Fingers

by William Sleator

• ISBN13: 9780765353498
• ISBN10: 0765353490
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-06-27
• Publisher: Tor Teen

Summary

Eighteen-year-old Sam has always been jealous of his younger brother, Humphrey, the famous "wonder child" pianist. But now that Humphrey is fifteen, the one-time child prodigy isn't able to get any more bookings. Sam's mother refuses to accept that Humphrey's career is over and devises a scheme to recapture his fame: Sam will compose "new works" by a long dead gypsy composer, and they will tell the world that the composer is dictating the music to Humphrey from the grave. The scheme is a wild success-until some ghostly occurrences convince Sam that the spirit of the dead composer has actually taken over Humphrey's fingers. Have Sam and his family unleashed a force from beyond the grave?

Author Biography

For more than thirty years, William Sleator has thrilled readers with his inventive books. His House of Stairs was named one of the best novels of the twentieth century by the Young Adult Library Services Association. He divides his time between homes in Boston and rural Thailand.

Table of Contents

Fingers
“Oh, come off it, Humphrey, we're not that gullible. I mean look at this.” I gestured at the music in his hand. “That whole act you put on last night, and now this music with Magyar's name on it. You might as well just come out and tell us that this ghost came and dictated the music to you. Obviously that's what you're trying to make us believe, isn't it?
“I'm not, I promise I'm not!” cried Humphrey. “You have to believe me! I'm telling the truth. I don't remember anything. Oh, why did this have to happen?” He rose up out of the chair and threw himself down on the bed and began to sob.
Finally he turned over on his back, one arm thrown across his forehead, and said in a small voice, “Do you really think it might be possible?”

Excerpts

Fingers
“Oh, come off it, Humphrey, we’re not that gullible. I mean look at this.” I gestured at the music in his hand. “That whole act you put on last night, and now this music with Magyar’s name on it. You might as well just come out and tell us that this ghost came and dictated the music to you. Obviously that’s what you’re trying to make us believe, isn’t it?
“I’m not, I promise I’m not!” cried Humphrey. “You have to believe me! I’m telling the truth. I don’t remember anything. Oh, why did this have to happen?” He rose up out of the chair and threw himself down on the bed and began to sob.
Finally he turned over on his back, one arm thrown across his forehead, and said in a small voice, “Do you really think it might be possible?”

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Excerpted from Fingers by William Sleator
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