The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

The Trees by Percival Everett

Very pleased to see Percival Everett recognized by the Booker. He's a bit of a recluse (doesn't usually give interviews) and is not widely known in the US, although he's lauded in literary circles here.

One of the rare interviews with Everett: https://tinhouse.com/podcast/percival...

For anyone reading this outside the US, it may be helpful to know about the murder of Emmett Till in 1955: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_...

The Trees takes place in the same Mississippi town, although in contemporary times, and the plot is a bit of a twist on the Emmett Till murder.

The Trees did very well in this year’s Tournament of Books (March madness style book tournament held every March). It eventually got beat out by Klara and the Sun, but it was one match away from the finals. Here’s the link to the TOB for those who are unaware. It’s my second favorite bookish thing (after the Booker Prize, of course): https://themorningnews.org/tob/

It’s interesting (and perhaps not ideal for a UK prize) that two books rely on American murders.

It's still a bit strange to me to see such an *American* book listed for the Booker Prize. It is a stunning novel that does some amazing things, I could see it winning.

I am looking forward to reading this.

I see Influx are already out of stock on this. They emailed to say “buy now as we have a few left” but I didn’t see the mail in time given the longlist was announced so close to midnight.

I was able to purchase from Graywolf Press in the US, which is also a smallish publisher.

Influx published The Trees?

I want to read this, but I don’t want to go where this book will go. The murder of Emmitt Till, a happy go lucky 14 year old, was savage and I can’t handle that right now. I’m know I’m showing my privilege by choosing not to immerse myself in the murder of a black child when it’s an everyday concern for mothers and fathers of black boys. Damn. I have to read it.

I just ordered it.

It's set in contemporary times. I posted the Emmett Till reference because this also takes place in Money, MS.

The summary said each murder scene include two victims, one who resembles Emmitt Till.

Yes Influx are the publisher for the Booker.

Wendy you are not wrong to be hesitant in my opinion. I had a really hard time reading this very violent story. And yes white privilege. But I still think it’s a must read.

Ugh. So it is really violent? I can read violence, I struggle, like most I would imagine, to read about individuals suffering, I’ll skim if there are any scenes of torture.

That’s cool that Influx picked up Percival Everett.

I think very few of us have read it yet so it's hard to say how much of the violence takes place offstage. But it is a book about lynching.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Is your review a spoiler, Bryn? I think I read something I didn’t want to read.

I don’t think so. It says pretty much the same thing in the publisher blurb on the Goodreads page for the book. My language was more graphic.

All the individual suffering takes place off stage. There is no torture. And it’s funnier than you’re expecting.

Thanks, just making sure. I’m okay with graphic language!

I have seen some slightly worrying comparisons to The Sellout - and thinking about it both of my easily least favourite Booker winners of all times are satires of the US (see also Vernon God Little) so hoping the comparison isn’t accurate.

Generally I am not a fan of satire in novels.

Paul wrote: "I have seen some slightly worrying comparisons to The Sellout - and thinking about it both of my easily least favourite Booker winners of all times are satires of the US (see also Vernon God Little..."

I also am not generally a fan of satire, but it is just one of a number of elements The Trees uses so it’s not overwhelming like The Sellout, which I was ambivalent about.

Percival Everett is one of my favorite authors. Glad to see him on the list!

Thanks. I do plan to read this when it is available to buy.

I didn’t love the Sellout and I don’t usually enjoy satire but this book delighted me. That sounds awful in the context of the subject matter. It is fresh and original, and well done on a technical level. I want to read more Everett as a result and am absolutely thrilled to see this listed. My faith in the Booker is restored!

Having said that I agree with the post about reconciling such an American book on the list …. But I’ve already gotten over it. Trees for the win! (I say having only read two books)

I started this one today. I think there are going to be comparisons between The Trees and The Sellout purely because both novels are satirical takes on racism and were written by black americans. I also was not a big fan of The Sellout, but I think this one will be wildly different.
This is my fourth Everett read. He's a very clever writer. For those seeking more of his work, I highly recommend Erasure.

From a uk viewpoint - particularly for small press fans - there is a small issue with erasure

When asked in the Guardian about his books I’m the uk

I”nflux Press has been great about putting out a lot of my work. My agent said they’re a small press doing good things and that sounded good to me; I like a cheque as much as anyone, but I’d rather the books have a good life. It would’ve been nice if Influx could have done Erasure but once Faber [which originally published the novel in the UK in 2003] found out there was any kind of interest, they decided to bring it out again. That was poor form, because they hadn’t been in touch for 20 years, and then when they saw there was a chance to do something with it, they did. I wish they’d turned over the rights.”

It's nothing like The Sellout.

Personally I wouldn't call it 'satire' at all.

It uses some genre conventions in a manner that allows the reader to confront the history of lynching, without looking away.

