Numb - by Sean Ferrell (Paperback)

About the Book

A captivating debut from exciting new talent Sean Ferrell, Numb is the endearing tale of a man with no memory or ability to feel pain, who attracts a colorful crowd of sycophants and exploiters while trying to come to terms with who he really is. Fans of the work of Richard Powers, Gary Shteyngart, and Thomas Pynchon--and of the films The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Truman Show, and the cinematic oeuvre of Charlie Kaufman--will love the unique and entertaining Numb.

Book Synopsis

A captivating debut from exciting new talent Sean Ferrell, Numb is the endearing tale of a man with no memory or ability to feel pain, who attracts a colorful crowd of sycophants and exploiters while trying to come to terms with who he really is. Fans of the work of Richard Powers, Gary Shteyngart, and Thomas Pynchon--and of the films The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Truman Show, and the cinematic oeuvre of Charlie Kaufman--will love the unique and entertaining Numb.

From the Back Cover

Early one morning' after a sandstorm had ripped through north Texas' I wandered into Mr. Tilly's circus. I wore a black suit and blood ran down my face. When some of the carnies came up to me, I said, "I'm numb." This became my name.

A man with no memory who feels no pain, Numb travels to New York City after a short stint with the circus, following the one and only clue he holds to his hidden history: a brittle, bloodstained business card. But once there, word of his condition rapidly spreads--sparked by the attention he attracts by letting people nail his hands to wooden bars for money--and he quickly finds himself hounded on all sides by those who would use his unique ability in their own pursuits of fame and fortune. It is a strange world indeed that Numb numbly stumbles through, surrounded by crowds of suck-ups and opportunists, as he confronts life's most basic and difficult question: Who am I?

Sean Ferrell's Numb is a wildly entertaining examination of identity, friendship, pain, and the cult of celebrity that heralds the arrival of a fresh and uniquely inventive literary voice.

Review Quotes

"There are captivating moments and passages.... [Numb] has a lot of heart." -- Publishers Weekly

"Ferrell's eye-catching debut is a mordant take on contemporary culture.... Artfully barbed entertainment." -- Kirkus Reviews