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Carter Beats the Devil
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Carter Beats the Devil Paperback - 2002

by Glen Gold

Filled with historical references that evoke the excesses and enthusiasm of postwar, pre-Depression America, "Carter Beats the Devil" is the complex and illuminating story of one man's journey through a magical, and sometimes dangerous world. A "New York Times" Notable Book. Illustrations throughout.


Summary

America in the 1920s was a nation obsessed with magic. Not just the kind performed in theaters and on stages across the country, but the magic of technology, science, and prosperity. Enter Charles Carter-a.k.a. Carter the Great-a young master performer whose skill as an illusionist exceeds even that of the great Houdini.Fueled by a passion for magic that grew out of desperation and loneliness, Carter has become a legend in his own time. His thrilling act involves outrageous stunts carried out on elaborate sets before the most demanding audiences. But the most outrageous stunt of all stars none other than President Warren Harding and ends up nearly costing Carter the reputation he worked so hard to create. Filled with historical references that evoke the excesses and enthusiasm of postwar, pre-Depression America, Carter Beats the Devil is the complex and illuminating story of one mans' journey through a magical-and sometimes dangerous-world, where illusion is everything, and everything is illusory.

From the publisher

A hypnotizing work of historical fiction that stars 1920s magician Charles the Great, a young master performer whose skill as an illusionist exceeds even that of the great Houdini. Nothing in his career has prepared Charles Carter for the greatest stunt of all, which stars none other than President Warren G. Harding and which could end up costing Carter the reputation he has worked so hard to create. Filled with historical references that evoke the excesses and exuberance of Roaring Twenties, pre-Depression America, Carter Beats the Devil is a complex and illuminating story of one man's journey through a magical and sometimes dangerous world, where illusion is everything.

First line

He wasn't always a great magician.

Details

  • Title Carter Beats the Devil
  • Author Glen Gold
  • Binding Paperback
  • Edition Reprint
  • Pages 496
  • Volumes 1
  • Language ENG
  • Publisher Hachette Books, New York
  • Date 2002-09-18
  • ISBN 9780786886326 / 0786886323
  • Weight 1.22 lbs (0.55 kg)
  • Dimensions 8.02 x 5.15 x 1.71 in (20.37 x 13.08 x 4.34 cm)
  • Ages 18 to UP years
  • Grade levels 13 - UP
  • Themes
    • Chronological Period: 1920's
    • Chronological Period: 1900-1949
  • Library of Congress subjects Mystery fiction, Historical fiction
  • Library of Congress Catalog Number 2001016910
  • Dewey Decimal Code FIC

Media reviews

Citations

  • BookPage, 12/01/2002, Page 18
  • Booksense '76 Sep/Oct 2002, 09/01/2002, Page 1
  • Entertainment Weekly, 09/13/2002, Page 147
  • New York Times, 10/13/2002, Page 32

About the author

Glen David Gold received his MFA for creative writing at the University of California at Irvine and has written for newspapers, film, and television. He currently lives in Southern California.
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Carter Beats the Devil
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Carter Beats the Devil

by Glen David Gold

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Carter Beats the Devil: A Novel
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Carter Beats the Devil

Carter Beats the Devil

by Gold, Glen David

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New York: Hyperion. Very Good. 2002. First Paperback Edition. Trade Paperback. A little corner curl.. No spine crease. Full number line 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Debut novel. . 496 pages. In <I>Carter Beats the Devil</I>, Glen David Gold subjects the past to the same wondrous transformations as the rabbit in a skilled illusionist's hat. Gold's debut novel opens with real-life magician, Charles Carter, executing a particularly grisly trick, using President Warren G. Harding as a volunteer. Shortly afterwards, Harding dies mysteriously in his San Francisco hotel room,and Carter is forced to flee the country. Or does he? It's only the first of many misdirections in a magical performance by Gold. In the course of subsequent pages, Carter finds himself pursued by the most hapless of FBI agents; falls in love with a beautiful, outspoken blind woman; and confronts an old nemesis bent on destroying him. Throw in countless stunning (and historically accurate) illusions, some… Read More
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Carter Beats the Devil

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Carter Beats the Devil

by Glen David Gold

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