Winner of the Whiting Writers' Award

In a voice somewhere between Cormac McCarthy and Kurt Cobain, John McManus explores young people living in extreme situations. Some are in the Tennessee Smoky Mountains, some in the Pacific Northwest, a few are in the Western deserts of Utah and Nevada, one is in England, and many are scattered throughout the Southern US. All are desperate for something beyond the ordinary lives that are given to them, and every one is absolutely unforgettable.

“Here is rage on the page....It's a whole environment, with a new food chain, and yes, I want to know about it.” —Los Angeles Times

“Electric...complex and assured....Makes you wonder whether he is a naif savant...he has a remarkable talent, and it is difficult to imagine how far or to what place he will take it.” —Vince Passaro, Madison

“A phenomenal talent blazing up suddenly on the horizon...precise, brilliant language that evokes without ever having to explain...His transcendent vision gives us devastating glimpses.” —Joyce Johnson, Elle