Lost Country

Billy Edgewater, discharged from the Navy, hitchhikes home to East Tennessee, where his father is dying. On the road, he meets Sudy, Bradshaw, and Roosterfish, all embroiled with D.L. Harkness, a predator. Edgewater navigates the long road home, searching for a place that may be nothing more than memory.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 19 July 2018
Publisher: Faber & Faber

Billy Edgewater, a former Navy member, embarks on a harrowing journey hitchhiking home to East Tennessee, where his father is nearing his end. Along the way, he encounters a diverse group of individuals: Sudy, a brother and sister, and Roosterfish, a one-armed con man. Each of them has a complicated history intertwined with D.L. Harkness, a menacing figure who operates in various forms of predation.

As Edgewater makes his way across the country, he faces relentless challenges, including scams, vigilantes, and profound loss. The road ahead is fraught with danger, and he is constantly on the alert, seeking solace in fleeting moments of memory. Despite the odds stacked against him, Edgewater remains determined to find a sense of belonging and closure, even if it means confronting the darkest parts of his past.

William Gay's writing is praised for its effortless storytelling, reminiscent of the great Southern novelists of the past. His characters are deeply flawed and relatable, and his prose is vivid and evocative. With "The World to Come," Gay continues to cement his place as a master of the literary landscape, offering a profound exploration of human resilience and the search for meaning in the face of adversity.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 203 x 153 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780571245963
Edition number: Main