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The Man Who Was Magic
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The Man Who Was Magic – A Fable of Innocence by Paul Gallico (1966 First Edition)

R150.00

The Man Who Was Magic – A scarce 1966 first edition of Paul Gallico’s magical fantasy fable, complete with its striking original dust jacket.

Author
Paul Gallico
Publish Date
1966
Cover Type
Hardcover
Condition
Very Good
Very Good hardcover in a Good original dust jacket. The dust jacket remains complete and attractive but has moderate edge wear, rubbing and small chips to the extremities. The spine is noticeably faded from pink to cream, as commonly seen with this title. The red boards beneath are clean and sound. There is light foxing to the front free endpaper, title page and a few preliminary leaves, but the text block remains otherwise clean and well preserved. The dust jacket is unclipped, priced at 21s net.

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Book Description

Published by William Heinemann in London in 1966, “The Man Who Was Magic: A Fable of Innocence” is one of Paul Gallico’s most unusual and imaginative novels. A blend of fantasy, fairy tale and philosophical fable, it tells the story of Adam, a mysterious wanderer who arrives in the hidden city of Mageia – a place inhabited entirely by magicians, illusionists and masters of sleight-of-hand.

The people of Mageia pride themselves on their tricks and stagecraft, convinced that there is no such thing as real magic. Adam, however, possesses something very different. As he befriends Jane, the daughter of the city’s great magician, he challenges everything the inhabitants believe about innocence, wonder and what magic truly means.

Gallico, beloved for works such as “The Snow Goose”, “Jennie” and “Love, Let Me Not Hunger”, combines warmth, humour and gentle wisdom in this charming fantasy. This attractive first edition of The Man Who Was Magic is particularly notable for its striking original dust jacket, featuring a vivid pink design with white roses and a dragonfly.

Condition – Very Good

The Man Who Was Magic – Very Good hardcover in a Good original dust jacket. The dust jacket remains complete and attractive but has moderate edge wear, rubbing and small chips to the extremities. The spine is noticeably faded from pink to cream, as commonly seen with this title. The red boards beneath are clean and sound. There is light foxing to the front free endpaper, title page and a few preliminary leaves, but the text block remains otherwise clean and well preserved. The dust jacket is unclipped, priced at 21s net.

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10 months ago
Another collector (Fynn Lee) had warned us in advance to prepare a lot of time to browse this massive collection, and he was right! The size of the collection is simply immense. But it's still well organized! We had a blast hunting for cool books here. We actually spent over three hours here, thoroughly enjoying ourselves as we went through these cool books. We found so many great books at Midlands. We bought far too many to travel home with, but they were kind enough to ship our books back home for us (overseas).
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Andre Britz
10 months ago
I highly recommend Midlands Books & Collectibles. Their service was fast and professional with brilliant open and honest communication. Robert Cronjé was an absolute pleasure to deal with and I received my order faster than expected at an excellent rate. Parcel was packed securely and arrived in perfect condition. Very happy new customer and looking forward to buying from Midlands Books soon again.
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Ronald Howes
12 months ago
A real hidden gem for collectors of hard to get books. I was able to get a rare book I was looking for, and for a great price. The people who run this are very nice and was able to get my book shipped very quickly, despite having to have it shipped internationally to here in the states.
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Patrick Gildenhuys
1 year ago
An absolute pleasure to deal with Robert, at Midlands Books and Collectables. My books were extremely well packaged and protected, and shipping was super quick. I received my books 2 days after payment cleared. I will definitely be buying from them again, and highly recommend them. Patrick
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Joanna Bocer
1 year ago
I recently bought a book online from Midlands Books and the experience was great! Robert was very helpful and shipped the book to Spain. The book was a rare find and in pristine conditions! Would recommend 100%!
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2 years ago
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We discovered Midlands books and collectibles at the old mushroom farm and at horse shoe bend. You can spend hours browsing the incredible selection of books. The vast array of bird books is definitely worth the visit.
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I discovered the most enchanting magical bookshop – a true hidden gem! The moment you step inside, you’re surrounded by shelves that seem to stretch into other worlds, filled with every kind of story imaginable. From secret passageways to cozy reading nooks, this shop has it all, creating an atmosphere that feels like stepping into a fairytale. The staff are as knowledgeable as they are welcoming, always ready to recommend your next great adventure. It’s not just a place to buy books; it’s a doorway to other world with the incredible domed roof of the mushroom farm. A must-visit for any book lover!
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Utterly enchanting, in a unique and magical setting (an old mushroom farm tunnel in the beautiful, wooded Midlands Meander). This is hands-down one of the best bookstores I've ever perused (I'm serious about books and work for a major publishing house). The selection is incredible; I visited from Oxford (England) and was amazed at the very old, rare and precious gems on offer - books that would be snaffled up by auctioneers and collectors too quickly to even set eyes upon in the UK are waiting here at unbelievably good prices. There is something for every interest and price point; this is both a solid second-hand bookshop as well as collectible store. The owner was so friendly and took time to show my family and I some of the oldest, largest, and most unusual items in the collection. We were dazzled by a poetry book from the Renaissance period; signed first editions of books from authors as diverse as Douglas Adams and Muhammed Ali; antique children's illustrated books and even a hand-coloured illustrated South African bird book. The owner also had an impressive coin / currency collection which was fascinating to view. If the literature or objets d'art were not enough, there was also a delightfully cosy dog (pictured) - irresistible! I walked away a very happy customer and will go out my way to visit again when I'm next in South Africa.
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Errol Douwes
3 years ago
Wow! Amazing diversity of previously owned and collectible books. I enjoyed the section on books about birds and birding - several shelves worth - just on this topic - including many rare and classic texts.
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