rediscovering a wonderful magical realist novelist I first read in my twenties

i just read 'bathing the lion' by jonathan carroll. Maybe the strangest book i've ever read. It's been waiting on my shelf for ten years. In the early 90s I was obsessed with his books, and it's taken me so long to return to him...!

[@paulathereadingtabby2185]

I must admit Bathing the Lion really didn't work for me; it felt too out there, but I really want to read his Crane's View Trilogy and revisit Children Across the Sky and Sleeping in Flame. I loved those.

[@mudlarkingmarionette]

I am on the hunt for Bathing the Lion most definitely . My current book Highland River is beautifully calming and beautifully written . I had a random conversation at a bus stop with a woman who was sitting on the pavement reading . I opened the conversation by asking what are you reading It turned out she used to be a lecturer in Creative Writing at St. Andrews I mentioned you and she said Magical realism . Serendipity again and she is dropping of two books on creative writing for me at the food larder ; she is a fan of Wild Mind which I also mentioned . That was a great bus trip. I said look him up and mentioned the silent G ; so I hope she does. find the channel.

[@mudlarkingmarionette]

I can jump in with The Panic Hand a collection of stories and perhaps get a flavour of it. I found The Panic Hand on the Internet Archive .

[@johnmooney9403]

Hi Paul interesting analysis.I have heard a lot about Jonathan Carroll. Might check his novels. Have you read The Master & Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov?

[@paulmagrs2474]

Oh yes, indeed. what a strange and wonderful book!