First published 2000
Dr. Angus Petworth, a British linguistics professor, arrives in the fictional Eastern European country of Slaka for an academic exchange. He quickly discovers that every interaction becomes a minefield of miscommunication and cultural confusion. The language barriers prove more treacherous than any textbook prepared him for, while the rigid bureaucracy and suspicious officials treat his innocent academic mission as potentially subversive. Petworth stumbles through diplomatic receptions, university lectures, and encounters with locals who may or may not be what they seem. His attempts to connect across the East-West divide only deepen his sense of displacement. The gap between his expectations of international scholarly cooperation and the reality of Cold War tensions creates a series of increasingly absurd situations. Petworth must navigate not just foreign words and customs, but the fundamental question of whether genuine human connection can survive political and linguistic barriers.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: culture-clash, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Slaka, Eastern Europe
Period: Cold War
Paperback · Picador