Description
Sweeping between Prague during World War II and modern-day Los Angeles, "The Trick is a lyrical, uplifting, and funny story that will tug at all of your heartstrings" (Armando Lucas Correa, bestselling author of The German Girl) that follows a young boy seeking out a cynical, old magician in the hopes that his spells might keep his family together.
In 1934, a rabbi's son in Prague joins a traveling circus, becomes a magician, and rises to fame under the stage name the Great Zabbatini, just as Europe descends into World War II. When Zabbatini is discovered to be a Jew, his battered trunk full of magic tricks becomes his only hope for survival.
Seventy years later in Los Angeles, ten-year-old Max finds a scratched-up LP that captured Zabbatini performing his greatest illusions. But the track in which Zabbatini performs the spell of eternal love-the spell Max believes will keep his parents from getting divorced-is damaged beyond repair. Desperate for a solution, Max seeks out the now elderly, cynical magician and begs him for help.
With gentle wisdom and heartbreaking humor, this is an inventive, deeply moving story about a young boy who needs a miracle, and a disillusioned old man who needs redemption.
About the Author
Emanuel Bergmann was born in Germany and is a journalist and translator. He has been living in Los Angeles since 1990. His first novel, The Trick, was an international bestseller.
Reviews
"As I flipped the pages, I was reminded of the best magic of all: love's ability to turn our greatest disappointments into our biggest blessings." * First for Women Magazine *
"The Trick is a lyrical, uplifting, and funny story that will tug at all of your heartstrings. A true miracle from the first to the last page." -- Armando Lucas Correa, bestselling author of The German Girl
"Emanuel Bergmann is a formidable writer and he has meticulously weaved the story with two great characters. You will enjoy this brilliantly written debut novel no matter what your mood and age are." * The Washington BookReview *
"Haunting." * New York Post *
"Bergmann's novel, a pleasing blend of Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants and Jonathan Safran Foer's Everything is Illuminated, puts magic back into everyday life." * Booklist *
"Sweet, funny, magical." * Kirkus *
"The twin stories of Max and the octogenarian born Moshe Goldenhirsch in Prague will mesmerize readers as they move ever closer to the finale. While Max hunts down his quarry, I was envisioning the fortune-telling machine at the heart of the Tom Hanks film Big, but the images Bergmann creates are eerier and more devastating in his exceptional work." * Library Journal *
"Bergmann's storytelling is a feat of magic in and of itself." * RT Book Reviews *
"By turns sentimental and quirky, The Trick has much to love, most notably a charming intergenerational friendship between a boy who clings to his magical thinking and a disillusioned old grouch. . . Bergmann packs in enough magic and miracles to leave the reader under his spell." * Shelf Awareness *
"A poignant story about one's true worth." * Historical Novel Society *
"A lovely story . . . A tale for those who continue to look for magic in the world." * New York Journal of Books *
"A wonderful, inspiring book. Don't miss it." * The Jerusalem Post *
"The tragedy of the past weaves together with humor, love, and a belief in the impossible in The Trick." * BookPage *
Book Information
ISBN 9781501155833
Author Emanuel Bergmann
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Emily Bestler Books
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Weight(grams) 377g
Dimensions(mm) 210mm * 135mm * 28mm
In 1934, a rabbi's son in Prague joins a traveling circus, becomes a magician, and rises to fame under the stage name the Great Zabbatini, just as Europe descends into World War II. When Zabbatini is discovered to be a Jew, his battered trunk full of magic tricks becomes his only hope for survival.
Seventy years later in Los Angeles, ten-year-old Max finds a scratched-up LP that captured Zabbatini performing his greatest illusions. But the track in which Zabbatini performs the spell of eternal love-the spell Max believes will keep his parents from getting divorced-is damaged beyond repair. Desperate for a solution, Max seeks out the now elderly, cynical magician and begs him for help.
With gentle wisdom and heartbreaking humor, this is an inventive, deeply moving story about a young boy who needs a miracle, and a disillusioned old man who needs redemption.
About the Author
Emanuel Bergmann was born in Germany and is a journalist and translator. He has been living in Los Angeles since 1990. His first novel, The Trick, was an international bestseller.
Reviews
"As I flipped the pages, I was reminded of the best magic of all: love's ability to turn our greatest disappointments into our biggest blessings." * First for Women Magazine *
"The Trick is a lyrical, uplifting, and funny story that will tug at all of your heartstrings. A true miracle from the first to the last page." -- Armando Lucas Correa, bestselling author of The German Girl
"Emanuel Bergmann is a formidable writer and he has meticulously weaved the story with two great characters. You will enjoy this brilliantly written debut novel no matter what your mood and age are." * The Washington BookReview *
"Haunting." * New York Post *
"Bergmann's novel, a pleasing blend of Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants and Jonathan Safran Foer's Everything is Illuminated, puts magic back into everyday life." * Booklist *
"Sweet, funny, magical." * Kirkus *
"The twin stories of Max and the octogenarian born Moshe Goldenhirsch in Prague will mesmerize readers as they move ever closer to the finale. While Max hunts down his quarry, I was envisioning the fortune-telling machine at the heart of the Tom Hanks film Big, but the images Bergmann creates are eerier and more devastating in his exceptional work." * Library Journal *
"Bergmann's storytelling is a feat of magic in and of itself." * RT Book Reviews *
"By turns sentimental and quirky, The Trick has much to love, most notably a charming intergenerational friendship between a boy who clings to his magical thinking and a disillusioned old grouch. . . Bergmann packs in enough magic and miracles to leave the reader under his spell." * Shelf Awareness *
"A poignant story about one's true worth." * Historical Novel Society *
"A lovely story . . . A tale for those who continue to look for magic in the world." * New York Journal of Books *
"A wonderful, inspiring book. Don't miss it." * The Jerusalem Post *
"The tragedy of the past weaves together with humor, love, and a belief in the impossible in The Trick." * BookPage *
Book Information
ISBN 9781501155833
Author Emanuel Bergmann
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint Emily Bestler Books
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Weight(grams) 377g
Dimensions(mm) 210mm * 135mm * 28mm
