The Magic Kingdom — Stanley Elkin

Brimming with Elkin's comic brilliance and singular wordplay, The Magic Kingdom tells the story of Eddy Bale, who, determined to learn from the ghastly experience of his son's long, drawn-out death, decides to give seven terminally ill children a dream vacation before they die.

Abandoned by his wife and devastated by the death of his twelve-year old son, Eddy Bale becomes obsessed with the plight of terminally ill children and develops a plan to provide a last hurrah dream vacation for seven children who will never grow-up.

Eddy and his four dysfunctional chaperones journey to the entertainment capital of America -- Disney World. Once they arrive, a series of absurdities characteristic of an Elkin novel -- including a freak snowstorm and a run-in with a vengeful Mickey Mouse -- transform Eddy's idealistic wish into a fantastic nightmare.