by Kate Wheeler
First published 1997
Wheeler's wandering Americans find themselves scattered across remote landscapes, searching for connections that might fill the spaces in their lives. A woman discovers that spiritual seeking in a Buddhist monastery comes with complications she never anticipated. Another character learns that romantic pursuit in an exotic location carries risks beyond heartbreak. These travelers navigate cultural barriers while wrestling with their own expectations about transformation and belonging. Wheeler captures the comedy and peril that emerge when people venture far from home hoping to become someone new. Her characters face moments of clarity that arrive sideways, often when they least expect revelation. The stories reveal how distance from familiar ground can illuminate both the possibilities and limitations of reinvention.
Genres: literary-fiction, american-fiction, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Africa, Asia, Buddhist Monastery
Period: 21st Century
256 pages · Paperback · Harper Perennial