What do you think?
The Foolish Immortals
A cynical young man convinces a rich old woman that he knows where to find the secret of eternal life. They travel to Israel, and discover a few things about themselves.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1953
About the author
Paul Gallico
188 books332 followersPaul William Gallico was born in New York City, on 26th July, 1897. His father was an Italian, and his mother came from Austria; they emigrated to New York in 1895.
He went to school in the public schools of New York, and in 1916 went to Columbia University. He graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree, having lost a year and a half due to World War I. He then worked for the National Board of Motion Picture Review, and after six months took a job as the motion picture critic for the New York Daily News. He was removed from this job as his "reviews were too Smart Alecky" (according to Confessions of a Story Teller), and took refuge in the sports department.
During his stint there, he was sent to cover the training camp of Jack Dempsey, and decided to ask Dempsey if he could spar with him, to get an idea of what it was like to be hit by the world heavyweight champion. The results were spectacular; Gallico was knocked out within two minutes. But he had his story, and from there his sports-writing career never looked back.
He became Sports Editor of the Daily News in 1923, and was given a daily sports column. He also invented and organised the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition. During this part of his life, he was one of the most well-known sporting writers in America, and a minor celebrity. But he had always wanted to be a fiction writer, and was writing short stories and sports articles for magazines like Vanity Fair and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1936, he sold a short story to the movies for $5000, which gave him a stake. So he retired from sports writing, and went to live in Europe, to devote himself to writing. His first major book was Farewell to Sport, which as the title indicates, was his farewell to sports writing.
Though his name was well-known in the United States, he was an unknown in the rest of the world. In 1941, the Snow Goose changed all that, and he became, if not a best-selling author by today's standards, a writer who was always in demand. Apart from a short spell as a war correspondent between 1943 and 1946, he was a full-time freelance writer for the rest of his life. He has lived all over the place, including England, Mexico, Lichtenstein and Monaco, and he lived in Antibes for the last years of his life.
He was a first-class fencer, and a keen deep-sea fisherman. He was married four times, and had several children.
He died in Antibes on 15th July, 1976, just short of his 79th birthday.
He went to school in the public schools of New York, and in 1916 went to Columbia University. He graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree, having lost a year and a half due to World War I. He then worked for the National Board of Motion Picture Review, and after six months took a job as the motion picture critic for the New York Daily News. He was removed from this job as his "reviews were too Smart Alecky" (according to Confessions of a Story Teller), and took refuge in the sports department.
During his stint there, he was sent to cover the training camp of Jack Dempsey, and decided to ask Dempsey if he could spar with him, to get an idea of what it was like to be hit by the world heavyweight champion. The results were spectacular; Gallico was knocked out within two minutes. But he had his story, and from there his sports-writing career never looked back.
He became Sports Editor of the Daily News in 1923, and was given a daily sports column. He also invented and organised the Golden Gloves amateur boxing competition. During this part of his life, he was one of the most well-known sporting writers in America, and a minor celebrity. But he had always wanted to be a fiction writer, and was writing short stories and sports articles for magazines like Vanity Fair and the Saturday Evening Post. In 1936, he sold a short story to the movies for $5000, which gave him a stake. So he retired from sports writing, and went to live in Europe, to devote himself to writing. His first major book was Farewell to Sport, which as the title indicates, was his farewell to sports writing.
Though his name was well-known in the United States, he was an unknown in the rest of the world. In 1941, the Snow Goose changed all that, and he became, if not a best-selling author by today's standards, a writer who was always in demand. Apart from a short spell as a war correspondent between 1943 and 1946, he was a full-time freelance writer for the rest of his life. He has lived all over the place, including England, Mexico, Lichtenstein and Monaco, and he lived in Antibes for the last years of his life.
He was a first-class fencer, and a keen deep-sea fisherman. He was married four times, and had several children.
He died in Antibes on 15th July, 1976, just short of his 79th birthday.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
May 12, 2023
My love of Gallico continues on. There is something so hypnotic about his style. Its soothing and comforting. I really admire the way he builds up his characters within this story. Each one progresses beautifully.
Gallico sets his scenes so well that its not hard to imagine yourself there, pulled into the mix between turmoil and peace.
The imagery used to build our view of these destinations in our minds is fabulous. Having never been to this part of the world but knowing people that have i am told it is a truely magical place. Whatever your view of god or religion you can appreciate the message within this story. From the greedy chancers to the humble veg growing uncle this is an amazing story.
I miss the characters already.
Gallico sets his scenes so well that its not hard to imagine yourself there, pulled into the mix between turmoil and peace.
The imagery used to build our view of these destinations in our minds is fabulous. Having never been to this part of the world but knowing people that have i am told it is a truely magical place. Whatever your view of god or religion you can appreciate the message within this story. From the greedy chancers to the humble veg growing uncle this is an amazing story.
