A Novel
by Daniel Wallace
A haunting, tender story that weaves a tragic secret, a mysterious meeting with the Devil, and a family of charming circus freaks recounting the extraordinary adventures of their friend Henry Walker, the Negro Magician.
In the middle of a dusty Southern town, in the middle of the twentieth century, magician Henry Walker entertains crowds at Jeremiah Musgroves Chinese Circus. Though not the world-famous illusionist he once was, Henry, with his dark skin and green eyes, is still something of a novelty to the patrons who pay a dime to see his show. Most of the patrons, anyway.
"[T]hough the conclusion is both startling and inevitable...the milieu of carnies, hucksters, tricksters and wanderers isn't as sharp as it could be." - PW.
"Wallace's fractured fairy tale may strike readers new to the author as somewhat gimmicky; it will appeal to his fan base." - Booklist.
This information about Mr Sebastian and the Negro Magician was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Wallace is also the author of Big Fish and The Watermelon King.

If you liked Mr Sebastian and the Negro Magician, try these:
by Geoffrey Wheatcroft
Published 2023
A major reassessment of Winston Churchill that examines his lasting influence in politics and culture.
by Erik Larson
Published 2022
Winner of the 2020 BookBrowse Nonfiction Award
The #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Devil in the White City and Dead Wake delivers a fresh and compelling portrait of Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz.
The Gallery of Miracles and Madness
by Charlie English
Published 2021
The untold story of Hitler's war on "degenerate" artists and the mentally ill that paved the way for the Holocaust.
Everywhere I go, I am asked if I think the university stifles writers...
Click Here to find out who said this, as well as discovering other famous literary quotes!
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.