The Extraordinary Pupfish Of Calaveras County

by Joel Schwartz

Out of rural California come two intertwined coming-of-age stories, an unwilling hero and an obstinate widow, who grapple with the hypocrisies of a twisted world.When Jeremy McGinnis, a 15-year-old in the sleepy Gold Rush town of Murphys, discovers a retired teacher spasming with an asthma attack and out of medicine, it’s a no-brainer to get him to the hospital. But the local media suddenly turns Jeremy into a hero, his second “fifteen minutes of fame.” As he gets to know the teacher, Lester Crump, a man who has invested his life savings in three breeding Vietnamese miniature potbellied pigs and a trailer, he raises Andy Warhol’s comment into an intense and engaging study of personal integrity.

Outside of town Eliza Hewlie, a 65-year-old widow brokering the sale of an abandoned gold mine just upstream from Lester, has to contend with the threat of the deal contaminating the town’s groundwater. As Jeremy and Lester design a project which becomes a huge environmental scavenger hunt, involving dozens of high school students and half their parents, the tale of a town galvanized into action is told in alternating chapters by Jeremy and Eliza. In parallel coming-of-age stories, both begin frustrated and trapped at the opening, feeling they are dealt an unwanted hand.

You can check out what the townspeople of Murphys and Angels Camp are gossiping about by visiting Calaveras News.

What people are saying about “The Extraordinary Pupfish”…

“The execution is thoroughly entertaining”

“People are never what they are made out to be. The Extraordinary Pupfish of Calaveras County is a story with two unique view points. One follows Jeremy McGinnis, a fifteen-year-old whose reputation is overblown as a hero when he helps an old man suffering from an asthma attack. The other follows Eliza Hewlie, a sixty-five-year-old faced with a decision that could wreak havoc on the town’s environment. The Extraordinary Pupfish of Calaveras County seems unusual in set up, but the execution is thoroughly entertaining, leading it to a recommendation.”

Michael J. Carson, Midwest Book Review, September 6, 2008, Dane County, WI

“The Extraordinary Pupfish of Calaveras County by Joel Schwartz is enjoyable reading, laced with colorful observations of small town life in our foothill communities. The relationship between Jeremy McGinnis, a 15-year-old paper-route boy in Murphys, and Lester Crump, a retired Bronx high school teacher, who has invested his life savings to breed Vietnamese potbellied pigs, is inspiring, and when Lester involves dozens of high school students in his huge environmental scavenger hunt, I’m impressed. Lester’s relationship with Eliza Hewlie, a 65-year-old widow brokering the sale of an abandoned gold mine just upstream from Lester, is even more intriguing, especially in her dealings with the obstacles Lester places in front of her and how she grows in the process. What a surprise when you find out what Lester truly did to the community, Jeremy and Eliza. The Extraordinary Pupfish is well written, the characters are believable and in the end everyone has learned a valuable lesson.”

Kathy Baptista, The Valley Springs News, Calaveras County, CA

“I search out good stories and this is definitely one. I cared about the characters. I learned from the life messages and the environmental issues. The open-ended ending, hitting the road, reminds me of my own youth.”

Pattie DeMatteo, Mendocino Stories,

Mendocino County, CA

“I so identified with Jeremy, who captured my being a teenager at heart, and Eliza, the older woman I’m rapidly becoming. What a beautiful human story for everyone who is still growing up.”

Gayle C., Hennepin County, MN

“I loved it…I enjoyed the flow and the clever ideas. A few times I thought I glimpsed what would happen next, but I was surprised every time! I was dead wrong. And I thought the ending was perfect.”

Barbara M., Plumas County, CA

“The voice of Jeremy…is at once knowing and yet has the hesitant cadence and timbre of an adolescent. Conversely, Mrs. Hewlie…is a clever blend of determination and little-girl doubt. Both come together in an enjoyable narrative of small town politics and personal growth.”

Fred H., San Francisco County, CA

“The writing is delightfully insightful and clever, revealing the nature and roots of misunderstanding when economic, social, and personal values are threatened. I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of both vulnerability and humanity as each character attempts to influence the outcome of events but is forced to work with the other.”

Allan M., St. Louis County, MO