Magic

Magic follows Corky Withers, a skilled magician and ventriloquist who performs with a wooden dummy named Fats. After achieving success in New York City's entertainment scene, Corky retreats to the Catskills where he encounters a woman from his past. The novel tracks Corky's complex relationship with his dummy Fats while exploring the boundaries between performance, reality, and identity. The story builds tension through shifting perspectives and the uncertainty of what constitutes truth versus illusion. The psychological elements intensify as the relationships between Corky, Fats, and the woman in the Catskills become more entangled. Goldman's writing maintains a tight focus on the characters while incorporating elements of both show business and isolation. At its core, Magic examines the nature of control, the weight of talent, and the thin line between sanity and madness. The ventriloquist's dummy serves as both a vehicle for success and a mirror that reflects deeper truths about human nature.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of William Goldman's overall work: Readers praise Goldman's conversational writing style and ability to blend humor with compelling storylines. Many note his talent for crafting memorable characters and quotable dialogue, particularly in The Princess Bride and Marathon Man. Fans highlight his behind-the-scenes insights about Hollywood in Adventures in the Screen Trade, with several readers calling it required reading for aspiring screenwriters. Multiple reviews mention his honest, no-nonsense approach to explaining the film industry. Common criticisms include his sometimes cynical tone and tendency to interrupt narratives with author commentary. Some readers find his meta-fictional techniques in The Princess Bride distracting. Average ratings across platforms: - The Princess Bride: 4.3/5 (Goodreads, 850k+ ratings) - Adventures in the Screen Trade: 4.2/5 (Goodreads, 14k+ ratings) - Marathon Man: 4.0/5 (Amazon, 1k+ ratings) - Magic: 3.8/5 (Goodreads, 3k+ ratings) Top reader comments describe Goldman as "brutally honest," "wickedly funny," and "a master storyteller without pretension."

The Princess Bride by William Goldman A tale-within-a-tale fantasy that blends metafiction with swordplay, romance, and adventure in the same self-aware style as Magic.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke This historical fantasy incorporates professional stage magic and real magic into the backdrop of 19th century England with notes and references that create layers of storytelling depth.

Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold The story follows a real-life magician through the 1920s entertainment scene, mixing historical facts with conspiracy and illusion.

The Prestige by Christopher Priest Two rival magicians in Victorian London escalate their feud through generations, blending stage magic with the supernatural in a narrative that questions reality.

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern Two competing magicians train their proteges to conduct a contest through the medium of a mysterious circus, weaving together performance and true magic.

🎭 William Goldman wrote both the book "Magic" and its screenplay adaptation in 1976. He deliberately wrote them simultaneously to better control how his story would be translated to film. 🌟 The 1978 film version starred Anthony Hopkins in one of his early leading roles as the mentally unstable magician Corky Withers. 🎪 Goldman was inspired to write "Magic" after seeing a ventriloquist perform at a children's party, where he noticed how the children completely ignored the performer and focused solely on the dummy. 📚 Despite being known primarily for "The Princess Bride," Goldman considered "Magic" one of his personal favorite works among his novels. 🎬 The film's marketing campaign was so effective that the TV commercial featuring the dummy Fats had to be pulled from air after parents complained it was terrifying their children.