California Dreaming

Lawrence Donegan goes to America, an innocent abroad, and finds work in the world's largest car dealership in San Jose, California. Here, he learns what it means to sell for your supper and finds out about the American love of the automobile and the American way of life.

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Drawn by the lure of a six-figure salary in computing and fond memories of a low-rent rock-and-roll tour, Lawrence Donegan lands in California to pursue his own American dream. Somehere along the way he takes a wrong turn and ends up employed on Steven's Creek Boulevard, San Jose, home of the world's biggest car lot. Seven thousand cars on sale every day, 45,000 satisfied customers every year - on one street! Donegan quickly picks up a nickname, "Hey Scotty", and a reputation - "You're the worst salesman I've seeen in 20 years". But with mentors such as Mickey "The Legend" McDonald, Tony "The Tank" Tognazzini and Frankie "The Rock" Reames it isn't long before Donegan acquires the brass balls and low cunning he needs to sell his first car. "California Dreaming" is part personal journey, part American adventure. It charts Donegan's career as an asphalt warrior, from the multiple rejections - "Get away from me, sleazeball!" - to his pursuit of the Oscar of the used-car business, the Salesman of the Month Award. Its a brutally honest and brilliantly funny account of modern American and its most maligned tribute. It will change the way people think about used-car salesmen.
Then again, it may not.