Raw, dark, and surprisingly funny...there's so much precision and
verve in these stories; I was captivated the entire way through. -
Carmen Maria Machado
The misfits and mavericks in this award-winning story collection shuffle
their feet to a soundtrack of rumble strips and twangy AM radio. Here,
the underdog is king and the outsiders are storming the gates. A plucky
daughter defends her father by swinging a paint can like a mace, teenage
renegades sow terror on the highway by throwing cups of root beer, and
an out-of-work lawyer steamrolls his way through a recreational sports
league. For these loners and screwballs, the path to redemption is often
twisted, heartfelt, and humorous.
These stories will take you from the karaoke bar to the natural foods
co-op, from a city-league broomball game to a broken-down camper in the
woods. In lush and lucid prose, Holt explores emotional landscapes that
reflect the vast terrain of America's heartland. Woven throughout is a
series of flash-fiction parables, which narrate a journey both exotic
and existential. So pull up a seat among this motley crew of barflies,
road workers, and art school dropouts, and you might later find yourself
retelling their stories as your own.