The Watermelon King
By Daniel Wallace
(Mariner Books, Paperback, 9780618400812, 240pp.)
Publication Date: November 2003
Other Editions of This Title: Hardcover
Categories: Literary
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An endearing, often outrageous blend of fable, tall tale, and page-turner, The Watermelon King brings readers to Ashland, Alabama -- the fictional town immortalized in Daniel Wallace's Big Fish -- whose reputation is based on the long-ago abundance of watermelons. Thomas Rider knows almost nothing about his parents, only that his mother died the day he was born in Ashland. He travels there in search of his past, learning of the town's bizarre history. Gradually with the help of an offbeat, utterly unforgettable cast of characters, Thomas finds himself immersed in a series of events that turns everything he knows upside down. Comic, poignant, and wholly original, The Watermelon King is a magical novel steeped in the power of identity, myth, and good old-fashioned southern storytelling.
Daniel Wallace is the author of the novels Big Fish and Ray in Reverse and is also an illustrator. His books have been translated into eight languages. The film version of Big Fish, directed by Tim Burton, will be released later this year.











