The Magic Christian

De: Terry Southern

Narrado por: Edoardo Ballerini

In this uproarious and wicked cult-classic, Southern skewers American greed and pomposity

Guy Grand, an eccentric billionaire prankster, is rich enough to do whatever he likes. And what he likes is to carefully execute projects where he can cauterize by ridicule what the rest of the world ignores: Complacency, greed, corruption, and idiocy. Determined to "make it hot for people," Grand spends his billions staging a series of hilarious, sometimes bewildering stunts, lampooning along the way the American holy cows of money, status, power, beauty, media, and stardom.

Concocting deliciously perverse mayhem, he throws a million one-hundred-dollar bills into an enormous vat of steaming offal, proving just what people will do for money, and he promotes a new silky shampoo that turns hair to wire and a deodorant that becomes a time-released stench-bomb. He inserts subliminally suggestive and perverse images into well-loved classic films, takes a howitzer on safari, and brings a panther to a kennel club dog show. His most elaborate adventure is an ultra-exclusive cruise aboard the S.S. Magic Christian, where elite passengers are treated to a series of madcap indignities.

The Magic Christian is a hilarious and savagely satiric view of American commercialism, rich in Southern's deft handling of detail, dialogue, and delightful deviancy.

©1959, 1960 Terry Southern (P)2014 Audible Inc.

One of the funniest books ever written.

This is a classic of 20th century comic fiction. A must-read. What are you waiting for?

Terry Southern’s Masterpiece

Brilliant satire, brilliantly read. A masterpiece from Terry Southern, screenwriter of Dr. Strangelove. One of the great books of the twentieth century

NYC dweller laughed throughout

Although deeper social issues were woven throughout, much humor to be found for city people here. ——La Bernardin chapter -to have been dining on that night! Nailed The Bendel type Women” so well *confession ; I still miss tea time @HB* —-fantastic short satirical read with a very relatable main character

Thoroughly enjoyable book and performance

Thoroughly enjoyable book and performance. Amazon asks that I write fifteen words words words.

As good as the great 50+ year old film with Peter Sellers

Terry Southern’s discerning observations and social critiques are truly anthropological (if anthropologists were equipped with biting humor and salty language).

Read him if you have time, but this audible version’s straight-faced presentation is hilarious— a true delight.

[Although the novel was not available in the small town where I grew up the film (screenplay changed from the novel in several ways) did appear — but even a cast with Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr with a sound track composed by McCartney and Coward that remains memorable did not make it a box office winner. Too bad ]