by Amy Sedaris
First published 2003
Wigfield is a dying coal town where the last holdouts cling to their fading way of life. When the government threatens to dam the valley, a self-proclaimed "journalist" named Russell Hokes arrives to document the town's final days. But Russell's true motive is to win a contest and save Wigfield from oblivion. As he ingratiates himself with the eccentric locals, Russell discovers that this ramshackle community has a life and spirit all its own - one that just might be worth fighting for.
Genres: american-fiction, contemporary, comedy, 21st-century
Vibes: thought-provoking, whimsical
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Wigfield
Period: 21st-century
224 pages · Paperback · Hyperion