Erasure

Percival Everett was born in Fort Gordon, Georgia, in 1956. He was raised in Columbia, South Carolina, where his father worked as a dentist. Everett graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the University of Miami in 1977. He studied a range of subjects that included biochemistry, mathematical logic, and the relationship between philosophy and science. His choice of subjects speaks to his wide-ranging interests and his attempt to connect seemingly disparate topics; his writing reflects this, as well. Everett obtained an M.A. in Creative Writing from Brown University in 1982. He published his first novel, Suder, in 1983, and has since written over 30 books, including novels, short story collections, and children’s books. Everett is a Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California and has won many prizes for his writing.

Everett is renowned for his experimental approach to storytelling. His works often explore the metafictional aspects of literature, including centering the role of the author within a work and drawing attention to the work’s artifice. He uses both of these techniques in Erasure—its novel within a novel structure allows him to explore themes of authenticity and identity. His work also explores the ability of language to convey meaning and experiments with