SOLVED. Adult Literary fiction, probably published in the 90s. Man suddenly leaves home in middle of party and travels across America. [s]

[Dave]

I read this book around 1995-98. I feel pretty certain it was a new release. I have a vague memory of it having received some acclaim in the literary world.

The author's last name begins with a letter at the tail-end of the alphabet. Like either V or W. A part of me wants to say his last name is Wolfe, but I could be completely wrong about that.

[EDIT: Nothing I reveal below would be something I consider spoilers. It's really not that kind of story. However, I do mention some very specific plot developments. Had I know those things before reading the story, they wouldn't have affected my enjoyment of the book. Just throwing that out there.]

The protagonist is married or close to it. There's a party at his house (maybe in Jersey?) with other close friends. Someone makes a comment about movie theater nacho cheese being the best nacho cheese. At some point, they realize the protagonist is missing. Vanished without a trace.

Turns out, he's headed out across America.

Early scene has him either getting a ride as a hitchhiker or picking up a couple of hitchhikers. He's flirting with one of them. I can't recall if there was foreshadowing of violence or just a subtle phrasing of words hinting at its possibility.

There's a scene where maybe he picks up a woman in somewhere-Kansas, a waitress perhaps, and convinces her to head out on the road with him. I think they smoke out maybe, perhaps do a little blow. NOTE: That little memory might not be true at all. The only reason my mind might be striking it up is because of the next bit...

There are two characters, new to the book, a husband and wife, and they embed themselves with an indigenous tribe in the Amazon. Things go awry. They face some challenges and some trauma, but somehow make it out alive and feeling strangely transcendent about their experience. There's a scene where they're back in America (Las Vegas, specifically, I'm almost 100% certain) and after months in the Amazon, they're freaking out in the frozen food aisle of the supermarket, laughing deliriously at how the mundane is strangely insane and magical. They arrive home after the supermarket and interrupt a burglary. It's the protagonist and either the woman I mention in the previous paragraph or, now that I think upon it, I suppose it could've been the hitchhiker from earlier in the book. Anyways, the protagonist and his sidekick are badly strung out and needing cash. They kill the married couple. The chapter has the most poignant conclusion, beautiful even, and it's always stuck with me.

I also recall the end of the book. The protagonist, whom I don't think we recognize as the protagonist at the moment, is driving home after a long shift. He's an insurance agent. He's pulled over by the police for some reason. Even though he's got a fake identity, he manages to get away undiscovered. He's now married or in a stable relationship. His partner is sleeping. They live on or near the shore of the Pacific Ocean somewhere in California. He's looking out the window of their bedroom. I believe he makes some final comments about the concept of identity. He then puts on a dress belonging to his partner and walks around the room.

[Joseph]

This is Stephen Wright’s Going Native

[Dave]

Joseph wrote: "This is Stephen Wright’s Going Native"

Thank you!

[Dave]

Joseph wrote: "This is Stephen Wright’s Going Native"

SOLVED!

Mods, the correct answer is, in fact, Stephen Wright's "Going Native." Also, I moved the thread to Solved Adult Fiction. It wasn't until after I did that I remembered maybe I was supposed to let y'all do that, instead.

[Kris]

Glad you found your book, Dave. Updating the header is optional. We just ask that members post a new comment to let us know when their book is found. Thanks.