**The classic novel of a small Minnesota town—and of one school teacher who calls it home** ** ** This utterly charming, deeply poignant debut remains perhaps the signature achievement of beloved novelist Jon Hassler—once hailed by* The New York Times *as “a writer good enough to restore your faith in fiction.” It’s the story of a week in the life of Miles Pruitt, a thirty-five-year-old bachelor who teaches high school English in Staggerford, Minnesota. And though it is only a week, it’s an extraordinary week, filled with the poetry of living, the sweetness of expectation, and the glory of surprise that can change a life forever.
**Praise for *Staggerford*** *** *** “Witty, intelligent, compassionate . . . an absolutely smashing first novel.”**—*The Plain Dealer*** *** *** “You’ll remember it for a long time.”**—*The Minneapolis* *Tribune***
“One of the year’s truly freshly conceived and carried out novels, one whose not always so gentle ironies address themselves to a broader range of life than is to be found in Staggerford, Minnesota.”**—*The Kansas City Star***
“A thoroughly convincing X-ray vision of small-town life . . . so sincere, so true, so honest with itself, and so very, very funny that a reader often has to wipe the tears out of the corners of his eyes before he can—as he must—read on.”**—*The Houston Post*** *** *** “Very entertaining . . . [Miles is] one of the most likable protagonists of modern fiction.”**—*The Pittsburgh Press*** * * “Staggerford, Minnesota, is a town out of control. It is as weird and convoluted as any lover of comic fiction could wish.”**—*Boston Herald American***
**
### From the Inside Flap
"A writer good enough to restore your faith in fiction." THE NEW YORK TIMES It is only a week in the life of a 35-year old bachelor school teacher in a small Minnesota town. But it is an extraodinary week, filled with the poetry of living, the sweetness of expectation, and the glory of surprise that can change a life forever.... "Absolutely smashing....An altogether successful work, witty, intelligent, compassionate." THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
*From the Paperback edition.*
### About the Author
Jon Hassler, author, educator, playwright, and painter, began his writing career at the age of thirty-seven, completing fifteen works of fiction and two works of nonfiction. His novels include Staggerford, A Green Journey, Dear James, and North of Hope. Jon taught English in high school and college for forty-one years, ending his academic career as Regents Professor Emeritus at Saint John's University of Minnesota. He died in 2008 after a long illness, though he continued to write novels until the end.
Description:
**The classic novel of a small Minnesota town—and of one school teacher who calls it home**
** **
This utterly charming, deeply poignant debut remains perhaps the signature achievement of beloved novelist Jon Hassler—once hailed by* The New York Times *as “a writer good enough to restore your faith in fiction.” It’s the story of a week in the life of Miles Pruitt, a thirty-five-year-old bachelor who teaches high school English in Staggerford, Minnesota. And though it is only a week, it’s an extraordinary week, filled with the poetry of living, the sweetness of expectation, and the glory of surprise that can change a life forever.
**Praise for *Staggerford***
*** ***
“Witty, intelligent, compassionate . . . an absolutely smashing first novel.”**—*The Plain Dealer***
*** ***
“You’ll remember it for a long time.”**—*The Minneapolis* *Tribune***
“One of the year’s truly freshly conceived and carried out novels, one whose not always so gentle ironies address themselves to a broader range of life than is to be found in Staggerford, Minnesota.”**—*The Kansas City Star***
“A thoroughly convincing X-ray vision of small-town life . . . so sincere, so true, so honest with itself, and so very, very funny that a reader often has to wipe the tears out of the corners of his eyes before he can—as he must—read on.”**—*The Houston Post***
*** ***
“Very entertaining . . . [Miles is] one of the most likable protagonists of modern fiction.”**—*The Pittsburgh Press***
* *
“Staggerford, Minnesota, is a town out of control. It is as weird and convoluted as any lover of comic fiction could wish.”**—*Boston Herald American***
**
### From the Inside Flap
"A writer good enough to restore your faith in fiction."
THE NEW YORK TIMES
It is only a week in the life of a 35-year old bachelor school teacher in a small Minnesota town. But it is an extraodinary week, filled with the poetry of living, the sweetness of expectation, and the glory of surprise that can change a life forever....
"Absolutely smashing....An altogether successful work, witty, intelligent, compassionate."
THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER
*From the Paperback edition.*
### About the Author
Jon Hassler, author, educator, playwright, and painter, began his writing career at the age of thirty-seven, completing fifteen works of fiction and two works of nonfiction. His novels include Staggerford, A Green Journey, Dear James, and North of Hope. Jon taught English in high school and college for forty-one years, ending his academic career as Regents Professor Emeritus at Saint John's University of Minnesota. He died in 2008 after a long illness, though he continued to write novels until the end.