The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay

By Michael Chabon

It appears that “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay” isn’t actually mentioned in any of the Gilmore Girls episodes. I’ve reviewed list after list of Gilmore Girls book compilations, and it’s always listed but doesn’t seem to have been mentioned in the series. More than likely the book itself is seen in one of Rory’s many, many book stacks and book drawers. If you happen to know if this book is actually mentioned aloud in the series somewhere, please let me know in the comments.

There is, however, a connection that I must point out. The book “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay” is mentioned and referenced many times in the television show The O.C. by non-other than Seth Cohen, played by actor Adam Brody. Adam Brody was the actor who played Lane’s first boyfriend, Dave, on Gilmore Girls, before leaving the show for a starring role on The O.C.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay is an absolute masterpiece. It is, again, one of those books I’m very glad I waited until adulthood to tackle, because I would not have had the patience for it and would not have appreciated all the references and nuanced characters in my youth.

Admittedly, this book took me about six months to get through… even after restarting it for a second time. I think I found it daunting because the book is so long, but it could also be because the topics in the book aren’t really my jam. I’m not that big into comic books, cartooning, stage magic or WW2. But I do feel like this book did an excellent job of whetting my palate for them. I found myself googling Golems and many of the historic 1930’s-1940’s characters.  

Michael Chabon won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for this book in 2001. I cannot imagine the time and research Chabon must have put into this book, to cover such vast and in-depth topics he inserted throughout: Judaism and Golems, New York City, Comic books, Cartooning, Homosexuality, Magic and Escapism, War, Hitler and the Nazis, Superheroes…

My favorite thing about this book is the reoccurring theme of magic. The story is completely grounded in reality and many of the settings are, in fact, non- fictional and yet, somehow, you have no doubt that there is real magic lurking just under the surface. And you must keep reading to discover it. Both Joe and Sammy have real connections to magicians; specifically, to Harry Houdini, who got his start in Vaudeville. Joe studied magic and the art of escape in Nazi-occupied Prague under his mentor, Kornblum and Sammy is the son of the Mighty Molecule, a Vaudevillian strongman. Magic is a recurring theme throughout the book. It appears in the Escapist, in the art of cartooning, in the love between Joe and Rosa, in the Golem, in the secret New York City underground, and even in the relationship between cousins Joe and Sammy. 

I probably won’t read this book again, because it was far too long and, again, isn’t the genre I’m into, but I am hoping they finally get around to making a movie adaptation of it. That I would gladly watch!

I rate this book 11 cups of Luke’s coffee!

☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️☕️