Rereading: THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY by Michael Chabon

I bought and read this when It came out in paperback in 2001. At 640 pages, it’s a commitment to read, but well worth it in my opinion.

Joseph Kavalier grows up in pre-war Prague in a Jewish family to parents with good jobs, so he can indulge his interest in magic and escape tricks like those of his idol Houdini and his magic instructor Bernard Kornblum. As the Nazi hold on the area tightens, he and his family realize they won’t be able to escape to America like some of their family, but with the help of Kornblum, Joe does manage to get out in a dangerous and rather horrifying way, and makes his way alone across Asia and around the globe to Brooklyn, NY, where he’s taken in by his mother’s sister’s family, the Claymans. Sammy Clayman is Joe’s age, and they soon become friends and fellow dreamers. Sammy works for a novelty company, but what really interests him is the brand new field of comic books. Together, Kavalier and Clay create a new comic book hero, The Escapist, and convince Sammy’s boss to publish it, though they have to give up the rights. Before long, they are heading a successful line of comics.

Meanwhile, Joe wants desperately to get his family out of Prague, and take revenge on Hitler, though there are few options for either. He meets beautiful Rosa Saks, also an artist like himself, and she gives him hope that at least his little brother Tommy can be rescued by the aid agency she works for. Joe is willing to use his new income to fund that, and meanwhile, in the pages of his comics, Hitler and his henchman continue to take a beating. Sammy, the writer of the pair, understands Joe’s pain, but is dealing with his own issues. When the war with Germany finally comes, it will change their lives forever.

I’d forgotten a lot of this, remembering mostly the comic book connections, which are well researched and handled, but there’s a great deal more to like about this book. It puts you firmly into New York of the late 1930s to 1950s, and the characters are masterfully written and fascinating. In particular, Joe’s journey, which takes him to Cuba and Antarctica as well as a secret hideout in Manhattan, come to life brilliantly, and is full of unexpected turns and excitement. Meanwhile, Sam and Rosa’s stories are equally emotionally rich and appealing.

A great book, my favorite by Chabon, highly recommended.

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