David B. Seaburn

AWARDS

Parrot Talk

Second in the TAZ Awards for Fiction (2017);

Short listed for the Somerset Award (2018);

ABOUT THE BOOK

Lucas and Grinder are more than a little surprised and confused to hear that their mother, Millie, who they haven’t heard from in over thirty years, has died. Now her best friend wants them to come to Pittsburgh to take care of their mother’s effects, chief among them being Paul.

A road trip ensues with memorable stops at a Racino, a Pittsburgh landmark greasy spoon, and finally a ride on an incline trolley to meet their mother’s friend, Janice. They are taken aback when she introduces them to Paul, an African grey parrot in the depths of grief, who has things to say that will change their lives. And so a transformative adventure begins.

NOTES FROM THE AUTHOR

I wanted to do something different in this novel.

I wanted to write a humorous story and I wanted it to be driven by dialogue. I was interested in bringing out a different aspect of my writing voice. I have found in the past that I enjoy dialogue and think it is the best way to develop characters.

In my last novel and in Charlie No Face, I dabbled a bit with humor, but felt this was a story in which humor would be an effective way to address what are less than humorous themes---abandonment by a parent, substance abuse in a family, loss and grief. The juxtaposition of humor and real-life challenges makes for (what I hope is) a rich and nuanced story.

AMAZON REVIEWS

Anonymous says:

I have read all of David Seaburn's books and enjoyed them all, and Parrot Talk is the funniest and most enjoyable. The story is full of pain, and grief told in a humorous way that is infused with hesitant exoneration, redemption, and forgiveness.I love this book and highly recommend it. I have bought extra copies of this book as gifts for people I think would enjoy it too. It is a book you will want to share, and I hope that it gets made into a movie.

Martha says:

I believe that any book that features a stoned African Grey parrot is worth reading. This book did not disappoint. This book reminds me that people are full of surprises. David Seaburn reminds me that families are complex and capable of redemption. Who better to capture this than a writer who worked for years as a family therapist.

Barry says:

As with David Seaburn's other novels, Parrot Talk is ultimately about reconciliation and redemption among anguished family members. But this book uses the device of a seemingly wise and prescient parrot to great comic effect. I found myself literally laughing out loud at several points. The parrot steals the show but there are several clearly drawn and compelling human characters as well. This is Seaburn's most successful novel and, overall, a moving hoot.

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