First published 2001
Curtis Norman writes an essay called "Bear v. Shark: A Reason to Live" and wins four tickets to the most anticipated event in America. The Norman family piles into their SUV and drives cross-country to Las Vegas for Bear v. Shark II, where a bear seeks revenge after losing the first fight. The question that grips the nation seems simple: in water deep enough for shark mobility but shallow enough for bear footing, who wins? But as the Normans travel toward Vegas, they encounter a relentless stream of voices. Radio hosts, TV personalities, bear experts, shark analysts, theologians, and random fanatics at gas stations all have opinions. Everyone debates everything from Dutch culture to Shakespeare's preference for bears. The family absorbs fragments of information, mishears facts, and regurgitates mangled statistics. Mr. Norman grows weary of the endless chatter and meaningless exchanges. The country obsesses over trivial details while losing the ability to truly communicate. When the Normans finally reach Las Vegas, they witness an ending that proves both apocalyptic and unexpectedly moving.
Genres: satire, american-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, satirical, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, social-commentary
Setting: Las Vegas, United States
Period: 21st-century
256 pages · Hardcover · Scribner