Fiction

Telephone

Telephone

  • Downloads：8044
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-10-19 09:55:42
  • Update Date：2025-09-06
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Percival Everett
  • ISBN：1644450224
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

Zach Wells is a perpetually dissatisfied geologist-slash-paleobiologist。 Expert in a very narrow area—the geological history of a cave forty-four meters above the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon—he is a laconic man who plays chess with his daughter， trades puns with his wife while she does yoga， and dodges committee work at the college where he teaches。

After a field trip to the desert yields nothing more than a colleague with a tenure problem and a student with an unwelcome crush on him， Wells returns home to find his world crumbling。 His daughter has lost her edge at chess， she has developed mysterious eye problems， and her memory has lost its grasp。 Powerless in the face of his daughter’s slow deterioration， he finds a mysterious note asking for help tucked into the pocket of a jacket he’s ordered off eBay。 Desperate for someone to save， he sets off to New Mexico in secret on a quixotic rescue mission。

A deeply affecting story about the lengths to which loss and grief will drive us， Telephone is a Percival Everett novel we should have seen coming all along， one that will shake you to the core as it asks questions about the power of narrative to save。

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Reviews

Sheila ，

4。5 stars。 Overall， appreciated the narrator's gruff perspective， but his relationship with his wife frustrated me。 There are so many stories of husbands and wives being at odds， whose love seems to have fallen away， and so many stories of husbands with a wandering eye。 I was hoping this one would be different。 It isn't。 I wish there were more portrayals of heterosexual marital relationships that are deeply loving and affectionate。 It is troubling to me that we don't have enough such models。 4。5 stars。 Overall， appreciated the narrator's gruff perspective， but his relationship with his wife frustrated me。 There are so many stories of husbands and wives being at odds， whose love seems to have fallen away， and so many stories of husbands with a wandering eye。 I was hoping this one would be different。 It isn't。 I wish there were more portrayals of heterosexual marital relationships that are deeply loving and affectionate。 It is troubling to me that we don't have enough such models。 。。。more

Oscreads ，

Completely destroyed by this book。 Loved it so so so so much。

LS ，

This book tried to do WAY too much。

Sharon Johnson ，

First time I read this author but it looks like he is a prolific writer。 Very different style of writing in this book。 I would read some of his other works。 Interesting story and a good ending。

Richard ，

Exceptional writing， even by Everett's standards。 But this is also one of the saddest books I've ever read。 It was sad， but not depressing to me， which I don't necessarily understand how Everett made me feel that way。 The first half of the book had enough comic moments， some actual laugh-out-loud， that it evened things out。 Not so much in the second half。 But speaking of evening things out， the main character， Zach Wells， does his damnedest to try to even out things for himself and his universe。 Exceptional writing， even by Everett's standards。 But this is also one of the saddest books I've ever read。 It was sad， but not depressing to me， which I don't necessarily understand how Everett made me feel that way。 The first half of the book had enough comic moments， some actual laugh-out-loud， that it evened things out。 Not so much in the second half。 But speaking of evening things out， the main character， Zach Wells， does his damnedest to try to even out things for himself and his universe。 And Wells knows it's an impossible thing to do， but he still gives it his best。 。。。more

Cindy Curry ，

The reader of TELEPHONE is introduced to the protagonist， Zach Wells， who describes himself as a man of “profound and yawning dullness。” He is a geologist/paleobiologist who is an expert in a very narrow area―the geological history of a cave above the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon。 Wells is a college professor who is married to Meg， another college professor。 He is dissatisfied with his life and marriage， however， his love for his twelve-year-old daughter， Sarah， is overpowering and keeps h The reader of TELEPHONE is introduced to the protagonist， Zach Wells， who describes himself as a man of “profound and yawning dullness。” He is a geologist/paleobiologist who is an expert in a very narrow area―the geological history of a cave above the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon。 Wells is a college professor who is married to Meg， another college professor。 He is dissatisfied with his life and marriage， however， his love for his twelve-year-old daughter， Sarah， is overpowering and keeps him in his marriage。“So often our stories begin at their ends。 The truth was， I didn’t know which end was the beginning or whether the middle was in the true middle or nearer to that end or the other，” explains Wells。 After discovering that Sarah has a fatal， degenerative disorder， Batten disease， Wells’ melancholy accelerates driving him to escape from his dying daughter and marriage。 However， Wells needs to save "someone" and he may be able to accomplish that by aiding the person whose notes he finds in clothing purchased on eBay。 The tiny sliver of paper found in the pocket of a field jacket read Ayúdame - “Help me。”A NY Times reviewer wrote Everett “has interrogated the ways many people mistake the surface of a situation， or the parts they see， for the whole。 But his narratives live at ground level too， in characters who face shattering decisions and situations that both reflect and defy the expectations put on black writers like himself。” Wells is atheist and rejects the idea that a god is in control of our lives and as a scientist he tests his explanations against his data。 After reading reviews of Telephone， I learned that there were three versions of the book and which were released simultaneously。 The stories， according to the reviews， diverge at three different fulcrum points， in which thoughts either do or do not lead to actions， plans then are or are not followed to completion。 But does it really matter to the reader which version s/he read？ It seems that the message of Telephone is not about choice but about the stories we tell ourselves about choice。 。。。more

