The Complicated Calculus (and Cows) of Carl Paulsen

Set on a small and struggling family dairy operation in southern Minnesota, The Complicated Calculus (and Cows) of Carl Paulsen follows fifteen-year-old Carl as he confronts his crush on Andy Olnan, a handsome and confident but secretive "city boy" recently transplanted to farm life from Minneapolis who may or may not share the same feelings. At the same time, Carl and his father clash over the future of their farm, a legacy of Carl's late mother: how do they honor her dream for the family while also ensuring financial security? Carl discovers his own resilience in the face of grief, adult-sized decisions, and unrequited love, and along the way learns to cope with both the challenges and rewards of being different.

Publisher: Fitzroy Books
Published: 07/05/2022
Pages: 164
Weight: 0.45lbs
Size: 8.43h x 5.35w x 0.39d
ISBN: 9781646032532
Age: Young Adult


Award: Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards - Silver Medal Winner


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 04/15/2022
Publishers Weekly 05/23/2022
Booklist 09/23/2022

About the Author
Gary Eldon Peter is the author of Oranges, winner of the Gold Medal for LGBT+ fiction in the Independent Publisher Book Awards, the Midwest Book Award, and a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award. His work has appeared in numerous literary journals and has been performed on the public radio program Selected Shorts. He earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College and is a faculty member at the University of Minnesota