The Short of It:

Unexpectedly clever.

The Rest of It:

I read Telephone some time back and I am just now sitting down to write up my thoughts. This book was chosen for my book club and what appeared to be a story about a father and his terminally ill daughter, turned out to be a lot more. A lot.

There are failed relationships. Pleas for help from women who have been trafficked. Uncomfortable interactions between colleagues. Come to find out, the author has three slightly different versions of this book. Between the members of my club all three versions were read and when we came together to discuss the book, we quickly realized endings were different.

I really enjoyed the writing even though the story seemed a little choppy in places. I definitely appreciated its uniqueness. Our club will be reading his new book later this year (James). ( )

Big letdown after reading Trees. ( )

litertainment ( )

I know Percival Everett is a genius, so I'm assuming much of what he is writing goes way, way over my head. Spinning plates that are invisible to me. This is Everett book #2 for me and I do know the uniqueness of this particular book is that there are actually three versions of 'Telephone' in existence, and they vary plotwise. That is neat, but I don't think I will be reading all three versions. (Too many books... Hell, too many Percival Everett books to get around to!) Creating three narratives in three books sure is spinning plates on another level! I'm surprised no one else has written three parallel books (as far as I know), but leave it to Everett to give it a try. Regardless of my dull brain, I do feel Everett should be more widely read, so I keep trucking on. I can always find some gems in an Everett book. I do love that no matter how much Everett seems to want to hold the reader at arm's length, with his curmudgeonly characters, all of it is still very endearing, no matter how much the characters (or Everett) try to shove the reader away. (Remember, I'm basing this on two of his books. This one, plus 'Virgil Russell'.) For what it's worth, I read the B/2/Yellow version.

*Book #138/322 I have read of the shortlisted Morning News Tournament of Books ( )

Loved the writing (at 5 Stars), could not bear the haunting decline of a child with an incurable disease -

WHY is all our entitled rich people's money not going to fund cures???????? ( )