Dreamer

by Charles R. Johnson

Chaym Smith is the double of Martin Luther King. Not only does Smith resemble King physically, but he also shares his intellectual widely read in Eastern and Western philosophy, proficient in Sanskrit and martial arts and a talented painter. And yet, while King aspires to make a difference, Smith is a cynic. When Smith becomes King's stand-in, Johnson creates a taut drama in which he explores issues long at the heart of the race issue.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Literature, Race, Novels, Cultural

254 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

About the author

Charles R. Johnson is an American scholar and author of novels, short stories, and essays. Johnson, an African-American, has directly addressed the issues of black life in America in novels such as Middle Passage and Dreamer. Johnson first came to prominence in the 1960s as a political cartoonist, at which time he was also involved in radical politics. In 1970, he published a collection of cartoons, and this led to a television series about cartooning on PBS.

1990 National Book Award Winner.

Reviews

[Leo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like I don't know as much about Martin Luther king Jr as I should and decided to pick this biographical novel as I thought it was as good start as any. It was well written and engaging and definitely made me more interested in reading more and maybe tackle a non fiction next.

[Roger DeBlanck · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his novel Dreamer, the distinguished Charles Johnson undertakes the majestic task of fictionalizing the immortal Civil Rights leader of Dr. Martin Luther King. Johnson approaches the life, the beliefs, and the events surrounding King by choosing a daring scenario. He presents two sides of King through the literary device of an alter ego. He creates a character, Chaym Smith, who looks exactly like King. This doppelganger is introduced by the narrator of the novel, Mathew Bishop. Smith not only mirrors King in appearance, but he also possesses an intelligence and charisma surpassing even that of the great leader. Smith is reared by the King camp to become a second King, which will allow the real minister time and space to rest and retain his sanity. What Bishop learns, however, is that Smith possesses an even greater knowledge and gift for linguistic talents than the actual Reverend King himself. But more alarmingly, Smith’s philosophies embody a violent nature. Smith’s genius makes it is difficult for Bishop to determine which man is real and which has the best ideas for how to change the course of history. Johnson succeeds most at depicting all sides of the Civil Rights era, as it was split with hatred, hysteria, and fanaticism that stood in the face of King’s efforts. The story allows readers to understand and consider the magnitude of King’s quest. Were his non-violent methods and beliefs the best approach? Johnson offers the character of Smith as a way to call into question the effectiveness of non-violent means. He blurs King’s corporeality with Smith’s phantom to make a moral issue about human sameness, where only values and beliefs create differences. However, Johnson also makes clear that the greater danger lies in violence, as depicted through Smith. In capturing the spirit, legacy, and remembrance of the great Martin Luther King, Dreamer is ultimately a study of the possibility of self and the power of one’s beliefs to keep dreams alive.

[Faith Conroy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another one I forgot to write a review for. WHAT IF MLK HAD A BODY DOUBLE??? Cray.

The juxtaposition of the wise, charismatic, and immortal image of King and a man who looks EXACTLY like him but but is practically the antithesis of what Dr. King stands for is immaculate, eerie, and enthralling.

[Jarad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dreamer, by Charles Johnson, is the a work of historical fiction which examines the final years of Martin Luther King, Jr’s work and life. Matthew Bishop, a loyal supporter of MLK and a worker in the movement, is assigned to watch and prep Chaym Smith, an uncanny look-alike of King. Smith, as King’s doppelgänger, explores the the former’s spiritual and philosophical yin to the latter’s yang.

While the book does lack some development of the book’s primary female character, which is unfortunate (I would have loved the author explore her more in depth), the profound metaphysical musings and dialogue was astounding. King’s life is fascinating to me; and to read an imaginative account of his inner thoughts, as a figurative Dr. Jekyll, along with the compellingly contradictory and sometimes complementary reflections of Chaym’s Mr. Hyde kept me captivated.

If you enjoy being provoked to thought, then this is one I’d certainly recommend.

[AnonymousReaderPerson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Biographical novels are inherently difficult, and it takes a lot of guts to try and nail an historical figure. Even though the King chapters really aren't the epicenter of the novel, they did command my attention the most. It had me believing that it accurately depicted what King would have said or done behind closed doors, and the thoughts that flowed through his head. Maybe it's a bullseye, or maybe its way off, who knows. If so, it made a fool out of me. Besides, I've come to believe that most great novels do.

As for the main narrative around Bishop, Amy, and Chaym Smith, it tugs at your heart with an economy of words. Withholding the last star mainly because of what I feel to be an unresolved character/plot element, that I will refrain from mentioning in the interest of not spoiling.

A very quick read, that packs a lot of emotion and meaning into relatively few pages. You wouldn't notice it's weight in your carry-on bag.

