{"product_id":"monster-of-a-land-isbn-9780593686621","title":"Monster of a Land","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eLeaving Isn't the Hardest Thing \u003c\/i\u003ecomes an update of John Steinbeck’s trip in \u003ci\u003eTravels with Charley, \u003c\/i\u003ea cross-country journey exploring modern America with Lauren Hough’s signature observational wit, searing social commentary, and perspective as someone who knows what it’s like to truly exist on the margins in this country.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLauren Hough has always been haunted by the road trips she never got to take: no money, no vacation days, no car capable of making the trip. So, upon finally finding herself in a situation where such a trip might be possible—being a writer may not always pay better than being a bartender or a cable guy, but at least the schedule’s flexible—she leaps at the chance, refurbishing a ramshackle 2001 Dodge van and setting off from Austin, Texas with her Husky mix Woody by her side.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHer influences feel obvious—but a lot has changed about the United States since the 1962 trip John Steinbeck chronicles in \u003ci\u003eTravels with Charley\u003c\/i\u003e. And Lauren Hough isn’t John Steinbeck—unless the Noble Prize-winning author of \u003ci\u003eThe Grapes of Wrath\u003c\/i\u003e had a secret past as a six-foot-tall lesbian and Air Force vet. But even better as a social lubricant than beer, a dog is the ultimate conversation starter. With Woody as wingman, Lauren chats—at gas stations and restaurants and auto shops and bars—with an incredible cross-section of Americans from all walks of life and every possible political perspective. And as she circumnavigates the country, she documents, with all-too-rare empathy, what it means to be poor, to be marginalized, and to be seen as Other in America.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePart travelogue, part social commentary, and 100% Lauren Hough, \u003ci\u003eMonster of a Land\u003c\/i\u003e unites her poignant vulnerability, her hilarious narrative voice, and her razor-sharp insights into a journey that will show us how far we’ve come as a country, and how far we still have to go.“A keenly observed story about America and the complexity of her people. Hough brings genuine empathy and nuance to recognizing that most of what divides us is orchestrated by the obscene wealth disparity shaping our lives. She offers a unique portrait of the forgotten places from one coast of the country to the other, blended with a moving, sometimes haunting, and often hilarious portrait of herself and the dogs she has loved. You will be changed by this remarkable book, and for the better.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—‎Roxane Gay, author of \u003ci\u003eDifficult Women\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“\u003ci\u003eMonster of a Land\u003c\/i\u003e is a brilliant hand-whittled portrait of America. Full of hardship but also, incredibly, of hope and empathy. And funny as all get-out! It contains such wisdom about our country and about ourselves. Get it into your hands.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of \u003ci\u003eLess\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“There is no writer like [Lauren Hough]. She’s utterly brilliant.” \u003cbr\u003e—‎\u003cb\u003eElizabeth McCracken, \u003ci\u003eThe Orange County Register\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e “A wild, funny, heartbreaking joyride through this strange country with one of our best storytellers at the wheel. Lauren Hough is a national treasure and \u003ci\u003eMonster of a Land \u003c\/i\u003eis not to be missed. Hop in the van. You won’t be disappointed.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Greg Marshall, author of\u003ci\u003e Leg\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eLAUREN HOUGH \u003c\/b\u003ewas born in Germany and raised in seven countries, and West Texas. She's been an Air Force airman, a bartender, a bouncer, a construction laborer, a driver, a green-aproned barista, and a cable guy. She's the author of the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling essay collection, \u003ci\u003eLeaving Isn't the Hardest Thing\u003c\/i\u003e. Her work has appeared in \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eGranta\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eTexas Highways\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eHuffpost\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e. She's a writer at large for Texas Highways. She lives in Austin with a dog named Woody Guthrie.","brand":"Pantheon","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233400500453,"sku":"NP9780593686621","price":30.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593686621.jpg?v=1767732933","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/monster-of-a-land-isbn-9780593686621","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}