Title
Balaam Gimble's Gumption,Used
Processing time: 1-3 days
US Orders Ships in: 3-5 days
International Orders Ships in: 8-12 days
Return Policy: 15-days return on defective items
Payment Option
In the character Balaam Gimble, Mike Nichols has created a knighterrant of contemporary rural Texas: a Joe Don Quixote. Granted, Balaam's trusty steed may be only a rusty Frankenforda twentythreeyearold Ford pickup, reanimated time and again by the transplantation of parts from pickup cadavers, but the giants that Balaam tilts against are real enough to hima ruthless businessman, a masseurturneddirty trickster, a moneymad hometown, and, most of all, plain old change.For months the mayor and city council of the small town of Willoughby have been seeking a way to revitalize their town, to return it to the oilandcotton prosperity that it had enjoyed during the 1920s. They need an angle, something to put Willoughby on the map. When Balaam discovers a spring of healthgiving mineral water on his two hundred acres of 'woods and weeds,' the town leaders suddenly see their angle.As Willoughby's merchants begin selling Mason jars of Balaam's wonder water, the town's economic future looks much greener: Howard J. Liggett, the millionaire developer of a chain of upscale mineral spring resorts, offers to buy Balaam's land at many times its market value and build a resort on it, bringing even more people and prosperity to Willoughby. Residents soon forget how much they had cherished the 'in our own sweet time' pace of their languishing little town.Only Balaam sees that the town is beginning to change for the worse and is determined to save Willoughby from itself. Balaam is adamanthe won't sell the land that has been in his family five generations. But Liggett is just as adamanthe will acquire Balaam's land by hook or crook.That crook is Ernie Ruiz, a young masseur with a criminal record. Liggett dispatches Ruiz to Willoughby to 'persuade' Balaam to sell. Balaam remains serenely nonviolent in the face of Ruiz's campaign of terror.When Ruiz cannot coerce Balaam to sell, Liggett stoops even lower: He resorts to perfectly legal means, informing Balaam that he has bought the mineral rights. Now the people of Willoughby know that even foolheaded Balaam, bless his heart, can't keep Willoughby off the map. Desperate, Balaam the knighterrant saddles up his Frankenford to make one final headdown, neckbowed, fullgallop, Lone Starspangled tilt at the windmills that threaten his hometown.
⚠️ WARNING (California Proposition 65):
This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
For more information, please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
- Q: What is the main theme of 'Balaam Gimble's Gumption'? A: 'Balaam Gimble's Gumption' explores themes of change and resistance, as the protagonist, Balaam, fights to preserve his family's land and the slow-paced life of his small town against external pressures for modernization.
- Q: Who is the author of this book? A: The author of 'Balaam Gimble's Gumption' is Mike Nichols.
- Q: What is the genre of this book? A: 'Balaam Gimble's Gumption' falls under the genre of Humorous fiction.
- Q: How many pages does the book have? A: 'Balaam Gimble's Gumption' contains 300 pages.
- Q: What is the condition of the used book? A: The book is listed as being in 'Good Condition'.
- Q: What type of binding does this book have? A: 'Balaam Gimble's Gumption' is available in hardcover binding.
- Q: When was 'Balaam Gimble's Gumption' published? A: 'Balaam Gimble's Gumption' was published on November 28, 2004.
- Q: Is there a specific audience for this book? A: The book is likely appealing to readers who enjoy humorous narratives and stories about small-town life and personal resilience.
- Q: What are the key features of this book? A: Key features of 'Balaam Gimble's Gumption' include its engaging storytelling, humor, and a focus on contemporary rural issues.
- Q: Can you provide a brief summary of the plot? A: The plot follows Balaam Gimble, who discovers a mineral spring on his land, attracting commercial interests that threaten his way of life. As he contends with a local businessman and his henchman, the story highlights the struggle between preserving tradition and embracing change.