Welcome to Litsy!

A father who loves his daughter more than anything and has to deal with his own helplessness in the face of that love looks towards the mystery of messages found in the pockets of items of clothing he recently purchased on line. Everett‘s books are all so different outside of all being well written and deeply smart. This book was all of that and also sharply moving with its main character who is lost and looking for something he can control.

I‘ve been wanting to read more by Percival Everett (having read James last year), so I took the #AuthoraMonth inspiration to squeeze this into my May reading. It‘s so good, and so different from James. The narrative shifts between Zach‘s family and his job as a professor, and his efforts to unravel the mysterious pleas for help he‘s found in clothes ordered from eBay—two very different plot lines, yet the book doesn‘t feel uneven. ⤵️

“People, and by people I mean *them,* never look for truth, they look for satisfaction. There is nothing worse, certain painful and deadly diseases notwithstanding, than an unsatisfactory, piss-poor truth, whereas a satisfactory lie is all too easy to accept, even embrace, get cozy with.”

Now that‘s an opening line!!

This #AuthorAMonth book wrecked me. It‘s the 5th Everett I‘ve read; every one has been an incredible experience. He published 3 versions of this book, where the stories diverge at 3 different fulcrum points — where thoughts either do/do not lead to actions and plans that are/are not followed to completion. The differences seem minor, but tiny choices have big impacts on the outcome. My version was C: If you‘ve read A or B, tell me your thoughts.

May‘s #AuthorAMonth is one of my favorite authors. I‘m all in for Telephone.

@Soubhiville

Most of the Everett books I‘ve read are somewhat steeped in the madcap, as though you can see the author with a manic glee in his eye while writing. This one is quieter, following a professor who seems to feel stunted in his work and marriage having to deal with a slow motion tragedy at home. I found it devastatingly sad. #ReadYourEbooks

Just finished this odd book and honestly, I really liked it. Confusing? Yes. Occasionally hard to follow? Yup. Brain bending? Oh yeah. But it came together and I found the ending more satisfying than others (I got the “good” ending though so that helped 😂). Percival Everett is just 🤯

I amused myself with the thought that people often make a point of declaring their uselessness in order to be helpful. I can‘t do anything, but I‘m here for you.

So different than The Trees. A professor struggles to come to terms with a young daughter dying of a progressive dementia disease. Ends up heading to New Mexico to save some Mexican women imprisoned in a sweat shop. It‘s about falling short for our loved ones, perhaps doing the best we can, are equipped to do. And looking for redemption. Everett‘s novels seem so wildly different from one another. I look forward to reading more.

“People, and by people I mean them, never look for truth, they look for satisfaction. There is nothing worse, certain painful and deadly diseases not withstanding, than an unsatisfactory, piss-poor truth, whereas a satisfactory lie is all too easy to accept, even embrace, get cozy with, is a bit of all right.” Loving my next Percival Everett novel! #Firstlinefridays

Next up! My craft whiskey sour kind of matches the book cover! A good omen.

Happy birthday @wanderinglynn !! And congratulations on your 300K, what an accomplishment 😃

#300Kbirthdaygiveaway

Eeeek!! I am SO excited about my #FallingForFallSwap box, thank you @rsteve388!! These are the perfect books that I‘ve had my eye on!! I‘m going to make some of the coffee in the morning before my meeting, the bookmark and magnet are awesome, and I‘ve never seen page pointers before but I love them already! Litsy friends find the coolest gadgets! Thank you for sharing a bit of Denver with the comfy socks that I will wear tonight! 💃🏽 #FFFS

Beautiful pieces of writing… but poorly strung together.
I‘d try another book by Percival Everett, so pls feel free to drop recommendations in the comments 😬

A sad and frustrating book with an unsatisfying ending.

Perfect!

Ah, Sundays ☕️📖🌿🌞

“Selfishly, I saw my world as illusory, fragile, existing only because others allowed it to exist. I realized that I was ever awaiting such a moment of loss, that I was in fact daily resigned to death but had never resigned to life.”

Parental anxiety.

Protagonist Zach is indeed selfish but questioning, attempts a selfless grand gesture (or dreams it?).

Some great language play, even silly phrases like ”pack rat middens,” fun on the tongue.