[Andy Zell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strange novel, but I have to say that I liked it. It has lyrical portions about Martin Luther King, although most of the novel is from the vantage point of a young man in the Movement who isn't sure of his place. And the main character, perhaps, is a man who looks exactly like MLK who wants to be a body double. Plus it has musings on philosophy, history, and faith. A strange mix, maybe not for everyone, but it's what I was looking for as I considered the 50th anniversary of King's assassination.

[Scott Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Able to be read on a surface "what if?" level or for a deeper examination of human conditions, "Dreamer" truly rocks with purpose, mystery and import. A look at an era through a fascinating premise and set of characters utilizing the prism of MLK to engage even the least civil rights interested reader.

[Bonni McKeown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charles Johnson's "The Dreamer" imagines two young civil rights workers training a troubled MLK look-alike to serve as the overworked, overwhelmed minister's double. The story opens when the man, the fictional Chaym Smith, shows up at the Chicago West Side slum apartment where the Kings were staying while spearheading a frustrating campaign for fair housing. The novel conveys the southern-born civil rights movement's difficulty organizing in big cities, and shows the heavy burdens Martin Luther King Jr. bore every day. Was he risking people's lives for a hopeless cause? He knew that militarism and poverty worked hand in hand with racism-- but should he have spoken up against the Vietnam war, and tried to lead a war on poverty?

Growing up in the 1960s and going to college in West Virginia, I remember the heated debates about race, war and poverty, and the heavy theological discussions that the author seems to enjoy depicting. Are most of us like Abel--or are we Cain? Because he went to college in southern Illinois, Charles Johnson has a feel for both Chicago and rural Illinois and the long trip down the state. On the trip some ignorant white people at a greasy-spoon restaurant, and also small town Black people trying to keep their declining church.

Chaym Smith is a troubling and troubled character, capable of good and evil deeds--he's like King's shadow side. What happens to him remains a mystery. But the reader gets the feeling that the two quiet young civil rights workers, Matthew and Amy, who try to groom him for his role are actually the Movement's unsung heroes who will soldier on.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s no doubt that Charles Johnson is a great writer and that this is a smart book. It truly shines in the sections detailing King’s ideological and theological influences, as well as its exploration of how he might have navigated the various challenges he faced during the civil rights movement.

However, Johnson injects too much of his own ideology into the book. While one could argue that this reflects how black liberals of the time might have responded to the radical forces behind the rise of the Black Power movement, I don’t believe that’s the case here. Those to the left of King (and the author) are portrayed as hateful and narrow-minded in their approaches to black liberation. The book takes one too many cheap shots at the Panthers and Kwame Ture (formerly Stokely Carmichael) for my liking.

Though these critiques don’t dominate the book, the underlying message seems to be that King was unequivocally right in all his actions and philosophies, despite the reality that he was moving further left and embracing more radical ideas.

[Donna Halloran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book incredibly powerful. I don't know much about Martin Luther King Jr. I find much of his writing to be "too much" for me - like Maya Angelou... the text is just so dense. He has SO much wisdom to share that I end up feeling overwhelmed. This book gave me a great intro to his life/beliefs. I highly recommend it. The writing was simply beautiful as well. I haven't needed a dictionary like I did for this book in years!

[Bobbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A timely read, over MLK Day. This is a beautifully written work of fiction, imagining the inner world of King. It also gave me insights into those days of riots and violence which were so contrary to his hopes and dreams. The addition of a character who could be his twin added another level of "what-if's" to this story. I'm glad I found this book.

[Anthony Boynton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel kept me on my toes. Johnson's imagination, and how he writes with a gripping, dark tone, made this a page turner. We too often deify King, this novel's imaginary take humanizes him and shines a light on who might've worked with him.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book. I have a struggle with historical fiction because I am always trying to figure out what is historical and what is not. Have no idea on this book other than the events in MLK's life and his speeches. Enjoyed listening to this book and the readers were excellent.

[Chris Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exquisite and imaginative fusion of fiction and fact from MLK’s last days. Reading this immediately after King’s Where Do We Go From Here really enhanced the experience. The prose is moving and flawless throughout. I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time to come.

[Jessica Zu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A profound moral inquiry done story-telling style :)

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite fictional novel! I've re-read it six or seven times and learn something new every time. Can't recommend this book highly enough!

[Abby Giordano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Very thought-provoking and interesting way to look at a complex historical figure. An important piece of biofiction. I definitely recommend.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a curious one. Charles Johnson, whose novels always seek the balance between character and commentary, succeeds brilliantly in revealing the interior life of Martin Luther King, and fails utterly at writing a novel.

