An English teacher bites off more than he can chew when he ventures to the American Midwest to broaden his horizons In J.L. Carr’s quirky comic novel.

When George Gidner, teacher at Balaclava Road Elementary School, Bradford, has an opportunity to spend a year teaching in America, he can’t believe his luck. But Palisades, South Dakota, is a Depression-struck outpost of mind-numbing awfulness in the middle of nowhere: a place where more than a few American dreams are rapidly becoming nightmares - and one of them is the Battle of Pollocks Crossing.

Shortlisted
The Booker Prize 1985
Published by
Viking
Publication date
J.L. Carr

J.L. Carr

About the Author

J.L. Carr was born in Thirsk, England. He started writing full-time relatively late in life, at the age of 55.
More about J.L. Carr

Other nominated books by J.L. Carr

A Month in the Country