Percival Everett plays w/ form again, this time w/ three different possible endings & interstitial passages relating to art, geology, chess—like blips of character‘s interior monologue. Curmudgeonly prof Zach Wells fiercely loves his daughter who is dying of genetic neurological disease. Other female characters mostly stereotypes. Wells‘ pain & helplessness=precisely rendered, crushing. The inwardness of grief, guilt. Odd plot, but memorable. 2020

Loved this book from the #TournamentOfBooks, even though the ending (one of 3, apparently) was unexpected and abrupt. #tob21

I‘m finishing off this month‘s #20in4 readathon with a total of 13 hours and 40 minutes. Not as much as I hoped, but I did finish a few books! Thanks to @Andrew65 for the encouragement!

So glad I‘m finally reading this book! 😊 ☀️

Percival Everett wrote and published three versions of this novel. Such an interesting idea. I enjoyed my version ... but now I want to read the other two! 😫

I did like this, but it left me wanting...something. #ToB

This is the #ToB21 at its best again, always surprising! The judge prefers Telephone over Shuggie Bain! In our #LitsyToB21 Shuggie is the winner, although some of us will be happy to see Telephone at least make it to the next round of the official Tournament: @vivastory @BkClubCare @Hooked_on_books and I voted for Percival Everett.

“What if we just walked forever?“ I said.
Sarah turned to look at me.
“What if we never went back to our hotel or back home?“ I stepped forward to hold her hand. “What if we simply walked and walked forever?“
“To the horizon,“ Sarah said.“ “That would be perfect.“
The snow fell a little harder.

Forty-two year old professor of geology & paleobiology & family man, Zach Wells, is our narrator in Everett's latest novel. At the beginning of👇

Second to last of my remaining #TOB21 books (not counting play-in round). I have Tender is the Flesh on order. #DogsofLitsy #EstherAssisting

Thanks for the tag @truthinfiction
1) It's going to be a busy week at work, but I do plan on wrapping up the #tob21 shortlist with the tagged book & Breasts & Eggs.
2) Not at the moment. I've been thinking about adopting a cat.
3) Probably 100 Years of the Best American Short Stories. Several of my favorites could keep me company.
@Cupcake12 #MotivationalMonday
I'm a day late, but if you haven't posted yet, I tag you.

F@CK!!! That ending 😡😩!!!Total #PetPeeve I can‘t stand #UnfinishedBusiness Damn!!! Not sure what to say/ loved this book until the author pulled that crap 😭 #ToB21 Its a pick with reservations

Just read the first chapter! Im totally in 💯 #ToB21 I‘m sad it‘s up against Shuggie Bain 😩

Was not prepared for how devastatingly sad this was. How is this author so under-read? I liked this a lot but can‘t help but wonder if I would have felt more satisfied if I‘d read a different version (there are three versions, each with a different ending - fascinating publishing concept in itself). Book 8 of 18 for this year‘s #TOB21 done.

This really speaks to me 😆

I loved the writing (how have I not heard of this author?) and felt very connected to the characters but the story was just a so-so for me. This is not the book I wanted for those characters. The ending was also disappointed. One of the 2 storylines was wrapped up but not the one I wanted. I have heard that different versions of this book have different endings so maybe I was just unlucky?! I will definitely read another book from this author

At its heart, this novel is about a father who wants to save someone, anyone while daughter dies from a genetic disease. He can‘t face his own reality, so he intrudes, welcome or unwelcome, on others. However, the author left some unresolved characters scattershot through MC Zach‘s wake. That was frustrating. A lot of underdeveloped potential here. Still, I‘m glad I read it. Just under a pick. #tob

My new headlamp for reading at night with paperbacks. I swear it‘s not as disturbingly bright as it appears! Night everyone, unless it‘s morning or afternoon where you are, then I wish you a happy Saturday. ❤️

I had a long day out, but it‘s always good to come home to some blame-it-on- @BarbaraBB #bookmail! ❤️😘

Now to finish We Ride Upon Sticks...

#tob #tob2021

#BookReport 51/20

It has been the week that I wished for. So much time to read. The highlights were both the #ToB21 books. Another week of reading ahead.

Part western, part campus novel, but mostly a heartbreaking book of a father losing his daughter. Reproaching himself for not being able to safe her, professor Zach Wells is determined to safe some Mexican women kept hostage in a clothing warehouse in New Mexico.
I am becoming a real fan of Everett and this book is my favorite of the #ToB21 shortlist so far. ⬇️⬇️

Super sad but moving novel about a university professor whose 12 year old daughter is diagnosed with a terminal neurological degenerative disorder. This is the second novel I have read from Everett and I think he is a really underrated author. His writing is beautiful and poignant and I want to start to read some of his immense backlog. Highly recommend this one, be prepared to cry a little.