1956. Most of middle America is settling into unprecedented affluence; however, the affluence has not trickled down to Joe Don Miller, a fifth grader whose father died in the Korean War. Joe Don's mother, Lurleen, struggles to maintain independence for herself and her son. An avid baseball player, Joe Don aspires to championship both on and off the field. But when his favorite teacher is arrested and his mother loses her job for resisting sexual harassment, Joe Don's life capsizes. Complex and multilayered, tragic and humorous, this story captures the rhythms and flavor of Southwestern culture in the 1950s.