The Asylum of Dr. Caligari

By: James Morrow

Narrated by: Paul Boehmer

If you think today's profiteers are diabolical, blink again.

It is the summer of 1914. As the world teeters on the brink of the Great War, a callow American painter, Francis Wyndham, arrives at a renowned European insane asylum, where he begins offering art therapy under the auspices of Alessandro Caligari - sinister psychiatrist, maniacal artist, alleged sorcerer. And determined to turn the impending cataclysm to his financial advantage, Dr. Caligari will - for a price - allow governments to parade their troops past his masterpiece: a painting so mesmerizing it can incite entire regiments to rush headlong into battle.

The Asylum of Dr. Caligari is a timely tale that is by turns funny and erotic, tender and bayonet sharp - but ultimately emerges as a love letter to that mysterious, indispensable thing called art.

©2017 James Morrow (P)2017 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Entrancing prose enhances the unusual plot of Morrow's successful melding of history and fantasy." ( Publishers Weekly)

Didn't Meet Expectations

I've really loved a few of Morrow's other books, but this one just wasn't as good in camparison. An okay story, but just didn't hold my interest. Narration is really good, though.