James ，

Writing my first review on goodreads to let everyone know this is an extremely sad book， somehow considerably more depressing than the synopsis offered on goodreads。 You've been warned。 The book is great short read。 Writing my first review on goodreads to let everyone know this is an extremely sad book， somehow considerably more depressing than the synopsis offered on goodreads。 You've been warned。 The book is great short read。 。。。more

David Williams ，

Telephone is an absolute gem of grief deferred， with multiple griefs avoided in increasingly difficult ways。 There's a certain uselessness that is interrogated within， and a grand absolution of the kind dreamt of in certain dark moments as proof to one's self that they can at least conceive of great deeds， even though their actions are lacking。 Simply， this is a fucking great novel， and you should read it。 Telephone is an absolute gem of grief deferred， with multiple griefs avoided in increasingly difficult ways。 There's a certain uselessness that is interrogated within， and a grand absolution of the kind dreamt of in certain dark moments as proof to one's self that they can at least conceive of great deeds， even though their actions are lacking。 Simply， this is a fucking great novel， and you should read it。 。。。more

Nat Dell ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 While reading this， I couldn’t help but feel that some parts were going over my head。 I was unsure what the paragraphs with geological observations spliced into the story really added。 However， the book was readable， and the writing was engaging， although the end perhaps a bit anticlimactic， although perhaps everything feels nihilistic as you watch your daughter pass away before your eyes。

Wendy ，

I have the Henry and Miles version。Not in love with it， that is for sure。 The story about the daughter is tough。If I had not read "On Percival Everett’s Almost Secret Experiment in a Novelin Threes" at https://lithub。com/on-percival-everet。。。， I would not have appreciated this book for what it is。 Now that I understand it is the game of telephone in novel form with three different versions including the mistakes that can occur in a game of telephone， I have more appreciation for it。 I would like I have the Henry and Miles version。Not in love with it， that is for sure。 The story about the daughter is tough。If I had not read "On Percival Everett’s Almost Secret Experiment in a Novelin Threes" at https://lithub。com/on-percival-everet。。。， I would not have appreciated this book for what it is。 Now that I understand it is the game of telephone in novel form with three different versions including the mistakes that can occur in a game of telephone， I have more appreciation for it。 I would like more information on how version A differs from versions B and C and so forth。 。。。more

Briony ，

A father figuring out how to cope with his family falling apart after his daughter， Sarah， starts losing her eyesight。 Everett takes you through all the emotions。 I will never understand this POV but I can appreciate the perspective this novel offers。 Whilst this is happening， you are also offered another timeline of Zach Wells （the father） discovering a note asking for help in a second hand jacket he ordered online。 The way I see it， this note offers Zach an opportunity to help when he felt as A father figuring out how to cope with his family falling apart after his daughter， Sarah， starts losing her eyesight。 Everett takes you through all the emotions。 I will never understand this POV but I can appreciate the perspective this novel offers。 Whilst this is happening， you are also offered another timeline of Zach Wells （the father） discovering a note asking for help in a second hand jacket he ordered online。 The way I see it， this note offers Zach an opportunity to help when he felt as though he truly couldn’t。 An unexpected 5 star read for me。 Happy I found this book。 TRIGGER WARNINGS ⚠️ Suicide / Death⚠️ Cheating⚠️ Slavery& probably more but these are the ones that stood out to me。 。。。more

Taylor ，

3。5

Kort K ，

I really enjoyed this book and was hooked on it all the way up through the end！ If you like books with no resolution， this is the book for you。 🙃

