AMORALMAN:
A True Story and Other Lies
DETAILS:
Publisher: Knopf
Publication Date: March 1, 2021
Format: Hardcover
Length: 235 pgs.
Read Date: July 11-12, 2022
What’s AMORALMAN About?
Derek DelGaudio is a performer. writer, and illusionist. This book claims (and that subtitle should make you suspect everything) to be an account of DelGaudio’s childhood, his early interest in magic tricks and illusions—and then how he was introduced to card sharps, eventually becoming friends with some and learning how to use the card tricks he’d practiced for so long to become a cheat at cards.
At some point, he takes this theoretical knowledge into the practical—to help a good friend, despite that friend’s former insistence that DelGaudio not follow him into that life. After some time exposed to this lifestyle, he has to make a choice? What kind of man is he? What place does morality hold?
It’s tied throughout to Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, the role of the perceptions, reality, and the participants.
The Title
Obviously, DelGaudio is playing with things in the title. Is this book about a moral man? an amoral man? Is it a story without a moral?
How much of this is the true story and how much is a lie? It could be seen as a collection of stories—so is only one true, or is the overall narrative true, with a scattering of lies?
I’m mildly amused by that, but I really don’t think I care.
So, what did I think about AMORALMAN?
Ehhhhh. I wanted more. And not in a “this was so good, I’ve got to have more” kind of way, but in a “this was okay, but…is this all there was?” way. Ultimately, what we’re dealing with is a memoir that tells you upfront (and repeats it) that at least some of what you’re told is a lie—and probably not just from those people who are liars by vocation.
I thought the premise promised more. I expected to get something with a bit more meat on it. A bit more to chew on.
Still, DelGaudio can tell a story. You get engaged right away and you’re eager to see how this detached, disinterested, and largely aimless kid becomes the guy who stars in In & Of Itself*. We don’t get that answer, but it’s not hard to see the foundation being laid.
* And, yeah, I bought this book without knowing anything about it because of the film version.
I do think I’d read another book by DelGaudio—I’m curious about what else he has to offer. And I do think that people interested in his other work would find something compelling here. But that’s about as much as I can say—you won’t be wasting your time.
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WS_BOOKCLUB
I had a similar reaction. I loved In and of Itself (it had me bawling, something that never happens with film) but I actually struggled to engage with this at all. This is one of the few times where I think the show is better than the book.
HCNewton
The type of storytelling in the film/stage shoe was really effective. He needed to bring something else tit hr page – and did, but maybe it wasn’t different enough?
I don’t know. I think I’m going to spend more time thinking about why I didn’t like this more than I typically do.