Crosstalk: A Novel - Softcover

Willis, Connie

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0345540697 ISBN 13: 9780345540690

Publisher: Del Rey, 2017

Synopsis

Science fiction icon Connie Willis brilliantly mixes a speculative plot, the wit of Nora Ephron, and the comedic flair of P. G. Wodehouse in Crosstalk—a genre-bending novel that pushes social media, smartphone technology, and twenty-four-hour availability to hilarious and chilling extremes as one young woman abruptly finds herself with way more connectivity than she ever desired.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY NPR

In the not-too-distant future, a simple outpatient procedure to increase empathy between romantic partners has become all the rage. And Briddey Flannigan is delighted when her boyfriend, Trent, suggests undergoing the operation prior to a marriage proposal—to enjoy better emotional connection and a perfect relationship with complete communication and understanding. But things don’t quite work out as planned, and Briddey finds herself connected to someone else entirely—in a way far beyond what she signed up for.

It is almost more than she can handle—especially when the stress of managing her all-too-eager-to-communicate-at-all-times family is already burdening her brain. But that’s only the beginning. As things go from bad to worse, she begins to see the dark side of too much information, and to realize that love—and communication—are far more complicated than she ever imagined.

Praise for Crosstalk

“A rollicking send-up of obsessive cell phone usage in too-near-future America . . . [Connie] Willis’s canny incorporation of scientific lore, and a riotous cast . . . make for an engaging girl-finally-finds-right-boy story that’s unveiled with tact and humor. Willis juxtaposes glimpses of claimed historical telepaths with important reflections about the ubiquity of cell phones and the menace that unscrupulous developers of technology pose to privacy, morality, and emotional stability.”—Publishers Weekly 

“An exhilarating and laugh-inducing read . . . one of those rare books that will keep you up all night long because you can’t bear to put it down.”—Portland Book Review

“A fun technological fairy tale.”—BookPage

“One of the funniest SF novels in years.”—Locus

About this title

From the Inside Flap

Briddey Flannigan is an expert in communication, working on the frontlines of the smartphone arms race at a major telecom company. When the new boyfriend she's bonded over an upcoming product launch withthe dreamy Trent Worthproposes after just six weeks, her main concern is keeping the snoopy office gossips from alerting her family, the sure-to-disapprove Flannigan clan. The issue is that Trent hasn't proposed marriage, he's proposed something far more intimate: an EED. A simple surgical procedure that allows an emotionally bonded couple to sense each other's feelings. What could go wrong? Everything]]at least, according to her family members and C.B. Schwartz, the eccentric genius who works out of her company's basement. Briddey decides it might be easier to just get the EED done fast, and have some relative peace and quiet with Trent as they race to outdo Apple's new phone. Too bad it turns out her familyand C.B.may have had a point. Briddey leaves the surgery with a far different outcome than she could ever have planned. Beloved, multiple Hugo- and Nebula Award-winner Connie Willis's unparalleled wit and ability to create unforgettable characters are at their peak in this timely new romantic comedy. Crosstalk will indeed have everyone talking, with its incisive and hilarious commentary on not just matters of the heart but our culture's obsession with making the private into the public. The Subterranean Press edition will be signed by the author and limited to 500 numbered copies.

About the Author

Connie Willis is a member of the Science Fiction Hall of Fame and a Grand Master of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. She has received seven Nebula awards and eleven Hugo awards for her fiction; Blackout and All Clear—a novel in two parts—and Doomsday Book won both. Her other works include Passage, Lincoln’s Dreams, Bellwether, Impossible Things, Remake, Uncharted Territory, To Say Nothing of the Dog, Fire Watch, and Miracle and Other Christmas Stories. Connie Willis lives with her family in Colorado, where she deals on a daily basis with the delights (and the more maddening aspects) of our modern oh-so-connected world.

About this edition

• Publisher: Del Rey
• Publication date: 2017
• ISBN 10: 0345540697
• ISBN 13: 9780345540690
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 512