TelephoneTelephone
Score Modern
What it's about
Zach Wells is a perpetually dissatisfied geologist and paleobiologist, an expert on a single cave in the Grand Canyon, who plays chess with his daughter, trades puns with his wife and dodges committee work. Then a field trip to the desert sets in motion a story of loss and grief.
Why it's worth reading
It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Percival Everett writes about loss and grief with dry wit.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's quiet and wry, with a strong emotional undercurrent.
By the numbers
- Readers39 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics32 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller2 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz19 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #1149 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2127 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving
More by Percival Everett
James
Erasure
The Trees
Dr. NoIf you like this, read next
Explore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Telephone worth reading?
Yes. It was a Pulitzer Prize finalist. It ranks #2,127 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 62.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Telephone about?
Zach Wells is a perpetually dissatisfied geologist and paleobiologist, an expert on a single cave in the Grand Canyon, who plays chess with his daughter, trades puns with his wife and dodges committee work. Then a field trip to the desert sets in motion a story of loss and grief.
How long does it take to read Telephone?
About 6 hours (224 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Telephone?
If you liked it, try James by Percival Everett, Erasure by Percival Everett or The Trees by Percival Everett.