California Dreaming — A Smooth-Running, Low Mileage, Best-Priced American Adventure

Lured by a six-figure salary in Silicon Valley and fond memories of his low-rent North American rock 'n' roll tour, U.K. journalist, bass player, and adventure seeker Lawrence Donegan lands in California to pursue the American dream. Somewhere along the way he takes a wrong turn and ends up working on Orchard Boulevard, home of the world's biggest car lot. Donegan quickly picks up a reputation as the worst salesman anyone has seen in twenty years, but with mentors like Mickey "The Legend" McDonald, Tony "The Tank" Tognazzini, and Frankie "The Rock" Reames, it isn't long before he acquires the brass balls and lowdown cunning he needs to sell his first car.

California Dreaming is part personal journey, part classic American adventure. It charts Donegan's career as an "asphalt warrior," from multiple rejections ("Get away from me, sleazeball!") to his pursuit of the Oscar of the used-car business: the Salesman of the Month Award. You'll find yourself rooting for him every step of the way.

Lawrence Donegan was born in Scotland in 1961. After attending Glasgow University, he played bass guitar with two pop groups, the Bluebells and Lloyd Cole and the Commotions. He then joined the London Guardian and has since written two acclaimed memoirs, Maybe It Should Have Been a Three Iron and No News at Throat Lake, the latter published by Washington Square Press.