Whether in fashion or literature, simplicity never goes out of style. Winner of the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Tennessee native Peter Taylor's A Summons to Memphis follows the principles of literary minimalism, creating a novel that delicately depicts the old ways of the distinguished genteel South.
Set in the 1920s, the novel focuses on the experience of Phillip Carver and his family. Prior to the family's move to Memphis following a devastating financial fall out between Phillip's father, a prominent lawyer of only the best reputation, and his shady business partner Lewis Shackleford, the Carver family is the epitome of upper-class Nashville society. They adhere to every traditional upper-crust social expectation from coming out parties to fox hunts, and are well-respected in various social circles. But the move to Memphis is highly disruptive, particularly for Phillip, who continues to grapple with issues from his childhood well into adult life.
Thirty years later, long after Phillip has established himself as a book editor in New York and removed himself as much as possible from the affairs of his childhood's South, Phillip receives two phone calls within 20 minutes of each other from each of his sisters. Two years have passed since his mother's death, and his father is now engaged to be remarried to a Mrs. Clara Stockwell. In traditional southern fashion, his sisters have decided that their father must not be permitted to remarry, and that Phillip must aid in their mission. Forcing him to return to his childhood home, these events compel Phillip to confront his enduring issues with his troubled past.
A master of Southern fiction, Taylor writes clearly and subtly without over-emphasizing unnecessary particulars. Though the voice of Phillip is frequently distant and seemingly too reserved given the emotionally charged history through which he sifts, A Summons to Memphis still effectively conveys not only the sentiments of the protagonist but also the true nature of the other characters. Taylor maintains the simplicity of the novel despite its complex structure involving a series of flashbacks to Phillips childhood while also contemplating his present predicament (namely the end of a 15-year relationship with Holly Kaplan, who, like Phillip, has sought to escape the confines of her family by running away to New York).
The author's detachment results in a very different kind of character development in which none of the characters are especially sympathetic or endearing. Despite this, the reader still develops an equal understanding of each individual's nature and motives. Taylor treats each character with equal importance; even though Phillip is the protagonist and the reader witnesses the unfolding of events from his perspective, the novel is not overwhelmingly skewed. While the reader senses a lack of complexity with regard to character development, it does not detract from the novel's overall effect.
Taylor's focus in the novel is not so much on the details as the complete picture he is attempting to create. Each individual reader will wish that a particular scene were explored in depth, or that a particular character were more complex. These, however, are not the focus of Taylor's work. His intention with A Summons to Memphis is to construct for readers a multifaceted image of the South - and he succeeds. Elements ranging from social expectations to familial obligations to change are examined in the novel. Rather than focusing on only one or two components, he explores as many as possible. The result is a novel that, while lacking in detail, still provides a comprehensive and clear impression of the American South.
A Summons to Memphis is by no means a universal work of fiction - many will find Taylor's detachment and lack of attention to detail tiresome or even boring. He leaves much to the imagination of the reader, unloading much of the responsibility of interpretation from himself to his audience. Nonetheless, this simple novel is gracefully written and a pleasant read if approached with an open, willing mind.