I miss the characters already.
October 18, 2011
One of my used bargain book finds. Written with the 1950's tastes in mind, this was a surprisingly interesting and unusual read. A quasi-adventure, religious, romance tale that primarily takes place in the holy land. A group sets off on a quest to find the rare "tree-of-life" fruit for a fabulously powerful rich old woman with a fear of death. What started out as a scam by con-artist Joe Sears turns into something totally different and unexpected. I have found out that the author, Paul Gallico, was a prolific writer, best known for his story "The Snow Goose." After reading this novel, I may explore some of his other works. Paul Gallico
August 20, 2013
Found this on site called Open Library and read it online. It is one of Gallico's books I can no longer find in print and which I had never read. It is the story of a con man which is an unlikely plot for this writer of sweetness and innocence but he handles it well. It was an interesting concept about the longevity of the patriarchs mentioned in the old testament and the search for immortality. It is ultimately a story of self discovery and redemption.
April 23, 2015
Library was closed so I found this on my bookshelf. Think it belonged to my parents. Actually a very interesting book. A bit of an annoying main character but I liked the plot and the setting of the book and the spiritual references. Kinda fun to read something from the 50's that must have had enough appeal for my parents to buy.
September 2, 2015
I picked this book up because it cost 1 euro, and I liked the binding. I didn't expect to enjoy it so much! The story is simple, the characters are simple, and really, the concept is quite simple. But, I found that the simplicity made the book a pleasant read.
April 19, 2021
I found this at a garage sale. I saw an inscription inside from a woman saying that it was one of her favourites and she hoped the recipient would enjoy it. This is the sole reason I read this book. It was a book recommendation from a stranger.
I dont regret it. I thought I'd hate it. Really hate it. But i was wrong. As an atheist I was worried the religious element would make me uneasy. It didn't. Its just a lovely story. Yes, the Bible is quoted regularly and religion is central to the story but it returns its fictional narrative. A tale about a con man changing his ways. Whether that's to do with religion is irrelevant. Its as simple as that. A journey - literal and metaphorical.
The characters are not fully formed but are likable in their own way. I will miss them as always. The novel gives you the option to believe the religious elements or not. The option is there. The con man never really decides. The moral is there but not forced on readers.
I'm going to controversially say that I think The Alchemist took its roots from this largely unknown novel. There are many similarities between the two. I would choose this one to reread. The Alchemist forced religion on its readers, this one just gives you the option to believe.
A longer review than usual but I don't want anyone to make the mistake I made and almost miss out on a good book in fear of the religious element. A good story is a good story!
I dont regret it. I thought I'd hate it. Really hate it. But i was wrong. As an atheist I was worried the religious element would make me uneasy. It didn't. Its just a lovely story. Yes, the Bible is quoted regularly and religion is central to the story but it returns its fictional narrative. A tale about a con man changing his ways. Whether that's to do with religion is irrelevant. Its as simple as that. A journey - literal and metaphorical.
The characters are not fully formed but are likable in their own way. I will miss them as always. The novel gives you the option to believe the religious elements or not. The option is there. The con man never really decides. The moral is there but not forced on readers.
I'm going to controversially say that I think The Alchemist took its roots from this largely unknown novel. There are many similarities between the two. I would choose this one to reread. The Alchemist forced religion on its readers, this one just gives you the option to believe.
A longer review than usual but I don't want anyone to make the mistake I made and almost miss out on a good book in fear of the religious element. A good story is a good story!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2026
A group of deeply flawed characters travels to Israel with various aims. They are variously seeking family, a new beginning, eternal life, money. In true Gallico style, the story is combination of love story, moral tale, and adventure. I loved it even when I have no Christian/Jewish belief. I didn't love the ending at first, but the more I think about it, the more I realise that there is no ending to this story. Life goes on ...
September 4, 2017
A well constructed story with a strong message; a bit too religious for me....
November 22, 2022
Found at a library book sale - in bad shape but I am so glad I read it. Beautifully religious. A peak into those times with a totally skeptical main character. Loved it.
January 14, 2016
El recuerdo que tengo de esta novela es muy simple. Una mujer anciana tiene el deseo de encontrar el elixir de la vida eterna. Un hombre que quiere hacerse rico a cualquier costo. Dos personas que se cruzan y terminan dependiendo una de la otra, a las cuales la vida, y un gran viaje por obtener algo que los salve de su futuro, les dará una gran lección.
August 18, 2009
Decidedly bizarre. A 50’s novel, darkly psychological and introspective.
January 28, 2010
a lot more religion than i was anticipating in this book. the overall message is that in the end everyone submits to belief in god. decent story, but very religious.
Want to Read
October 28, 2022Marked as tbr because saw it in a (very old) photo of my father with baby older brother. It was on the table.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews