Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician
Daniel Wallace, the dashing and talented writer who wrote Big Fish (the novel), has a brand new book in stores for your purchasing pleasure: Mr. Sebastian and the Negro Magician. I read it a bazillion years ago — books take a surprisingly long time to go from manuscript to shelf — so I’ll let the official blurb handle the one-line summary:
From the author of Big Fish comes this haunting, tender story that weaves a tragic secret, a mysterious meeting with the Devil, and a family of charming circus freaks recounting the extraordinary adventures of their friend Henry Walker, the Negro Magician.
Do you like tales of the South, the circus, and mysterious goings-on? Presumably, if you liked Big Fish. It’s a very different story, told from multiple viewpoints, and certainly worthy of the great reviews it’s been pulling in.
Daniel’s touring, so it’s worth checking when he’ll be at a store near you While you’re at it, explore the rest of his site.
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July 24th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
They do take a while, but is it much longer than spec to release?
July 24th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
John,
Are the film rights set up anywhere?
July 24th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
South+circus+mysterious reminds me of HBO’s much-missed Carnivale. If it’s anything like Carnivale (or Big Fish or the amusing Ray in Reverse even the flawed O Great Rosenstein) I’ll be reading it.
In short, I’ll be reading it.
July 25th, 2007 at 5:51 am
I love Big Fish the movie, but I have not yet read the book. It is on my list. So many books to read with so little time. I will add this one to my ever-growing list as well. Thanks for pointing it out.
July 25th, 2007 at 6:22 am
what a horrible title…..
July 25th, 2007 at 7:30 am
I think we can assume the title is ironic, Andre.
I once found a children’s book in a stately home with the title “The Gollywog’s Fox Hunt”. Now that’s offensive.
July 25th, 2007 at 8:12 am
Actually, I don’t think we can assume anything. How about we read the book -or at least the excerpt Daniel has on his site- first, then discuss the merits of the title.
July 25th, 2007 at 10:27 am
Nah, let’s stick with assuming. Anger is fun!
July 25th, 2007 at 6:08 pm
“…the Negro Magician?” Hmm - sounds like another tale in which the good-hearted, harmless person of color with powers shows up and saves all the good white folk, kinda like John Coffey or Bagger Vance. I can’t wait for the movie. Are you writing it John?
July 26th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Apparently “the term was popularized by Spike Lee, who derided the archetype of the “super-duper magical negro” in 2001 while discussing films with students at Washington State University and at Yale University”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_negro
July 27th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
The Magical Ni**er would be more ironic, why not use that?
Irony is not an excuse for offense. But we (everyone) have the choice whether or not to be offended. I’m sure it’s a lovely book… unfortunate title, though.
July 28th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
I actually read the book and honestly, it is beyond fantastic… look at the reviews (LA Times, Oprah mag,USA Today, etc.) THere isn’t a bad one - nor does any reviewer note the title…it is a period piece and the title (not actually ironic) makes perfect sense once you read the book.Try it.
August 2nd, 2007 at 6:52 pm
I read the book the day after it came out. I was VERY disappointed. Elegant style but no plot. IF it’s ever made into a movie, they will need to have done for it what Larry McMurtry had to do for Annie Proulx’s BROKE BACK MOUNTAIN–add plot and characters and motivations.
August 4th, 2007 at 8:53 am
It’s a powerful read about alot of things all at once. Very few writers could tackle the south, magical realism, the difficulty of race in the 50s and the circus, the devil himself all in one terriffic read.
I could not put it down.
August 8th, 2007 at 8:29 pm
I know everyone has the right to their opinion, but honestly I am totally and absolutely mystified by the comment above that says this book has “no plot…???”
We must have read different books. Fortunately, given the other reader remarks here and 100% of national book reviews I’ve read specifically marveling at the masterful plot - I can say if we didn’t read different books, we definitely read books differently.
August 19th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
This ain’t chop liver folks. Okay, the title is a bit lectionary. I would have preferred ‘Black to Alabama’. But wake up people. This guy that is
writing this spoor on the human spirit is no magician he is one helluva
writer of writhe. You that don’t get it. Take your behind to wig-wag school. Sidney/SydrycalWorks.