Why does russo call the first portion of the novel occams razor. Buy straight man by russo, richard from amazons fiction books store. Richard russos latest cast includes average men and one. A first novel with all the assurance of a mature writer at the peak of form and ambition, mohawk is set in upstate new york and chronicles more than a dozen lives in a leather town, long after the tanneries have started closing down. For the american radio disc jockey, see anything anything with rich russo.
Bob newhart has been an extremely funny comedian for decades, but in all of his situation comedies he was the straight man. Russos straight man was a bit different from our usual book club fare, offering us a comical look at smalltown university life and politics in place of the more somber books weve read recently. William henry devereaux has been the chairman of the english department for quite a while now and one thing he knows as hell clear that it is not just one department that he runs. Although russos novel never moves outside the campus world, which is the entirety of its. Reading richard russos newest novel, straight man, you cant help but experience a strong sense of deja vu.
Jul 29, 2019 richard russos new novel, chances are. Not that russos trademark wry humor isnt everywhere present, especially in protagonist miles robys relations, friends, neighbors, and. The author of novels including nobodys fool, straight man, and the pulitzer prizewinning empire falls, russo is our. Three old friends, all 66 years old, arrive at marthas vineyard for. Russo had imagined academia might turn its nose up at the book, but in the.
His father, sam, cultivates bad habits so assiduously that he is stuck at the bottom of his auto insurance risk pool. The risk pool is a standalone novel by richard russo. As he established in his previous books mohawk, the risk pool, and nobodys fool russo is unique among contemporary authors for his ability to flawlessly capture the soul of the wise guy and the heart of a difficult parent. Straight man is still one of the best novels about american university life ever written. Hilarious and truetolife, witty, compassionate, and impossible to put down, straight man follows hank devereaux through one very bad week in this novel from pulitzer prizewinning author richard russo. Richard russo discusses his novel, chances are, at politics and prose. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read straight man. Russo does a very subtle and masterful job of slowly developing the interior henry devereux jr. In mohawk, new york, ned hall is trying the growup, even though his own estranged parents have never done so themselves. Richard russo reading for the new york state writers institute.
Such is the canvas of richard russos straight man, a novel of surpassing wit, poignancy, and insight. Straight man by richard russo penguin random house audio. Not that russos trademark wry humor isnt everywhere present, especially in protagonist miles robys relations, friends, neighbors, and antagonists. Richard russos straight man invalidates the widely held notion in academe that nothing happens in a department during an interim chairs watch. William of occam, says hank, sought to reconcile faith with rational inquiry p. Though russo has diversified somewhat with his latest two books, bridge of sighs and that old cape magic, 1997s straight man remains the anomaly in his backlist. Russos only campus novel, its hugely endearing characters make.
He earned a bachelors degree, a master of fine arts degree, and a doctor of. He has also written the introduction to the recently published collected short stories of richard yates and contributed an essay to terrell lesters photography book, maine. Dexter county, maine, and specifically the town of empire falls, has seen better days, and for decades only a succession. Hilarious and truetolife, witty, compassionate, and impossible to put down, straight man follows hank devereaux through one very bad week in this novel. More on richard russo from the new york times archives. In this uproarious new novel, richard russo performs his characteri. Jul 30, 2019 richard russos new novel is about the reminiscences and regrets of three aging baby boomers. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction.
Russos colorful book offers his novel s fans more of his dazzling and moving writing, often revealing glimpses of forces that drive a. Richard russo is the author of mohawk, the risk pool, nobodys fool, straight man and his newest novel, empire falls. Straight man is the fourth novel by pulitzer prizewinning american novelist, richard russo. We hope they will provide interesting new angles from which to examine this funny, poignant, and compassionate novel by one of the most. The life of a small southerncentral maine town is memorably laid bare in russos splendid fifth novel every bit as readerfriendly and satisfying as its predecessors straight man, 1997, etc. Thats sort of the situation in richard russos 1997 novel straight man. Dexter county, maine, and specifically the town of empire falls, has seen better days, and for. Random house, 1997 is a novel by richard russo set at the fictional west central pennsylvania university in railton, pennsylvania. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading straight man. From the gossip and the resentments to the people and the cafes, pulitzer prizewinning writer richard russo chronicles bluecollar america in ways constantly surprising and utterly revealing. Straight man by richard russo goodreads share book. Straight man by richard russo reading guidebook club. Empire falls is russo on familiar ground, mining much of the same territory covered in novels like the risk pool tales of small town life in the northeast though in this case, russo has moved north to maine.
