The Trick by Emanuel Bergmann

The Trick alternates between pre-WWII Europe and present day LA. In the earlier narrative, Moshe runs away from his abusive father, the Rabbi Laibl, to join the circus and become a mentalist/magician. In the present story, eleven-year-old Max is searching for a magician to cast an eternal love spell on his parents, who are divorcing. He ends up finding Moshe, or The Great Zabbatini, at the end his life, and tries to enlist his help in keeping his family together. Moshe is reluctant initially, but then realizes how nice it is to feel needed, and that helping the boy might also help himself.

The earlier timeline is compelling, with Moshe's circus experience and love-of-his-life story set against the lead up to the war. This would make a great book in its own right. The later timeline is funny, with Max and Moshe's hi-jinks providing some laugh-out-loud moments. Moshe has now become an alter cocker, or old fart, and is grumpy and hysterical at the same time. He even turns out to have a special connection with Max and his family, though not the one you might think at first. As a whole, this book is definitely a worthy read.