Tim Thaler

Fourth-grader Tim Thaler meets the mysterious Baron Lefouet. The two strike a strange deal—the baron buys the boy’s laughter and, in exchange, gives him the magical ability to win every lottery, bet, and wager. Tim Thaler becomes rich, but soon realizes that life without laughter is pure torment. So he sets out on a long journey in search of the laughter he sold. „Tim Thaler or the Sold Laugh“ by James Crews is a novel for young readers, but not only. A story about the precious and the priceless.

This story was told to me by a man of about fifty who, like me, had to supervise the printing of a book in Leipzig. The most interesting thing about this man was that, despite his advanced age, he could still laugh as sweetly and heartily as if he were a ten-year-old boy.

Who this person was—I can only guess. The narrator and the time period remain a mystery, as do many things in this story. I’d also like to mention that I wrote the story on the backs of large, discarded printing plates. For this reason, the book is divided into “sheets,” which are, however, nothing more than its respective chapters.

I would also mention that the reader will not find much to laugh about when reading the part about laughter. But at the same time it has to be said that this journey through the darkness draws circles around the light.

James Crews