“American Desert” by Percival Everett (U.S.)

One of Nicola’s 100 best books for inspiration in the 21^st Century!

Favourite Extract

… but now he knew, things were the way they were until, simply, they changed. Now, he was going to change something. In fact, he already had. First, death had changed his concept of life. Then, resurrection had changed him as a person, made him so much more than he ever had been in life. And now, living after death had altered him yet again; he had turned a corner in his mind, accepting his remarkable station, coming to understand his immortality, his place. There was a change in his eyes, the way he tilted his head when he observed things in the world, a change in the way he pointed, turned, walked. His voice had become softer, his words fewer and more carefully chosen.

Synopsis

Theodore Street is driving towards the ocean where he plans to drown himself. But, on the way, he is hit by a van and he sails through the windscreen, his head sliced from his body. At his funeral days later, he sits up in his coffin, apparently resurrected… Read more

Nicola’s Creative Reading Group reading list 

Year 3 – “Americas (North, Central and South)” (Oct 2008 – Jun 2009) 

“Larry’s Party” by Carol Shields (Canada)
“American Desert” by Percival Everett (U.S.)
“Swift as Desire” by Laura Esquivel (Mexico)
“The Weight of All Things” by Sandra Benitez (El Salvador)
“In Evil Hour” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Colombia)
“Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon” by Jorge Amado (Brazil)
“The Time of the Hero” by Mario Vargas Llosa (Peru)
“Inés of My Soul” by Isabel Allende (Chile)
“The Invention of Morel” by Adolfo Bioy Casares (Argentina)