The Gypsy Storyteller - Softcover

Simpson, Thomas William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0446600490 ISBN 13: 9780446600491

Publisher: Time Warner International, 1994

Synopsis

An unforgettable story of two boyhood friends that spans 30 years and sweeps from blue-blooded New England to Nazi-infested South America. The roles of Mac and Daniel have been that of uneasy follower and manipulative leader. But when they both fall for the same woman, adventure and cruel betrayal follow.

About this title

About the Author

The inside skinny on The Gypsy Storyteller is this: the three main characters—Daniel, Matthew, and Rachel—who form the triangle that holds the narrative together, are all drawn from distinct facets of my own psyche and personality. When I sat down to begin my second novel I had in mind an adventure story, a Huck Finn kind of thing with overtones of A Separate Peace. I hashed out my two primary characters, Matthew and Daniel, alike in many ways, but also strikingly different. The plot went well. I had little trouble filling the pages. My own youth, after all, had been full of adventures, both real and imagined, so I had few problems conjuring up the grist of boyhood. But whereas This Way Madness Lies had a cast of a dozen or more characters, The Gypsy Storyteller had but a few. This meant I needed to understand those characters better and dig deeper to find out who they were and what motivated their actions. It became my first great exploration of self. I was in my early thirties at the time, a big, strong, athletic guy. I came from a family that had some dough. I had traveled a lot. I wasn’t afraid of much. Nothing, other than a broken heart or two and a couple broken bones, had ever hurt me. I pretty much had the world by the short hairs. But I had this novel to write. And my editor, Jamie Raab at Warner Books, really liked the beginning but she was pushing me to develop Matthew and Daniel beyond stereotypes of suburban American white boys. So I started to dig. And I soon had to admit I was a far more complex and angst-driven guy than I’d ever dreamed. I was Matthew Chandler, the conformist, uptight white kid from the affluent suburbs with all the advantages. But I was also Daniel Hawthorn, the kid full of wanderlust and rebellion who spoke his mind and would not be suppressed. All good. I embraced it. I was developing as a writer and as a man. Then Rachel arrived on the scene. And I had to dig still deeper for Rachel was an artist and a free spirit and I quickly realized I probably had a greater affinity for Ms. Fredericks than for either Matthew or Daniel. The years have proven this insight out. Without question my artistic side, my relentless desire to indulge my imagination and explore my creativity even in the midst of a life in crisis, has been the greatest driving force in my life. The Gypsy Storyteller is easily the most autobiographical of my novels. But more than that it’s a great adventure story. And maybe even a better love story.

Synopsis

Best friends and polar opposites Matthew Chandler and Daniel Hawthorn never feel threatened by their differences until they fall in love with the same woman. Their feelings for Rachel Ann Fredericks lead them through intricate and dangerous adventures resulting in an ultimate act of betrayal.

About this edition

• Publisher: Time Warner International
• Publication date: 1994
• ISBN 10: 0446600490
• ISBN 13: 9780446600491
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 454