Talk to Me A Novel
Talk to Me, a novel by T. C. Boyle, is a lively and thought-provoking exploration of interspecies communication, published by HarperCollins Publishers on June 14, 2022. This reprint edition spans 352 pages and is presented in English. The narrative follows animal behaviorist Guy Schermerhorn, who demonstrates his ability to teach a juvenile chimp named Sam to communicate using sign language on a television game show. Aimee Villard, an undergraduate captivated by this performance, applies to become his assistant, leading to a complex romantic and intellectual relationship that challenges the boundaries of consciousness.
In this novel, Boyle delves into profound questions about communication and understanding between species. The story raises inquiries about the nature of consciousness, the existence of souls, and the emotional lives of animals. Readers will find themselves contemplating whether apes can grasp concepts such as death, redemption, and hope. Through humor and depth, Talk to Me invites reflection on what it means to connect with another being, whether human or animal, and the intricacies of truly knowing one another.
Official synopsis Publisher
From bestselling and award-winning author T.C. Boyle, a lively, thought-provoking novel that asks us what it would be like if we could really talk to the animals
When animal behaviorist Guy Schermerhorn demonstrates on a TV game show that he has taught Sam, his juvenile chimp, to speak in sign language, Aimee Villard, an undergraduate at Guy’s university, is so taken with the performance that she applies to become his assistant. A romantic and intellectual attachment soon morphs into an interspecies love triangle that pushes hard at the boundaries of consciousness and the question of what we know and how we know it.
What if it were possible to speak to the members of another species–to converse with them, not just give commands or coach them but to really have an exchange of ideas and a meeting of minds? Did apes have God? Did they have souls? Did they know about death and redemption? About prayer? The economy, rockets, space? Did they miss the jungle? Did they even know what the jungle was? Did they dream? Make wishes? Hope for the future?
These are some the questions T.C. Boyle asks in his wide-ranging and hilarious new novel Talk to Me, exploring what it means to be human, to communicate with another, and to truly know another person–or animal…
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