num_pages: 226
description: National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 honoree and author of Such Good Work Johannes Lichtman returns with a novel that is strikingly relevant to our timesabout an American who takes a job in Ukraine in 2018 only to find that his struggle to understand the customs and culture is eclipsed by a romantic entanglement with deadly consequences.Shortly after his thirtieth birthday John Turner receives a call from an old college friend who makes him an odd job move to Ukraine to teach customer service agents at a startup how to sound American. Johns never been to Ukraine doesnt speak Ukrainian and is supposed to be a journalist not a consultant. But having just gone through a break-up and the death of his father it might just be the new start hes been looking for.In Ukraine John understands very littlethe language and social customs are impenetrable to him. At work his employees are fluent in English but have difficulty grasping the concept of small talk. And although he told himself not to get romantically involved while abroad he cant help but be increasingly drawn to one of his colleagues.Most distressing however is the fact that John can hear through their shared wall his neighbor beating his wife. Desperate to help John decides to offer the neighbor 100000 hryvnias to stop. Its a plan born out the best intentions but one that has disastrous repercussions that no amount of money or altruism can resolve.Like Ben Lerners Leaving the Atocha Station and Garth Greenwells What Belongs to You  Calling Ukraine reimagines the American-abroad novel. Moving effortlessly between the comic and the tragic Johannes Lichtman deploys his signature wry humor and startling moral acuity to illuminate the inevitable complexities of doing right by others.
language: English
title: Calling Ukraine
publisher: S&S/ Marysue Rucci Books