I found this book on a list of sci fi classics and was drawn in by the author's preface. Despite the fact that the protagonist isn't very likable (or because of it), there's something very compelling about this book and I could hardly put it down. (I read it in one day.)

The plot: David Selig is a telepath in the (then) near future of the early-to-mid-'70s. The book centers around the slow loss of his telepathic powers and the way he grieves his strange ability. Through the frequent use of memories, we learn about how David's telepathic ability has impacted his relationships and outlook on life, and how the "dying inside" of this ability is forcing him to rethink who he is and how he relates to others. Although this is a sci fi book, there is no science to it - no technology, aliens, or, even an explanation for David's random telepathy - and it reads like a "regular" novel. It's an interesting literary approach to the mid-life crisis.

There are aspects of this book that are very dated. In particular, the language is very racially charged and was often hard to stomach. David's thoughts about other ethnic groups sound like how Archie Bunker would have if he existed in real life and not on prime time television. In the context of his character and the time when the book was written, though, it makes sense.