Introduction

Fiction. Humor. Muzhduk the Ugli the Fourth is a 300–pound boulder–throwing mountain man from Siberia whose tribal homeland is stolen by an American lawyer out to build a butterfly conservatory for wealthy tourists. In order to restore his people's land and honor, Muzhduk must travel to Harvard Law School to learn how to throw words instead of boulders. His anarchic adventures span continents, from Siberia to Cambridge to Africa, as he fights fellow students, Tuareg rebels, professors of law, dark magic, bureaucrats, heatstroke, postmodernists, and eventually time and space. A wild existential comedic romp, THE UGLY tells the tale of a flawed and unlikely hero struggling against the machine that shapes the people who govern our world.

"A picaresque novel about mountain people, Harvard lawyers, the heft of rocks, and the power of words. THE UGLY brims with intelligence and humor." –Laila Lalami, finalist for the Pulitzer Prize

"Even those with only a passing familiarity will nevertheless appreciate his muscular critique of conflicts both intellectual and physical. A surprising treat."—Publishers Weekly

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Excerpt

THE UGLY

ALEXANDER BOLDIZAR


PROLOGUE — I, Muzhduk

Muzhduk stepped into the path of the flying boulder. It was the size and shape of a small woman curled up in a ball, but much heavier, and it came at him like a canon shot.
Muzhduk leaned forward to meet the boulder, knees bent, hoping to absorb the impact with his legs. He staggered backward with the force of the blow, but did not drop the big rock.
The audience erupted with cheering, and a cloud of yellow butterflies scattered from the noise. His opponent was Hulagu, arguably the strongest Slovak in the tribe, and all six villages were present for the Dull-Boulder Throw. All the Slovaks who lived in the mountains of northeastern Siberia were there, lined up along the edges of the saddle-shaped ridge. Even those so old or sick they knew the trip would kill them. Two had died on the way. ... view entire excerpt...

Discussion Questions

1. What made you want to become a storyteller?

2. Who were some of your early influences?

3. What’s your writing process like?

4. How much of you is in the book?

5. Were there specific themes you wanted to tackle while also writing a fun novel?

6. Can you please name one random fact about yourself?

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