The Sot-Weed Factor

Considered a modern classic, John Barth's The Sot-Weed Factor is a humorous and bawdy novel set in the late 1600s that follows the misadventures of Ebeneezer Cooke, a hapless poet sent to oversee his father's tobacco business in the New World. Throughout his chaotic journey, Cooke encounters pirates, Indians, con artists, and a variety of treacherous characters, all while navigating love and loss. The story offers a satirical tribute to human vices, blending historical adventure with humor and wit.