The Strange Adventures of Mr. Middleton

A young man's ordinary night becomes a cascade of the extraordinary in this gleefully absurd 1903 adventure. Edward Middleton seeks shelter from a Chicago rainstorm and stumbles into the shop of Emir Achmed Ben Daoud, a figure who seems to operate outside the rules of conventional society. The Emir takes a liking to this nervous young man and gifts him a Quran and an elaborate Arabian outfit. These strange presents launch Middleton into a series of masquerades, absurd situations, and encounters with characters who are as peculiar as they are unforgettable. Each adventure leads to another, each misstep opens a new door, and Middleton finds himself tumbling through a world where nothing makes sense and everything is endlessly entertaining. Curtis writes with sharp wit and generous humor, skewering the pretensions of early twentieth-century America while celebrating the joy of chaos. It's a book about what happens when you stop playing it safe, when you put on a costume you don't understand and walk into a party you weren't invited to.