Salome Jensen is three years old when she is taken from her home by the man who fixes the hot water heater. As Sal drifts through Laundromats and people’s homes, she develops a perspective of the world and an understanding of its people more meaningful than the most erudite observer could muster. Sal is never a victim or abused, she’s simply a child providing a humorous and fresh take on society. The People Who Watched Her Pass By is often hilarious as well as startling, and it is a poignant new contribution to the body of literature of a respected prose craftsman. "Brave and unforgettable. Scott Bradfield creates a country for the reader to wander through, holding Sal's hand, assuming goodness." -Los Angeles Times "Scott Bradfield is an otherworldy writer. There is an inarguable wholeness to [The People Who Watched Her Pass By], as in certain dreams." -Rain Taxi "Drive[s] straight into the Zen void at the heart of the classic road." -Bookforum "A wake-up call shouting Bradfield's humorously erudite take on modern American life." -WOSU In his fifth novel, Scott Bradfield delivers an arresting and unsentimental childhood voice.