I hope you enjoyed Lorraine and Jonah’s story and all the carousel lore I included in it. If you were wondering why I chose to make Jonah a carousel carver, it’s because I contracted a case of carousel fever fourteen years ago in what was, perhaps not coincidentally, the International Year of the Carousel. I happened to see a carousel horse in the tourist information area of an interstate rest area, and that was all it took. The very next day I was planning trips to historic merry-go-rounds and carousel museums.
Two years later, a woman who suffered from the same ailment told me I had carousel fever. Since I’d never heard of it, I decided to do some research. My dictionary didn’t have a listing for carousel fever, but of course it had entries for both carousel and fever. Carousel was easy. Fever was a bit trickier. I didn’t have an elevated body temperature, but there was some truth to the second definition: “contagious usually transient enthusiasm: a craze.” There was no doubt that I was enthusiastic about merry-go-rounds and painted ponies, and there was also no doubt that it was contagious. I’d already infected my sister to the point where she was planning her trips around carousels. The problem was that the fever showed no sign of abating. If anything, it only increased. I’ve been known to convince my husband to drive hundreds of miles out of our way to visit an antique carousel, and when a museum in Idaho advertised a carousel exhibit, you can guess who planned to be the first through the door. I’m not alone. Thousands of people suffer from carousel fever, which is why there are several organizations devoted to carousels. There are also carousel-related magazines and conventions.
All of that made me wonder what it was about merry-go-rounds that caused such fascination. I believe there are three very special aspects to them. First is their beauty. With so much of what we buy now mass produced, the level of detail and the quality of craftsmanship in the early hand-carved and hand-painted horses is truly awe-inspiring. Secondly, for many people, merry-go-rounds trigger nostalgia for their childhood, which may have been the last time they rode a painted pony. And thirdly, there’s the fun factor. Have you ever seen an unhappy person on a carousel? I haven’t. The seats may not be comfortable; the music may be too loud; but there’s something just plain fun about riding a carousel.
If you’d like to learn more, I’ve posted pictures and links on my web page, www.amandacabot.com. Go to the “books” tab, click on the cover for Sincerely Yours, and then click on the “Story Behind the Story” link.
In the meantime, I hope there’s at least one merry-go-round ride in your immediate future and that you too develop carousel fever.
Sincerely yours,
Amanda Cabot