Straight man by richard russo book club discussion. Russo was born in johnstown, new york, and raised in nearby gloversville. A novel vintage contemporaries kindle edition by russo, richard. Ive been a fan of richard russo since straight man came out in 1997, and ive waited impatiently for this book to be released ever since. May 10, 2017 the four stories in russos new book, trajectory, take on themes that include the follies of academia and the disappointment of midlife. Richard russo born july 15, 1949 is an american novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and teacher.
The questions, discussion topics, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your groups experience of reading richard russosstraight man. From the pulitzer prizewinning richard russoin his first standalone novel in a decadecomes a new revelation. Richard russo is a master of rich characters and pitchperfect descriptions of smalltown america. Richard russofrom his first novel, mohawk, to his most recent, straight manhas demonstrated a peerless affinity for the human tragicomedy, and with this stunning new novel he extends even further his claims on the smalltown, bluecollar heart of the country. Three old friends, all 66 years old, arrive at marthas vineyard for a last hurrah. Straight man is an exceedingly funny novel from author richard russo. Mar 15, 2020 richard russo paints a man for whom its all over from all sides and still he does not want to commit suicide. Straight man straight man is an exceedingly funny novel from author richard russo.
A gloriously funny and involving fourth novel from the author of such comfortableasoldshoes fictions as mohawk 1986 and nobodys fool 1993. Russo has taught at the university of southern illinois, the iowa. Richard russos new novel is about the reminiscences and regrets of three aging baby boomers. The protagonist is a hapless middleaged man whos ironic, irreverent, perhaps even brilliant, but lost without the keener emotional insight and wisdom of. May 22, 2001 the life of a small southerncentral maine town is memorably laid bare in russos splendid fifth novel every bit as readerfriendly and satisfying as its predecessors straight man, 1997, etc.
In richard russos brilliant new novel, three old college. Richard russos latest cast includes average men and one big. Notable moments include the chairmans hiding in the rafters as the faculty vote on his dismissal, his threat of killing a campus pond goose every day until the department receives a budget. Richard russo has 39 books on goodreads with 439280 ratings. In this uproarious new novel, richard russo performs his characteristic highwire walk between hilarity and heartbreak. The questions, discussion topics, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your groups experience of reading richard russos straight man.
In this uproarious novel, richard russo performs his characteristic highwire walk between hilarity and heartbreak. Introduction in this uproarious new novel, richard russo performs his characteristic highwire walk between hilarity and heartbreak. The four stories in russos new book, trajectory, take on themes that include the follies of academia and the disappointment of midlife. We hope they will provide interesting new angles from which to examine this funny, poignant, and compassionate novel by one of the most compelling storytellers of our day. Sign me up to get more news about literary fiction books. William henry devereaux jnr, hank at almost fifty, is interim chairman of the english department at the chronically underfunded west central pennsylvania university in railton.
Would you say that this describes hanks search during the course of the novel. Richard russo interview empire falls identity theory. The old men and the sea or, richard russos new novel the. The old men and the sea or, richard russos new novel. The humor came in his reactions to the zany behavior of other characters. In straight man, author richard russo introduces the readers to william henry devereax, a writing teacher and a onetime novelist. In richard russos brilliant new novel, three old college buddies reunite for a mystery.
Jun 16, 2001 richard russo is the author of mohawk, the risk pool, nobodys fool, straight man and his newest novel, empire falls. We hope they will provide interesting new angles from which to examine this funny, poignant, and. The protagonist is a hapless middleaged man whos ironic, irreverent, perhaps even brilliant, but lost without the keener emotional insight and wisdom of his beautiful wife. William has just decided to settle in a beleaguered stint as the departmental head, where he finds extremely important to tread the water and go. Richard russo from his first novel, mohawk, to his most recent, straight man has demonstrated a peerless affinity for the human tragicomedy, and with this stunning new novel he extends even further his claims on. Sep 07, 2011 though russo has diversified somewhat with his latest two books, bridge of sighs and that old cape magic, 1997s straight man remains the anomaly in his backlist. This masterful novelist has an uncanny sense of the way life works in the gritty industrial towns of the american northeast. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Listen to straight man audiobook streaming online free. Richard russo paints a man for whom its all over from all sides and still he does not want to commit suicide. It is a midlife crisis tale told in the first person by william henry devereaux jr. Richard russo audio books, best sellers, author bio. During the course of the novel, which begins with the burial of one dog. Coming soon new releases nook book bundles nook daily find nook foreign language.