Kb ，

The crushing loss and the fragile hope。 Man。

Marcella Rossi ，

Zach Wells è un geologo paleobiologo， professore universitario; non è contento della sua vita malgrado abbia una moglie e un lavoro che ama e soprattutto una figlia unica che adora。 Dei piccoli segnali， un pezzo degli scacchi non visto， delle piccole assenze， portano il professore e la moglie a fare delle indagini mediche sulla figlia con un esito terribile da accettare。 Ugualmente Zach rivive il suicidio del padre， nella morte di una collega， che non ha avuto rinnovati gli incarichi accademici Zach Wells è un geologo paleobiologo， professore universitario; non è contento della sua vita malgrado abbia una moglie e un lavoro che ama e soprattutto una figlia unica che adora。 Dei piccoli segnali， un pezzo degli scacchi non visto， delle piccole assenze， portano il professore e la moglie a fare delle indagini mediche sulla figlia con un esito terribile da accettare。 Ugualmente Zach rivive il suicidio del padre， nella morte di una collega， che non ha avuto rinnovati gli incarichi accademici e per la quale egli si rimprovera di non essersi battuto abbastanza。 Come si reagisce ai lutti che la sorte ci infligge？ Tentando di restituire qualcuno alla vita; ed è così che il professore esce dalle sue caverne metaforiche per andare incontro ad una richiesta di aiuto arrivata per vie inaspettate。Everett è uno scrittore brillante， ha uno stile elegante e la capacità di affrontare con delicatezza e pudore argomenti strazianti。 Questa volta ho trovato la storia leggermente sbilanciata， rispetto a altri libri precedenti， ma comunque un libro di Everett è sempre una esperienza di riflessione e di lettura notevole。 。。。more

Vani Rajkumar ，

Part of my Pulitzer Prize journey。 Can’t believe that this was runner up and has less than 2000 ratings on goodreads？！ I don’t understand the literary world

Francesco Esposito ，

4。5

Saurabh ，

I don't have words to describe this book。 Maybe I will someday。 But not today。 I don't have words to describe this book。 Maybe I will someday。 But not today。 。。。more

Jarrett Neal ，

Never let it be said that Percival Everett doesn't give readers a lot to chew on。 With each book， he explores manhood， aesthetics， Blackness， and loss from unique vantage points。 Written by anyone else， Telephone would seem like a patchwork quilt， the kind of novel that would get shredded in an MFA workshop。 But somehow Everett makes it all work and crafts a harrowing tale （or tales） that kept me turning pages。The book's narrator， Zach Wells， isn't a classic hero， nor is he an antihero。 Like the Never let it be said that Percival Everett doesn't give readers a lot to chew on。 With each book， he explores manhood， aesthetics， Blackness， and loss from unique vantage points。 Written by anyone else， Telephone would seem like a patchwork quilt， the kind of novel that would get shredded in an MFA workshop。 But somehow Everett makes it all work and crafts a harrowing tale （or tales） that kept me turning pages。The book's narrator， Zach Wells， isn't a classic hero， nor is he an antihero。 Like the novel itself， he inhabits an overlap of identities and designations。 The guy's a jerk even in his most heroic moments but his single virtue is his love for his terminally ill daughter， a love that borders on worship。 Watching Sarah's quick decline is painful， and I was amazed at how Everett's terse writing style managed to evoke so much emotion。 But Telephone comes across as a book that doesn't know which way it wants to go。 Woven into the main narrative concerning Zach's daughter is a campus novel （Zach teaches geology）， an excursion to Paris， and in the book's most terrifying tale， a mystery surrounding Zach's attempt to rescue a group of Latina women enslaved by White militia men in southern New Mexico。 Readers may find it hard to believe or even comprehend why Zach would depart from his wife and their ailing daughter， whom he worships， to involve himself in a dangerous mission。 This guy needs to be a hero， and if he couldn't save a suicidal colleague from his university or his dying daughter， he can do his best to deliver these women he doesn't know out of captivity。 It's so much to process， and the three vectors of this book may turn off a lot of readers。 Still， I admire Telephone。 Percival Everett is a writer's writer， and I'm always interested in what he has to say。 。。。more

Cat ，

Liked the writing。 Liked the story。

Aloka - allys_bookshelf ，

#bookthoughts Telephone - Percival EverettWhat is it about some writers that even before you have finished one book by them you are rushing about trying to lay your hands on another ？ What is it about that uncanny eye for the human condition that you know anything he writes about will show us what it means to be alive。 Even when he writes about death？ Without using excessive prose Everett writes about what it is like to be a parent of a dying child in such a lucid way that you feel you are livin #bookthoughts Telephone - Percival EverettWhat is it about some writers that even before you have finished one book by them you are rushing about trying to lay your hands on another ？ What is it about that uncanny eye for the human condition that you know anything he writes about will show us what it means to be alive。 Even when he writes about death？ Without using excessive prose Everett writes about what it is like to be a parent of a dying child in such a lucid way that you feel you are living the days with him。 That the details he shares are yours and you can’t wait to walk into the room and hold your loved ones close。 With a parallel story line where his character the professor and the father of the dying child rushes off leaving his wife to handle a very painful situation to help out some women who he assumes are abducted from Mexico and forced into slavery we see how his helplessness in one situation is being used to salvage another。 How do relationships last in a situation where a couple loses a child？Are some ways to lose a loved one more painful than others and do you then grieve differently？What if you really have nothing useful to do？How do you go on？How do you bear it？ Telephone left me with these questions。 This one was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and it was amazing。 。。。more

