Lean On Pete by Willy Vlautin

A Pacific Northwest Realist Novel of Oregon Racetracks, Runaway Teens, and Desert Journeys

Fifteen-year-old Charley Thompson lives a precarious life in Portland, Oregon, with his single father, Ray. Seeking stability, Charley takes a summer job at Portland Meadows racetrack working for low-tier horse trainer Del Montgomery, where he forms a bond with an aging quarter horse named Lean on Pete.

When Ray dies following a bar fight and Pete is slated to be sold to a slaughterhouse, Charley steals the horse and a pickup truck. Together they set out across the Oregon and Idaho deserts toward Wyoming in search of Charley's long-lost aunt Margy.

Why You’ll Love This Book

Richmond Fontaine frontman Willy Vlautin delivers an unvarnished, compassionate portrait of working-class American youth. Essential reading for fans of Denis Johnson, Kent Haruf, and Cormac McCarthy.