I can see that this is good and well written. But I have DNF'ed at 20%. I cannot connect to it and I HATE anything connected to "true crime".

I have been in touch with Influx Press over the last couple of days.

They have now set up a pre-order page for copies of the book once it is re-printed.

https://www.influxpress.com/the-trees

I just finished the trees, in one set! I could not put the book down, it is enjoyable but have some mixed feeling about it.
Surely loved it but did not find quiet outstanding as it is straight forward and full of dialogues. It is 4 stars for me. I think it can make it to the shortlist

I really enjoyed this, and would never have read it if it had not appeared on the Booker long-list. It was very 'filmic' and reminded me of the Coen Brothers or Martin McDonagh, but I do not think that it is a winner.

Laff wrote: "I really enjoyed this, and would never have read it if it had not appeared on the Booker long-list. It was very 'filmic' and reminded me of the Coen Brothers or Martin McDonagh, but I do not think ..."

indeed, it was very filmic. Actually when I was reading, I was wondering how it's going to be if it is adopted for Tv/Cinema. some scene were fantastic.
I doubt it will win, there's a lot of excellent books there on the longlist

Trying to track down a copy here in Australia. Seems basically unavailalbe, although Kindle an option. Perhaps this will change with the Booker nomination.

I have, but have not yet read, Telephone and I Am Not Sidney Poitier.

Mohamed wrote: "I just finished the trees, in one set! I could not put the book down, it is enjoyable but have some mixed feeling about it.
Surely loved it but did not find quiet outstanding as it is straight forw..."

I thunk my views were largely in line with yours. I can see this on the shortlist as it’s impressively executed and an important theme but I would be disappointed if it won the prize, it’s too US specific and a little too straightforward (which I know is a deliberate choice by a very experimental author but still it reads more like a film script than a literary novel)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "Mohamed wrote: "I just finished the trees, in one set! I could not put the book down, it is enjoyable but have some mixed feeling about it.
Surely loved it but did not find quiet outstanding as it ..."

Great reveiw, Gumble! I agree with your thoughts oon the American theme of the novel, it is very rooted in USA history. it can make it to the shortlist since it is easy to read and that will appeal to many readers and increase the popularity of the prize
A booker prize winner should feel universal, therefore I am rooting for Maps.

Anyone who's read Erasure will appreciate the irony of Everett being nominated for prizes for a novel about lynching. Still, very overdue for him to receive recognition.

Fantastic review. I think you captured the context well. This may be one of Everett's most straightforward novels but that is certainly by design to engage with a larger audience.

That’s very kind David and Mo.

My wifi went down in the place I am staying in holiday which had the beneficial side effect of giving me longer to shaper my review before I was able to post it.

I do like the way this year’s Booker has given both Everett and Garner an overdue share of the limelight.

A bit of a tangent, but every time I read about Emmett Till's mother insisting on an open casket funeral, and what that entailed, it takes my breath away.

Not a tangent at all - I think this novel is precisely designed to achieve the same impact …… to make it impossible to look away and do anything other than confront the horror of lynchings.

It may be hard to tell from the thumbnail image but the cover of the American edition lists the names of lynching victims in columns. Kind of easy to miss at a quick first glance because of the light font but once you see it, impossible to unsee it. Very effective I thought.

Lee I also thought the US cover was extraordinary. Part of what I loved about this novel is the way it extends the story of lynching beyond black men in the south. The cover is full of names that you know don’t belong to black men and the story itself made a nation-wide indictment vs. keeping it to the familiar regional story.

Probably about half of my enjoyment when reading Percival Everett comes from having read several of his novels, where the breadth of his skill and imagination, and the way every book is so breathlessly different, really hits me.

Agreed Lark on his versatility - but seems a shame the first I have read is the most straightforward (if still powerful)

And also agree on the national thing - there is a danger people read it as just about Southern states and the author has been at pains in interviews to point out its national scope and I thought that was cleverly done just as it felt that readers could assume it was really about Mississippi only.

For me though that still makes it a narrow and rather over-familiar scope - especially when for a non US book prize (and a UK literary culture even in say schools) which have tended to over the years largely offshore indictments of racism to books set in the US (one reason why GWO was such a welcome winner and Fortune Men refreshingly different even if perhaps simple in literary terms).

GY, I believe I've read a transcript of an interview with Evaristo where she talks about how she had ever so many good books to choose from about the experiences of Black women in the US, as she grew up, but not so many (or none?) that were presenting the experiences of Black women in the UK--and that this was part of her motivation to write. She didn't see much of her own experience reflected in the US books.

Agreed Lark on his versatility - but seems a shame the first I have read is the most straightforward (if still powerful) ..."

I think So Much Blue is Everett's most straightforward novel, and probably not coincidentally, my least favorite.