Set in Texas at the turn of the 20th century, `The Magic Wagon' is the tale of Buster Fogg's life as well as other eccentric characters that he encounters. By the time he's 17, his life has been pock-marked by tragedy, yet each sad event is recounted in such a way as to make them Candide-like - tragic-comic, even farcical.It reads like a combination of an S. E. Hinton novel (`Rumblefish', `The Outsiders'), in its convincing account of a boy's youth and, throughout, a feeling that if Jorge Luis Borges had ever written a literary, magical Western, he would have been more than delighted with the result that is `The Magic Wagon'. The voices and period are compellingly and convincingly done, and this makes for a wonderful novel for both adults and children alike.
It is 1909 and an unlikely group travels together, including Rot Toe, the wrestling chimpanzee. The narrator and protagonist is seventeen year old Buster Fogg, whose family was wiped out by a tornado. Also traveling with the show is Billy Bob Daniels, quick draw artist and self-proclaimed son of Wild Bill Hickok, who also sells cure-all out of the medicine show wagon. And rounding out the group is Albert, black Cavalry man who holds the show together.There are creepy storms, shoot outs, the east Texas town of Mud Creek, a petrified (literally) Wild Bill Hickok. Roll all these things together plus more and you get the Lansdale classic "The Magic Wagon."
What do You think about The Magic Wagon (2001)?
Joe Lansdale always delivers! It doesn't matter in which genre he writes, I'm down for reading it. I came to this discovery kind of late, but I'm happy to know that that fact gives me tons of stuff to read in the future and I couldn't be more happy about that. This here tale was a horror/western/humorous novella and I just loved it. From the man-wrestling chimpanzee Rot Toe, to the dead corpse riding around on the Magic Wagon with a coffin made of magical wood, what's not to like? Gunslingers, nose pickers and saloon gals, it's all here, and what fun it was. I'll be reading you again soon, Mr. Lansdale. Real soon!Highly recommended to fans of westerns, western horror and comedy!
—Charlene
