The Rumble: A Novel

When a drunken party guest lunges at Pete Hodge's wife, Pete does what any devoted husband would do. As he steps forward to defend Emma, he inadvertently trips her assailant, who falls on a tree root and separates his shoulder. Who would guess that this simple act would lead to a lawsuit that challenges the cheerful equanimity Pete tries so desperately to maintain? But it's 2004, and with the presidential election only three days away, even small towns such as Deer Path have become battlegrounds. Pete suspects a neighbor is placing nails in his tires; someone else keeps putting Bush/Cheney signs in front of his office. Emma's antagonist alleges that Pete's behavior was politically motivated and engages the state's premier personal injury firm to pursue his claim. What follows is Pete's commentary on a frenzied world he has done his best to avoid. The novel's cast ranges from Henry Aaron to Warren Zevon; key roles are played by a lawyer named Weevil and a man dressed as a winged monkey. Meanwhile an unnecessary war drags on, eventually creating an even harsher reality for Pete and his friends. The Rumble speaks for those who have Peace Is Patriotic stickers on their bumpers. It shares the concerns of parents who are increasingly anxious about their ability to provide hope for their children. Humorous, acerbic and occasionally profound, The Rumble presents a snapshot of a country struggling to regain its courage and recover its soul.