'American literature's philosopher king - and its sharpest satirist' - The New Yorker Craig Suder, third baseman for the Seattle Mariners, is in a slump. His batting average is shocking, his marriage somehow worse, and he secretly fears he's inherited his mother's insanity. Ordered to take a midseason rest, Suder instead takes his LP of Charlie Parker's "Ornithology" and flees. A dazzling tale of madness, confinement and the need for escape, Suder introduced Percival Everett to the world as a writer already fully capable of conjuring whole lives and worlds on the page. Part of the Picador Collection, a series celebrating fifty years of Picador books and showcasing the best of modern literature.
Percival Everett
Percival Everett is an American writer known for his diverse body of work that includes novels, poetry, and short stories. He is known for his experimental and genre-defying writing style that often challenges conventional narrative structures and explores themes of race, identity, and language.
Some of his most notable works include "Erasure," a satirical novel that critiques the publishing industry and explores issues of race and representation, and "I Am Not Sidney Poitier," a comedic novel that follows the misadventures of a young black man named Not Sidney Poitier.
Everett's contributions to literature include his exploration of complex and nuanced characters, his use of humor and satire to address serious social issues, and his willingness to push the boundaries of traditional storytelling.
His impact on the literary genre can be seen in his ability to blur the lines between genres, blend literary forms, and challenge readers' expectations. One of his most famous works, "Erasure," has been praised for its sharp social commentary and inventive narrative structure.
Overall, Percival Everett's work is characterized by its intelligence, wit, and willingness to confront difficult truths, making him a unique and influential voice in contemporary literature.