Daunted by the prospect of running a marathon? The 3,000-mile Transamerica epic race that is the subject of this novel puts it very much in perspective. It is depression-era America and notorious huckster, Flanagan, plans the ultimate race, reeling in contestants with the promise of a glittering jackpot prize. At the starting line 2,000 audacious hopefuls line up from every walk of life and all ends of the globe...
Mitch is a 25-year-old with commitment issues. Leonard is a five-year-old kid with asthma and vision problems, who captivates everyone he meets. Pearl is Leonard's teenage mother, who's trying to hide a violent secret from her past. Life has given Pearl every reason to mistrust people, but circumstances force...