Old Pal

"A shimmering, original debut novel about an itinerant outsider, exiled from his past and roaming the American West, who must decide what type of man he wants to be Shine only wants to keep his head down. After being outed as a trans man at his job in Oregon, he rides the bus eastward, journeying to a new start that he hopes will provide stable work. But when his bus breaks down in Montana hours away from his destination, short on cash, he accepts the generosity of an eccentric stranger, Brick. Apprehensive of Brick's attention but appreciative of a warm place to sleep, Shine enters Brick's orbit, learning his quirks, kindnesses, and resentments. Shine, longing for a home, at times finds kinship in Brick, but more often questions Brick's intentions and must negotiate the dangers that might lurk behind this new connection. When the two men are caught in a sudden storm, Shine must decide whether it is worth it to confront Brick's dangerous instincts and defend himself, even if it means losing Brick's protection. In stark, luminous prose, Kai Conradi investigates the many ways to assert one's identity in the face of constant threat and expectations.