Magical Life on Long Tack Sam, The by Anne Marie Fleming. New York: Riverhead Books, (2007). ISBN 978-1-59448-264-9

Magical Life is an illustrated memoir of famous vaudeville-era magician Long Tack Sam. A book about identity, race and culture, family, and history, Magical Life is ABC-esque in that it has three narrative threads: Show business myth of Long Tack Sam, Sam’s actual life, and author and great-granddaughter Anne Marie’s search for his history.

Website with interview http://www.smithmag.net/memoirville/2007/10/05/interview-ann-marie-fleming-the-magical-life-of-long-tack-sam-author-artist-and-filmmaker/

Official website for the documentary with great pictures: http://www.longtacksam.com/

        Originally a movie, book is multimedia with stick figures, stills from the film, and color illustrations.  Most                 remarkable is the inclusion of primary documents: posters, photos, letters, playbills from Long Tack Sam’s             performances.

Literary Concepts:

Themes:

Race, identity, family, legacy, history,

show business mythology and promotion

           Curriculum Connections

        English/Language Arts

        Biographies/Autobiographies/Memoirs

            Social Studies

 (DM 4.23.08)