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M.O. Walsh
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The Big Door Prize (Random House Large Print) Paperback – Large Print, September 8, 2020

by M. O. Walsh (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 376 ratings
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The New York Times bestselling author of My Sunshine Away returns with another instant Southern classic: a gripping and heartfelt novel about a mysterious machine that upends a small Louisiana town, asking us all to wonder if who we truly are is who we truly could be.

What would you do if you knew your life's potential? That's the question facing the residents of Deerfield, Louisiana, when the DNAMIX machine appears in their local grocery store. It's nothing to look at, really--it resembles a plain photo booth. But its promise is amazing: With just a quick swab of your cheek and two dollars, the device claims to use the science of DNA to tell you your life's potential. With enough credibility to make the townspeople curious, soon the former teachers, nurses, and shopkeepers of Deerfield are abruptly changing course to pursue their destinies as magicians, cowboys, and athletes--including the novel's main characters, Douglas Hubbard and his wife, Cherilyn, who both believed they were perfectly happy until they realized they could dream for more...

Written with linguistic grace and a sense of wonder, The Big Door Prize sparkles with keen observations about what it might mean to stay true to oneself while honoring the bonds of marriage, friendship, and community, and how the glimmer of possibility can pull these bonds apart, bring them back together, and make second chances possible, even under the strangest of circumstances.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    512 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Random House Large Print
  4. Publication date
    September 8, 2020
  5. Dimensions
    6.1 x 0.85 x 9.18 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0593286065
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0593286067
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

M.O. Walsh's writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Oxford American, The Southern Review, and Best New American Voices, among others. His novel My Sunshine Away was a New York Times bestseller and winner of the Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize. He is a graduate of the MFA program at the University of Mississippi and currently directs the Creative Writing Workshop at the University of New Orleans.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Random House Large Print; Large type / Large print edition (September 8, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 512 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593286065
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0593286067
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.09 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 0.85 x 9.18 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 376 ratings

About the author

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M.O. Walsh

M.O. Walsh

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M.O. Walsh was born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He is the author of the story collection The Prospect of Magic, and the novels My Sunshine Away and The Big Door Prize. His stories and essays have appeared the New York Times, Oxford American, The Paris Review, The Guardian, The Southern Review, American Short Fiction, and Best New American Voices, among others.

His first novel, MY SUNSHINE AWAY, was a New York Times Bestseller, an Amazon featured Debut, and was named a best book of 2015 by NPR, Kirkus, and Booklist.

He currently lives in New Orleans, LA, where he directs the Creative Writing Workshop at the University of New Orleans.

For more info, please visit www.mowalsh.com, join M.O. Walsh on FACEBOOK, or follow him at m_o_walsh on Twitter!

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
376 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

liketoshop
5.0 out of 5 stars Very funny and heartwarming
Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2024
Verified Purchase
Some of the characters in the book were so funny! Very insightful and heartwarming. Interesting and thought-provoking -- what would you do if you knew your life's potential. Highly recommend.
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Kerry Ramsay
4.0 out of 5 stars Three and a half
Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2020
Verified Purchase
The end (last chapter) was interesting- more so than the rest of the book. The main premise was interesting and the townspeople were somewhat compelling, but part of the plot felt really shoehorned in, in an attempt to be relevant. Also, some major telegraphing.
3 people found this helpful
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Amberly Robertson
3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2024
Verified Purchase
I feel like others will like the book more than I did. It was nicely written just not for me 😊.

It had its moments of beautiful wordplay though.
One person found this helpful
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Ek92
5.0 out of 5 stars Different than the tv-series
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2023
Verified Purchase
Well-written novel with an intrigiung premise. Not sure if I like the book or the Apple TV-show better; even though the premise is the same, the book takes a few significantly different steps.
2 people found this helpful
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T-Man
4.0 out of 5 stars Good book
Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2022
Verified Purchase
It's a good book and fun to read. I'd give it five stars but a little too much like a Hallmark movie for my taste.
5 people found this helpful
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Marie McCoy
5.0 out of 5 stars Pleasant read
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
Very nice feel good story. Nice plot twist at the end and i recommend it. Not what i expected at all..
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Jeanine
2.0 out of 5 stars Boring
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2024
Verified Purchase
I ordered the book after watching the series on Apple Truly one of the rare instances where the series is better than the book
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Jacob Stebel
5.0 out of 5 stars A lovely story filled with wonderful characters
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2022
Verified Purchase
I probably shouldn't be writing a review so soon after finishing the book, but I loved it so much. It has a wonderful premise and the inner monologues of the characters are rich and brilliantly developed.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Darryl R. Stefanik
1.0 out of 5 stars Not in good condition
Reviewed in Canada on May 6, 2023
Verified Purchase
Was intended to be a gift...arrived damaged
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Darryl R. Stefanik
1.0 out of 5 stars Not in good condition
Reviewed in Canada on May 6, 2023
Was intended to be a gift...arrived damaged
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