Magic (novel)

This article is about the 1976 horror novel by William Goldman. For similarly named topics, see Magic (disambiguation).

Magic is a psychological horror novel written by William Goldman. It was published in the United States in August 1976 by Delacorte Press. In 1978 Richard Attenborough directed a feature film adaptation of the story that starred Anthony Hopkins and Ann-Margret.

Magic: A Novel

First edition
Author	William Goldman
Cover artist	Richard Huebner[1]
Language	English
Publisher	Delacorte Press
Publication date	August 1976
Publication place	United States
Media type	Print (Paperback, Hardcover)
Pages	243 pp
ISBN	0-440-05159-2
OCLC	2415446
Dewey Decimal	813/.5/4
LC Class	PZ4.G635 Mag PS3557.O384

Plot summary

The novel concerns a man named Corky Withers, a shy, odd-tempered and alcoholic magician, whose lackluster performances start to turn around when he adds a foul-mouthed ventriloquist's dummy, Fats, to the show. It chronicles Corky's childhood and adolescence, and his deep love for a high-school crush named Peggy Ann Snow.

The novel is written kaleidoscopically, changing time period, location, and point of view swiftly and leaving important information, such as the identity of Fats the dummy, unknown for extended periods of time.

Background

Goldman had the idea for a novel about a ventriloquist for a number of years before writing it.^[2]

He says his editor suggested he cut the sequence where Corky's father talks about seeing Bronko Nagurski making a comeback in a football game, which Goldman had seen as a boy, but the author refused because he was so moved by it.^[3]

Reception

Producer Joseph E. Levine paid $1 million for the film rights and to do the screenplay.^[4][5] The novel was well-received.^[6]

Adaptations

• Magic (1978), film directed by Richard Attenborough
• 5 Minutes (2018), short film directed by Javan Garza