Author

Publication

1997 - Random House, New York, New York (State)

Language

English

Word Count

97,750 words, Guess

Page Count

391 pages

Identifiers

and 2 more
  • Goodreads838384
  • LibraryThing5432184

Classifications

  • DDC813/.54
  • LCCPS3568.U812 S77 1997

Description

William Henry Devereaux, Jr., spiritually suited to playing left field but forced by a bad hamstring to try first base, is the unlikely chairman of the English department at West Central Pennsylvania University. Over the course of a single convoluted week, he threatens to execute a goose, has his nose slashed by a feminist poet, discovers that his secretary writes better fiction than he does, suspects his wife of having an affair with his dean, and finally confronts his philandering elderly father, the one-time king of American Literary Theory, at an abandoned amusement park.

First Sentence

When my nose finally stops bleeding and I've disposed of the bloody paper towels, Teddy Barnes insists on driving me home in his ancient Honda Civic, a car that refuses to die and that Teddy, cheap as he is, refuses to trade in.

Description

William Henry Devereaux, Jr., spiritually suited to playing left field but forced by a bad hamstring to try first base, is the unlikely chairman of the English department at West Central Pennsylvania University. Over the course of a single convoluted week, he threatens to execute a goose, has his nose slashed by a feminist poet, discovers that his secretary writes better fiction than he does, suspects his wife of having an affair with his dean, and finally confronts his philandering elderly father, the one-time king of American Literary Theory, at an abandoned amusement park.

Subjects

Other Editions

  • Straight manRandom House1997-01-01
Show 1 more editions

Similar Books

Reader Reviews

No reviews yet for this book.

Be the first to share your thoughts!