Comments on: Books 2010: Carter Beats The Devil

By: Kate

Kate — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:05:51 +0000

I agree about the clunky writing and poor editing of Carter Beats the Devil. I read it a couple of years ago and really *wanted* to like it — I loved the setting so much — but found the execution very disappointing. On the subject of magicians might I recommend “The Man who Was Magic” by Paul Gallico — a sinister and strangely compelling kid’s book.

By: orata

orata — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 06:22:59 +0000

I thought CBTD was perfect! Maybe I’m blinded to its flaws because I was so into all the name-dropping he does about historical San Francisco and the Bay Area. There are a lot of great cameos in the book if you look carefully, too–I remember a small, hidden cameo by the Marx brothers in particular.

have you read Sunnyside, Gould’s latest book, about Chaplin? I didn’t like it nearly as much. too long, too slow.

By: DropStsNotBombs

DropStsNotBombs — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:42:50 +0000

Kavalier & Clay made me cry. I recently picked up in a Charing Cross bookshop ‘The Magic Wand’ (1942), a trade paper for magicians, so I would be intrigued to compare the daily grind of 40s British illusionists with their earlier American cousins… Also, I know it doesn’t do to judge a book by them, but that cover is gorgeous!