Calumet Editions

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Emerging Man

Near forty, Ryan Connelly returns to his small Minnesota hometown hoping to reconnect with his estranged father. Stuck in grief and inertia, he befriends an aging sculptor carving a giant boulder into a man rising from the earth. Helping with the work, Ryan begins to heal, confront his past, and rediscover his passion for living.

A coming-of-age novel blending humor and heartbreaking pathos, <em>Emerging Man</em> teaches us that it’s never too late to become a man.

—Ian Graham Leask, author of House of Large Sizes

Description

Ryan Connelly, nearing forty, has returned to Crescent Township, the small Minnesota town where he grew up, hoping to reconnect with his father. But their relationship was strained even before the death of his mother many years earlier. So he goes about his work, feeling as if he’s standing still while the world passes him by. Then he connects with an old sculptor named John Doe, who begins to carve out a giant boulder that takes the shape of a man emerging from the soil. As the statue progresses, and as Ryan assists the old man in his project, he finds himself opening to the possibilities around him, overcoming his past and rediscovering his passion for living.

Product Details

PublishedFebruary 20, 2018
ImprintCalumet Editions
LanguageEnglish

I would normally find characters who blame their parents for their own shortcomings a somewhat hackneyed device but Steve McEllistrem has created a narrative which quickly overcame my aversion. Don’t get me wrong, it is hard to like the central character, Ryan, who would appear to be the sole architect of his misfortunes but again, the author’s skillful plotting and peerless prose keeps one engaged throughout the story. <em>Emerging Man</em> is an excellent study of an intelligent man struggling to climb out of a rut that he has created for himself. I found my toes curling at McEllistrem’s description of a family meal and my heart going out to the old sculptor who worked on the standing stone. An enjoyable, if haunting read. I do not hesitate to recommended it.

—Charles Remington for Readers' Favorite

The author is an exceptional storyteller including great character development, a wonderful sense of humor and keen insight into the human condition. Ryan Connelly is an unassuming man struggling to find meaning and purpose in life but unwilling to take the chances necessary to fully engage. A chance encounter with an old sculptor named John Doe, gives Ryan the jolt he needed to rekindle the passion for life he had been missing for many years. Ryan has a shaky relationship with his father with neither of them respecting the other’s choices. This relationship is thoroughly explored and progress is eventually made providing optimism for the future. I highly recommend this book, I couldn’t put it down!

—Avid Reader, verified review on Amazon

This is a character study about change and hope, reminding us that it’s never too late to have either, and that it can come at any moment and from anyone. A great inspirational story about a man who finds both and learns to live again. Great story about how an emerging sculpture parallels the emerging reborn spirit of a man who had lost hope for the future.

—Geoff, verified review on Amazon

If you open this book you won’t be able to put it down again until the final page. Vivid, compelling real-life stuff that draws you in and won’t let go. McEllistrem is an excellent writer, but this one is definitely his best.

—Eldon Brustuen, verified review on Amazon

One of the best written stories that I have read this year. I was immediately immersed into the story and just couldn’t break away from reading it. Engaging cover to cover.

—Kindle Customer, verified review on Amazon