, like good art work, touch all the senses and emotions,' he said. Through all the many years touring with traveling shows, in positions that run the spectrum from performing to management, Meah always painted. In the heyday of big circuses and carnivals, each carrie

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (May 15, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1410726673
• ISBN-13: 978-1410726674
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 6.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,801,719 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rare insight into a fascinating world, July 15, 2007

By 

Norman Bringsjord (Safety Harbor, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Polidore (Paperback)

I remember very well the times (very few) that my parents allowed me to venture outside the protective womb of the small town that was a suburb within a suburb meant to shield me from the evils of "real life" as I was growing up. Catching a glimpse of the sideshows at state fair revealed another side of life. Human beings had weaknesses, much as they tried to deny it. The sideshows were there to say "yes, it's ok... give in to your curiosity, no matter how morbid or naughty... just this one time".

This book is not a novel written by someone who thinks they know what it might have been like to be behind the scenes in the world of the sideshow, but rather someone who was really there. In addition to being an entertaining, sometimes funny but also moving story, it is also a documentary look at a different side of life.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book!! Fantastic story!, April 4, 2004

By 

Ses Carny (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Polidore (Paperback)

Being a performer in the sideshow industry today, when I heard that Johnny Meah had written a book, I had to buy a copy as soon as I could. Johnny has written a masterpiece. If you are at all interested in the circus, sideshow, or just good reading, you WILL NOT be dissapointed with this novel! I have read it three times already and I am starting it again. Not only does it give some wonderful insight into the world of the classic circus, but it also has an incredible love story behind it. Thank you Johnny for such a wonderful book!