Olivier is a French aristocrat the traumatized child of survivors of the Revolution. Parrot the son of an itinerant printer who always wanted to be an artist but has ended up a servant. Born on different sides of history their lives will be brought together by their travels in America. When Olivier sets sail for the New World ostensibly to study its prisons but in reality to save his neck from one more revolution
- Parrot is sent with him as spy protector foe & foil. As the narrative shifts between the perspectives of Parrot & Olivier & their picaresque travels together & apart
- in love & politics prisons & the world of art
- Peter Carey explores the adventure of American democracy in theory & in practice with dazzling wit & inventiveness.