It's 1939, in New York City. Joe Kavalier, a young artist who has also been trained in the art of Houdiniesque escape, has just pulled off his greatest feat - smuggling himself out of Hitler's Prague. He's looking to make big money, fast, so that he can bring his family to freedom. His cousin, Brooklyn's own Sammy Clay, is looking for a partner in creating the heroes, stories, and art for the latest novelty to hit the American dreamscape: the comic book. Inspired by their own fantasies, fears, and dreams, Kavalier and Clay ...
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It's 1939, in New York City. Joe Kavalier, a young artist who has also been trained in the art of Houdiniesque escape, has just pulled off his greatest feat - smuggling himself out of Hitler's Prague. He's looking to make big money, fast, so that he can bring his family to freedom. His cousin, Brooklyn's own Sammy Clay, is looking for a partner in creating the heroes, stories, and art for the latest novelty to hit the American dreamscape: the comic book. Inspired by their own fantasies, fears, and dreams, Kavalier and Clay create the Escapist, the Monitor, and the otherworldy Mistress of the Night, Luna Moth, inspired by the beautiful Rosa Saks, who will become linked by powerful ties to both men. The golden age of comic books has begun, even as the shadow of Hitler falls across Europe. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is a stunning novel of endless comic invention and unforgettable characters, written in the exhilarating prose that has led critics to compare Michael Chabon to Cheever and Nabokov. In Joe Kavalier, Chabon, writing "like a magical spider, effortlessly spinning out elaborate webs of words that ensnare the reader" (Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times), has created a hero for the century.
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Add this copy of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay to cart. $101.40, good condition, Sold by Stephen White Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Bradford, WEST YORKSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2012 by Brilliance Audio.
Chabon is an excellent writer - able to keep you attention at all times.
John
Sep 6, 2012
Comics galore
The fictional trials of the beginning of comic books. Well written and interesting. There is an admixture of World War II. The fact that the central characters are Jewish is important but does not drive the plot.
gabe
Apr 15, 2010
Deserving of the Pulitzer Prize it won.
A major epic, full of surprises. Combines history with fiction better than most books of that category.
JeffB
Aug 14, 2008
Wonderful read!
Growing up and living in Cleveland (home of Superman's creators), I thought this was a great tribute to the times and the characters of the book. It is well-written and intelligent and draws the reader into the story.
niki1
Nov 5, 2007
definitely worthwhile
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is definitely a worthwhile read. It's the story of two boys that, for different reasons, attempt to get out of their milieu: friendship hope and freedom are the outcome, and also disappointment. The book is written in a beautiful and rich english. The plot is interesting and original and never falls onto sentimentalism. The only drawback is that it is very long: just a 100 pages less and it would have been better.