In his best work, (Middle Passage and Oxherding Tale) Johnson writes about the black experience in America with a keen critical eye for all concerned, and with an equal skill in storytelling and characterization. Here, despite coming up with a brilliant doppelganger premise, he's barely even pretending that his characters are anything other than ciphers for stitching together essays on MLK, religion as it relates to civil rights, and a handful of other topics.

Part of Johnson's conceit is that everyone else pales in comparison with the great Doctor, but in doing so he robs the story of its credibility. The narrator (whose name has already slipped away from me) lapses frequently into long, authorial essays on King's oratorical style, or Cain and Abel, and has no voice of his own. The result is that when he does act out or show emotion, as when he destroys a roadside diner, it doesn't feel earned. Amy, his colleague and the object of his hopeless affections, is even more of a joke: A proud, smart, beautiful woman straight from central casting, and without any unique traits to make her interesting.

Then, of course, there's Chaym Smith, the "double." Well, he's deeply flawed and full of angry contradictions, which puts him way above the other two. But still he's a riddle whose solution, and purpose in the story, never gets found out. The only person Johnson really seemed to be interested in was King, and when he's on the page, either orating thunderously or trying to get a minute's peace in the bathroom, the book comes alive. I appreciate it, at least, for giving me these glimpses of him as a mortal man, which whether they are accurate or not, have the ring of truth.

[Will · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like all good books, this one made me want to learn more, in this case, about Martin Luther King. Johnson's novel takes place in the final two years of King's life, when the struggles for racial and social justice no longer allowed themselves to be contained within the bounds of his non-violent movement. The pivotal figure in the book is a man who can pass for King. Johnson uses this character as an opportunity to reflect upon the distinction between essence and appearance, and upon the contingencies of fate that bless some with favorable conditions for life that are denied to others. The story is somewhat thin (hence four stars rather than five) but the thinking is deep and the writing strong. I will read more work by Charles Johnson.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Bought this after seeing Johnson speak at the UND Writers Conference with my pops. He won the National Book Award for "Middle Passage" in 1990. Really interesting guy. Has a PhD in philosophy, lots of theological/religious allusions in his writing. (Also is a Buddhist who practices martial arts.)

This book is a fictional account of Martin Luther King Jr's 1966 campaign in Chicago...and gives him a "double" (stand in, doppelganger, what have you). Really well-written. Intense. Makes me both want to read more Johnson, and to read more about MLK.

[Carola · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good historical novel like this one will have you seeing a time period or person in a new light. MLK is a figure whose image is so often used in a very particular way that he had become one-dimensional in my mind. Johnson's fictional characters are well-drawn. We see their development as the book progresses, but we learn of some of the struggles MLK had in his community, in his movement, and in his mind.

[Margaret · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I remember about the book is that there was a narrator, MLK Jr. and another character who was a double for King but who was not a dreamer. The book was thoughtful, and I remember it was a satisfying read. Johnson is an interesting smart writer. I own his Middle Passage, and, despite my best intentions, have not yet gotten through it.

[Derion · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an amazing work of fiction, written by Charles Johnson, that takes real events from the last days of Martin Luther King Jr., accompanied by Matthew Bishop, and the fictional, somewhat doppelganger character, Chaym Smith. Being an African-American myself, this book has had an eye-opener on how I think about my past and the present state of my people.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreamer is a failed miracle of a book. The narration isn't as focused or invigorating as I might have liked but the book overall is wonderful. Dr. King and his body double. The last days of his struggle. The title--Dremaer. Oxherding Tale by Johnson was more engaging but Dreamer is well worth reading.

[Donahuechasd · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book's ending was rather anti-climatic. It certainly serves to illustrate the concept of enjoying the journey rather than being obsessed with the destination. However, many of the concepts are having a more profound effect with the passage of time. Charles Johnson is a brilliant writer.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have an autographed copy of this novel, purchased years ago at Powell's Book Store in Portland. This fictional account of MLK's final days and the role a stranger might have played in his life was a very interesting read.

[Marguerite Hargreaves · Rating 1 out of 5]

An interesting premise here, but it doesn't pass the 33-page test. A previous reader took issue (in pencil, dear librarians) with the vocabulary, which does seem uncharacteristic from the public MLK and show-offy.

[Josh · Rating 2 out of 5]

This guys a pretentious prick but he does solid research and chooses interesting subject matter. Ditto for Middle Passage.

[Richard Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

For my MFA lit class. Parts of this I really enjoyed, especially the humanizing of MLK. We read Toni Morrison and Charles Johnson, and I prefer Morrison over Johnson for sure.

[Elly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving this book 4 stars not just for the quality of the story but for the questions it personally raised for me.