Keith ，

No idea how to rate this。I found it very readable but frustrating。 The ending was a huge anticlimax。Apparently there are three different versions which end differently。2/5 for this version; 4/5 for the idea。

Lisa PHJ ，

Beaut I fully written。 Author takes one on a journey of suffering than of salvation， the latter being a coping for the former。 So well written that the emotional aspect was difficult to endure and thus finish。

Pietro Caliceti ，

Un autore che non conoscevo e che è stato una scoperta bellissima

Yupa ，

Progressivamente stucchevole e patetica la parte sulla relazione padre-figlia， laddove lo stile perde inevitabilmente， visto il tema trattato， la verve arguta che aveva caratterizzato le prime parti。Tutto il libro resta comunque scritto molto bene。Ma resta soprattutto un （involontario？） buon campionario， per chi voglia e sappia leggere tra le righe， di ossessioni， miti e tabù statunitensi （e non solo） riguardo alle relazioni tra familiari， tra generazioni， tra uomini e donne， tra esseri umani。

Elizabeth Maupin ，

An astonishing book — or maybe I should say a astonishing three books because the author apparently has written three different versions， and I don’t know which one I read。 Everett’s portrait of a gloomy college professor — a geologist/paleobiologist， to be exact — and his efforts to save someone or something in his life is remarkable in more ways than I can count。 His beloved young daughter is dying， his poet-wife is distant， and he receives SOS notes secreted in used clothing he buys on eBay。 An astonishing book — or maybe I should say a astonishing three books because the author apparently has written three different versions， and I don’t know which one I read。 Everett’s portrait of a gloomy college professor — a geologist/paleobiologist， to be exact — and his efforts to save someone or something in his life is remarkable in more ways than I can count。 His beloved young daughter is dying， his poet-wife is distant， and he receives SOS notes secreted in used clothing he buys on eBay。 Telephone is wryly funny， immensely sad and， in the version I read， inspirational。 I read it in one sitting and wished there were more。 。。。more

Mike W ，

Wow。 Time to read everything Mr Everett has written。

Donatella Zuccaro ，

Premessa: ci sono in giro tre versioni di questo libro， non ho intenzione di rintracciare le altre perciò non so le differenze con le altre edizioni。 Detto ciò， il libro che ho letto segue。。。 tre vite di Zach Wells: quella universitaria， quella a casa e quella da eroe。 La prima e la seconda vita si sfiorano， in entrambe ci sono delle tragedie – quella della vita universitaria mi ha lasciato quasi impassibile， mentre quella nella vita familiare è più approfondita， abbastanza ben affrontata nella Premessa: ci sono in giro tre versioni di questo libro， non ho intenzione di rintracciare le altre perciò non so le differenze con le altre edizioni。 Detto ciò， il libro che ho letto segue。。。 tre vite di Zach Wells: quella universitaria， quella a casa e quella da eroe。 La prima e la seconda vita si sfiorano， in entrambe ci sono delle tragedie – quella della vita universitaria mi ha lasciato quasi impassibile， mentre quella nella vita familiare è più approfondita， abbastanza ben affrontata nella scrittura （i sentimenti di Zach， la moglie e la figlia， il senso di impotenza e perdita）。 La vita da eroe （di cui non dico nulla per non creare spoiler） mi è sembrata paradossale。。。 e non mi ha convito per niente。 Sembra molto una trovata da film e per me stona abbastanza con il resto della narrazione – che segue vicende plausibili， che possono accadere， mentre questa parte in cui Zach per un non precisato motivo vuol fare l'eroe – e lo fa – sembra quasi un diversivo。 。。。more

Jim ，

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 Bleak - and I found out afterwards there are three different versions。 That seems kind of gimmicky。

Neil Crocker ，

My first Percival Everett book。I liked it。 2 main stories with a little bit of linkage between the 2。 Both stories are well done and tug at your heartstrings。 The main character is （for me anyways） a very likable guy。 In fact all the characters are pretty likable。 The book moves along at a good pace and is a quick read。I will read more Percival Everett。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=Telephone

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=Telephone&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,Telephone&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0