Additional information
by J. Michael Jarvis (Author)
WINNER-2024 Silver Award: Independent Publishers of New England, Narrative Nonfiction
"Jarvis has done a masterful job taking creative chances and turning them into pure fun and entertainment. This is a terrific book that doesn't disappoint." - Jeff Lyons, Storygeeks Podcast and author of bestselling Anatomy of a Premise Line
"I tensed up. I cried. I snarfed. This fantastic memoir had all of me to the end." - New York Book Club
"Like looking at [a] beautiful work of art." - Book Lovers
"His adventures are mind-boggling, and the characters he meets loom large in the imagination, but we see a softer side of the risk-loving teenager who is hopelessly in love." - Adore Books Australia
"Beautiful, fast paced, and moving, this lovely book captures the exuberance of youth, the joy of chasing dreams." - C. Bef
An inspiring tale of humor, mishaps and adventure. Among rollerskating's finest achievements, presented on Europe's most breathtaking roads.
At age 19, Michael is avalanching in the German Alps when a letter from his girlfriend arrives, asking him to meet in Barcelona. Impulsively, he decides to roller skate the path through Southern France from Italy to Spain-alone. On day one, a close call with a tour bus in a dark tunnel at 35 mph nearly cost his life. But hubris, testosterone and teen spirit overcome his fears. He has 800 miles to go, with secrets and promises to keep.
With introspection, wit, and an infectious love of adventure, French Roll is the epic story of traversing the entirety of French Riviera on roller skates-alone, with a 35 pound backpack and ski poles-exploring pivotal moments of young love and danger while struggling across the gap to adulthood.
Rejoice in the triumph of the human condition as you join one so determined to finish against all odds.
"That final hill had me gasping. I felt his blisters, his fear, his sweat squeaking across moving cars. I never would have thought someone could make roller skating so edge-of-your-seat exciting. I threw up a fist and dropped my book. And when the crowd cheered him in, INCROYABLE!. La Dorade
"Raw and gutsy. My whole life I had no idea that's what teenage boys really think." - Orange County Book Club
This fast-paced memoir combines the razor-sharp wit of Bill Bryson and the unfiltered authenticity of Cheryl Strayed. Witness the exuberance of discovery, the unyielding joy of embracing the unknown, and the vibrant tapestry of European history, art, and culture.
"Jarvis is bold, gaudy and gusty! Wonderful erudite presentation that life is always more fantastic than fiction can ever be." - D. Herold
"I just bought two more copies for two young friends just finishing college who are wondering 'What now?'" - B. Frisbie
