Synopses & Reviews
In this brilliant mix of literary satire and crime caper, Frankie Abandonato, a small-time con man on the run, finds refuge by posing as V. S. Mohle--a famously reclusive writer--and teaching in a prestigious writing program somewhere in Texas. Streetwise and semiliterate, Frankie finds that being treated as a genius agrees with him.
Review
"The single wickedest satire I've read in years. Flat-out hilarious (and disturbing, in the most genial kind of way)." T. C. Boyle
Review
"Mr. Magnuson spins his rambunctious tale with...evident glee." Christopher Kelly
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"James Magnuson's mischievous comedy of novelists and conmen--professional liars both--is as subtle as it is subversive, as clever as it is courageous, as witty as it is touching. Readers will love it--but writers beware!" New York Times
Review
"A droll, understated, ultimately sweet-tempered but also keenly savvy send-up of the much-lamented (and misunderstood) creative writing industry in America." Jim Crace, author of Being Dead
Review
"A gloriously far fetched tale, but alarmingly real to anyone who knows the weird world of MFA programs. Besides which, it's a shit-load of fun." Richard Ford
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"Wildly entertaining and insightful, Magnuson's book is an unsparing look into the fragile, orphaned hearts of writers and con men alike. Its pitch-perfect narrator, Frankie Abandonato, is a hilarious, lovable American anti-hero for the 21st century." Peter Carey, two time winner of the Booker Prize
Review
"Addictive.... A delightful take on writing programs and American life." Cristina Garcia, author of King of Cuba
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"[A] plucky caper." Alan Cheuse, "All Things Considered"
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"A fun-filled literary romp." Texas Monthly
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"Ridiculously entertaining." Shelf Awareness
Review
"Tantalizing ... Magnuson nimbly keeps the wheel spinning, neither condemning the whole enterprise of creative writing programs, literary awards and the ambition that drives them, nor fully embracing them. He seems content to simply observe, reflect and entertain." John McMurtrie SFGate
Review
"[A] gleeful look at literary affectations." Edward Nawotka Dallas Morning News
Synopsis
"A triumphantly preposterous fish-out-of-water campus caper . . . hilarious."--
About the Author
James Magnuson is the author of eight previous novels and the recipient of multiple fellowships and awards for fiction. He currently directs the James A. Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas. He lives in Austin.