Awards
2001 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
From Powells.com
In 1988 Michael
Chabon published the novel he had written for his master's thesis. The
Mysteries of Pittsburgh was a critical sensation and the most talked about
novel of the year not bad for a twenty-something grad student. After a
successful collection of stories, the "young star of American letters"
set to work on an ambitious second novel called
Fountain City. A bit too
ambitious. Chabon could never quite pull the story together and eventually abandoned
the project in favor of a story about a failed academic having problems finding
the ending for a too-ambitious second novel. Wonder
Boys had all the virtues of his first novel charming characters, flawless
prose, playful wit with an additional dose of world-weary adult cynicism.
Still, though an excellent effort by any standard,
Wonder Boys didn't quite
meet the expectations of Chabon's greatest admirers. His third novel far exceeded
them.
At the heart of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay are Sammy
Clay and Joe Kavalier, two cousins who forge a comic book empire in forties
New York. What's so extraordinary about Chabon's novel is how much ground he
is able to cover. Sprawling across several decades and a handful of continents
from war-torn Prague to New York City, California, and even Antarctica
Chabon's remarkable characters provide a virtual tour through the classic
themes of the human experience: good, evil, romance, friendship, longing, despair
the whole package. Like all artists, Chabon accesses the power of the
universal through the idiosyncrasies of the particular. And it's fun, to boot.
Kavalier and Clay was both a critical success, receiving the 2001 Pulitzer
Prize for Fiction, and an international bestseller, and is widely regarded
as one of the best novels published in the past ten years. Farley, Powells.com
Staff Pick
The perfect blend of comic book nerd, literature student, and history buff, Michael Chabon hooks you from chapter one. The characters are believably larger than life, and the 1940s Brooklyn setting feels vibrant and true. Weaving in magic, war, and the birth of the comic book hero, The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay follows our two intrepid heroes along the fantastical journey of bleakest sorrow, to eye-watering reunion. The perfect gift for the modern reader and winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Recommended By Matt H., Powells.com
Michael Chabon has proven time and again that he is a master of American prose and in this, his love letter to New York and superheroes, he has done it again. A modern classic, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is the story of two men whom readers watch grow together and form the standards of the American superhero. Taking place in New York, this epic will entertain anyone who admires the brawn of Superman, or feels like they belong to another time. Recommended By Alex Y., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
With this brilliant novel, the bestselling author of
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh and
Wonder Boys gives us an exhilarating triumph of language and invention, a stunning novel in which the tragicomic adventures of a couple of boy geniuses reveal much about what happened to America in the middle of the twentieth century. Like Phillip Roth's
American Pastoral or Don DeLillo's
Underworld, Michael Chabon's
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is a superb novel with epic sweep, spanning continents and eras, a masterwork by one of America's finest writers.
It is New York City in 1939. Joe Kavalier, a young artist who has also been trained in the art of Houdini-esque escape, has just pulled off his greatest feat to date: smuggling himself out of Nazi-occupied Prague. He is 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 collaborator to create the heroes, stories, and art for the latest novelty to hit the American dreamscape: the comic book. Out of their fantasies, fears, and dreams, Joe and Sammy weave the legend of that unforgettable champion the Escapist. And inspired by the beautiful and elusive Rosa Saks, a woman who will be linked to both men by powerful ties of desire, love, and shame, they create the otherworldly mistress of the night, Luna Moth. As the shadow of Hitler falls across Europe and the world, the Golden Age of comic books has begun.
Review
"It's absolutely gosh-wow, super-colossal — smart, funny, and a continual pleasure to read." The Washington Post Book World
Review
"[A] towering, swash-buckling thrill of a book....The themes are masterfully explored, leaving the book's sense of humor intact and characters so highly developed they could walk off the page. Newsweek
Review
"Well researched and deeply felt, this rich, expansive and hugely satisfying novel will delight a wide range of readers." Publishers Weekly (starred and boxed review)
Review
"Elegant, lyrical writing meets gentle comedy." San Francisco Chronicle
Review
"Product of a sparkling intelligence, undeniable talent and consummate skill." Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
Review
"A page-turner in the most expansive sense of the word: its gripping plot pushes readers forward....Chabon is a reader's writer; with sentences so cozy they'll wrap you up and kiss you goodnight." Chicago Tribune
Review
"This is a gladhearted novel, rich in story and character and invention, and a great escape." Orlando Sentinel
Review
"Starts out as one of the most pleasurable novels of the past few years. It ends as one of the most moving." Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Synopsis
This brilliant epic novel set in New York and Prague introduces us to two misfit young men who make it big by creating comic-book superheroes. Joe Kavalier, a young artist who has also been trained in the art of Houdiniesque escape, has just smuggled himself out of Nazi-invaded Prague and landed in New York City. His Brooklyn cousin Sammy Clay is looking for a partner to create heroes, stories, and art for the latest novelty to hit America the comic book. Inspired by their own fears and dreams, Kavalier and Clay create the "Escapists," "The Monitor," and "Luna Moth," inspired by the beautiful Rosa Saks, who will become linked by powerful ties to both men.
National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist
Finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award
Los Angeles Times Book Award Finalist
New York Times Notable Book of the Year
Winner of the Bay Area Book Reviewers Award
About the Author
Michael Chabon is the bestselling author of Werewolves In Their Youth, Wonder Boys, A Model World, and The Mysteries of Pittsburgh. He lives in California with his wife and children.