The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
by Michael Chabon · first published 1957
77% recommend8% neutral15% critical
Why HN recommends it
A rich, sprawling novel about two cousins who build a comic book empire in 1940s New York. Its literary craft, vivid picture of comic culture during and after WWII, and emotional depth stand out.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
The novel begins in 1939 with the arrival of 19-year-old Josef "Joe" Kavalier as a refugee in New York City, where he comes to live with his 17-year-old cousin Sammy Klayman. Joe escaped from Prague with the help of his teacher Kornblum by hiding in a coffin along with the inanimate Golem of Prague, leaving the rest of his family, including his younger brother Thomas, behind. Besides having a shared interest in drawing, Sammy and Joe share several connections to Jewish stage magician Harry Houdini: Joe (like comics legend Jim Steranko) studied magic and escapology in Prague, which aided him in
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There is a fantastic Michael Chabon book _The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay_ which has a similar space carved out of the Empire State Building. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Adventures_of_Kava...
on “We built a secret apartment in the mall (2007)” ↗Either Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell or The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon.
on “Ask HN: What is your comfort book?” ↗If anyone is interested in this era of comic books and the society they bred, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon is a smart, excellently written novel. It covers the comic book culture in NYC in WW2 and the years after, and covers a scenario very similar to this report.
on “Comic Books and Juvenile Delinquency (1955)” ↗Some recent-ish ones, because many of my classic ones have been mentioned: Rotherweird by Andrew Caldecott Piranesi by Susanna Clarke The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco. Here by Richard McGuire The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
on “Ask HN: What is your favorite fiction book?” ↗…it has failed to deepen it. What about Faulkner? Toni Morrison? I share the sentiment about the magnitude of the loss of the novel, should it occur. Probably the last truly great novel I read was The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, and that's twenty-some years old.
on “Done in by Time” ↗iWoz The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay Hackers The Great Gatsby
on “Ask HN: What books have helped make who you are today?” ↗The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon - I'm finishing it this weekend and it's a good fun read with lots to like: portrayal of early comics' culture, history, and impact, working long hours to produce a passionate…
on “Ask YC: Good books to take on a week away?” ↗A few on my "re-read every few years" list: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, Speaker for the Dead, Infinite Jest, Watchmen, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
on “Ask HN: What is the best fiction book you've ever read? ” ↗This story, in part, is the inspiration for the book "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay", which I would highly recommend!
on “Two Jewish Kids in 1930s Cleveland Altered American Pop Culture” ↗This was one of my favorite books of the year. Reminded me very much of "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay," which is my #1 of all time.
on “A Novel About Video Games Became a Surprise Best Seller” ↗Kavalier and Clay
on “Ask HN: What are you reading right now?” ↗Okay, I'm just going to go ahead and say it then... “Perjury” , “Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay”, “Taste for Freedom: The Life of Astolphe de Custine”. Anyone else notice how ponderously "literary" these books are? Is that how the author's choices run? Because frankly, they all sound really, really boring. Perhaps it's a case of the author picking things to read because they think they
on “Why read books if we can’t remember what’s in them?” ↗Huh! I’ve read pretty much all his output and loved Wonder Boys most - it is hilarious. Moonglow was also great.. I think Kavalier and Clay was my least fave.
on “Michael Chabon: How to Salvage a 'Wrecked' Novel (2010)” ↗