Deadpan: A Novel by Richard Walter | 4-Star Book Review | #Satire #MagicalRealism #Intolerance @ProfWalter @InfoHeresy
Book Details
Quick Blurb:
Walter’s phantasmagorical tour-de-force is not only a satirical takedown of antisemitism (and bigotry in general) but also a dazzling celebration of human dignity, resilience, and humor.
Deadpan by Richard Walter
Published by Heresy Press Genres: Adult Fiction 18+, Comedy, Satire
Format: Paperback
Pages: 246
Deadpan is a funny novel about an unfunny subject—hate speech and bigotry—that takes readers on an extraordinary ride of unlimited imagination, providing gobs of entertainment and delivering a comedic body blow to prejudice.
Deadpan follows the misadventures of a vaguely antisemitic West Virginia Buick dealer who wakes up one day transformed into the world’s most popular Jewish comedian. Steeped in magical realism, the narrative confronts the urgent issues of our day: Identity, intolerance, tribalism, and the transformative power of humor.
The novel’s unfettered comical sensibility is a vivid testament to Mark Twain’s dictum “against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.” Set during the world-wide oil crises of the 1970s, the narrative alternates between locations in West Virginia, Las Vegas, Washington, Tehran, and Sinai, featuring characters as diverse as Sarah Palin, Mel Brooks, and the Shah of Iran.
Walter’s phantasmagorical tour-de-force is not only a satirical takedown of antisemitism (and bigotry in general) but also a dazzling celebration of human dignity, resilience, and humor.
Source: Received from the author or publisher for review.
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Purchase Links for Deadpan
- Richard Walter (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 246 Pages - 02/15/2024 (Publication Date) - Heresy Press (Publisher)
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My thoughts on Deadpan
Deadpan is a hilarious book that tackles weighty topics such as hate speech, prejudice, and bigotry in a truly imaginative way. It’s a rollercoaster of a ride read, filled with laughter, yet it sends a powerful message against intolerance.
The story follows a somewhat antisemitic car dealer from West Virginia who wakes up one day to find himself transformed into the world’s most famous Jewish comedian. Don’t you agree that this cosmic karma is at its best?
This wild journey explores issues like identity, intolerance, and the incredible impact of humor. Set against the backdrop of the 1970s oil crises, the story takes us from West Virginia to Las Vegas, Washington, Tehran, and Sinai, including cameo appearances by Mel Brooks and the Shah of Iran, to mention a few.
Being of a “certain age,” I look back on the 1970s as a unique period of time. One where we understood the importance of humor and satire. It was a time when television, movies, books, and even comedy record albums were able to poke a little fun at society while trying to get across the points of tolerance and peace.
Through its blend of satire and magical realism, Deadpan not only skewers antisemitism and bigotry but also celebrates human resilience and the power of laughter. Despite its shorter length, the book packs a punch with its poignant take on these themes.
While reading the book, I picked up a bit of a George Carlin vibe. This was a plus for me as I think he was one of the best at satirical social commentary.
Deadpan is both funny and thought-provoking, making it an excellent book for anyone looking for a good laugh while confronting a subject that is as relevant today as it was back then.
I may have received a copy of the book from the author, publisher, or tour company. Otherwise, it is from my personal library or Kindle Unlimited.
This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.
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I love to read books through my Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscription.
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About Richard Walter
Richard Walter is an author of best-selling fiction and nonfiction, celebrated storytelling educator, screenwriter, script consultant, lecturer, and retired professor who led the screenwriting program in the film school at UCLA for several decades.
He has written scripts for major studios and television networks and lectured on screenwriting and storytelling throughout the world.
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Author Interview
Q: What makes Deadpan a quintessential Heresy Press book?
A: Upon completing the final draft of my new novel, there could be no doubt it would promptly find a publisher. The major challenge would be managing the millions of dollars in royalties from the auction that would surely accrue. After all, Deadpan was not merely the best book ever written but the greatest achievement in the history of Western Civilization.
Additionally, I was not just starting out; I enjoyed an impressive record: Forty years ago the Wall Street Journal described me as “…a writer of substantial professional experience throughout the media.” I’ve written screen assignments for virtually all the major Hollywood studios and television networks. Deadpan is my third novel and sixth published book. My several nonfiction titles for Penguin Random House have been in print for thirty-five years, and sold over a hundred thousand copies. My most recent novel, a Los Angeles Times bestseller, earned out its advance in its first printing and saw multiple printings in cloth and trade paper.
Moreover, I am among the earliest ‘influencers,’ with thousands of followers reading my blog posts and downloading my podcasts. If that weren’t enough, a welcome and long overdue reckoning was underway in the literature racket. Publishers sought voices from previously marginalized populations. As an author at the intersection of disability and ageism (a hearing-impaired, orthopedic cane-wielding, mobility-challenged senior), Deadpan was clearly a shoo-in.
All the same, my own longtime representatives would not respond even merely to a query regarding Deadpan, a title that confronts the incendiary issues of our day: hate speech, bigotry (particularly antisemitism), and racial/religious identity. Out of fifty agents subsequently queried, only three responded at all, each with a polite, perfunctory turndown.
Then I happened to read Pamela Paul’s New York Times column in which she interviewed Bernard Schweizer, founder and director of Heresy Press, a new publisher eager not to avoid but embrace risk, seeking to acquire titles on the basis of their merit.
Such a concept!
I submitted a query directly to Heresy, providing Deadpan’s first chapter. Two days later, I received a request for the rest of the typescript. Two endlessly seeming weeks after that, I had an offer of a contract.
Q: Fill us in on the historical background of Deadpan
A: Growing up in Queens in the 1950s, it wasn’t until my teens that I realized there are people who are not Jews. In a world with only Semites, there can be no anti-Semites. I’d heard about something called a ‘Holocaust,’ but antisemitism was clearly a phenomenon that had existed long ago and far away.
Click Here to read the rest of the interview on Heresy Press.
Meet Heresy Press
Founded in January 2023, Heresy Press is here to give oxygen to unfettered creativity and to provide a home for authors and books that dare to imagine freely, without self-censorship and fear. Fiction in all of its forms is the mainstay of Heresy Press, with adult literary fiction, satire, comedy, and speculative fiction leading the charge.
Heresy Press LLC is a member of the Independent Book Publishers Association.
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Purchase Deadpan online from your local bookstore.
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I absolutely love the cover for this book. And I think through humour, it’s easier to talk about darker topics like intolerance. Will definitely be checking this book out.