Straight man is an exceedingly funny novel from author richard russo. A novel 9780375701900 by russo, richard and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices. Straight man by richard russo book club discussion. Over the course of a single convoluted week, he threatens to execute a duck, has his nose slashed by a feminist poet, discovers that his. Hilarious and truetolife, witty, compassionate, and impossible to put down, straight man follows hank devereaux through one very bad week in this novel. Straight man in this uproarious new novel, richard russo performs his characteristic highwire walk between hilarity and heartbreak. Pdf straight man book by richard russo free download. The main characters of this fiction, humor story are.
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. From booklist hank devereaux was voted interim chair of the english department at a pennsylvania college based on his loudly voiced contempt for bureaucratic procedures. In straight man, author richard russo introduces the readers to william henry devereax, a writing teacher and a onetime novelist. Russos writing combines humor with the trials and tribulations of growing old or should i. His fifth novel, empire falls, turns its own pages. Jul 30, 2019 richard russos new novel is about the reminiscences and regrets of three aging baby boomers. Booklist noted, russo follows up his rollicking academic satire, straight man 1997, with a return to the bluecollar milieu featured in his first three novels and once again shows an unerring sense of the rhythms of. Straight man russos fourth book also shows off his skills as a humorist. Richard russos latest cast includes average men and one. 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. Russo was born in johnstown, new york, and raised in nearby gloversville. It runs decidedly against richard russo s approach in straight man, and the result is a hilarious and touching novel.
What made you take a different path for straight man. 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. Straight man is hilarious sport, with a serious side. Aug 14, 2003 such is the canvas of richard russo s straight man, a novel of surpassing wit, poignancy, and insight. Random house, 1997 is a novel by richard russo set at the fictional west central pennsylvania university in railton, pennsylvania. Henry, or hank, is the interim chair of a delightfully dysfunctional english department at a small pennsylvania college. Richard russos latest cast includes average men and one big. Such is the canvas of richard russos straight man, a novel of surpassing wit, poignancy, and insight.
Would you say that this describes hanks search during the course of the novel. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 391 pages and is available in paperback format. He earned a bachelors degree, a master of fine arts degree, and a doctor of. Few authors do male vulnerability as well as richard russo.
First jane smiley came out of the comedy closet with moo, a campus satire par excellence, and now richard russo has gotten in on the grovesofacademe game. 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. Oct 14, 2016 straight man richard russo posted by anna van gelderen on 692002, 16. Russo s writing combines humor with the trials and tribulations of growing old or should i say growing up. Sep 07, 2011 though russo has diversified somewhat with his latest two books, bridge of sighs and that old cape magic, 1997 s straight man remains the anomaly in his backlist. Russos characters in these four expansive stories bea. Straight man book public library of youngstown and. Devereauxs reluctance is partly rooted in his characterhe is a born anarchist and partly in the fact that. In this warm, bighearted novella, pulitzer prize winner richard russo nobody s fool, straight man, empire falls transports his characters from the workingclass east coast of his novels to one of europe s most romantic cities. Richard russo audio books, best sellers, author bio.
The old men and the sea or, richard russos new novel. 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. The new yorker russo skewers academic pretensions and infighting with mad a clear and muscular prose that is a pleasaure to readi had to stop often to guffaw, gasp. I remember almost nothing about richard russos straight man. Such is the canvas of richard russo s straight man, a novel of surpassing wit, poignancy, and insight. Straight man richard russo straight man by richard russo benjamin evans y do i do this to myself. Richard russo born july 15, 1949 is an american novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and teacher. Thats sort of the situation in richard russos 1997 novel straight man. A gloriously funny and involving fourth novel from the author of such comfortableasoldshoes fictions as mohawk 1986 and nobody s fool 1993.
Last months selection was straight man by richard russo, and had it not been suggested and voted upon by my book club, theres an excellent chance i would have gone a couple more years without reading it, or any of russos works for that matter. Laboratory tests confirm that richard russos prose promotes addictive behavior among committed readers of fiction. Straight man this is the funniest book i have listened to since john grisham s skipping christmas. Thus we enter the world of william henry devereaux, jr. The funniest serious novel i have read sincewell, maybe since portnoys complaint.
Sign me up to get more news about literary fiction books. Introduction in this uproarious new novel, richard russo performs his characteristic highwire walk between hilarity and heartbreak. The old men and the sea or, richard russos new novel the. More on that later, though, because i want to talk about the peripheral things i remember about straight man.
Richard russos new novel is about the reminiscences and regrets of three aging baby boomers. We hope they will provide interesting new angles from which to examine this funny, poignant, and compassionate novel by one of the most. 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. The first edition of the novel was published in january 1st 1997, and was written by richard russo. The infighting, personality clashes, and insect politics of the academic world is so accurately funny it hurts. Richard russos straight man invalidates the widely held notion in academe that nothing happens in a department during an interim chairs watch. Notable moments include the chairmans hiding in the rafters as the faculty vote on his dismissal. Straight man is a strange entry point into my fiction because it was the anomaly. 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. Browse richard russos bestselling audiobooks and newest titles. It is a hilarious account of the trouble a middle aged college professor can find while his wife is away for several days. This isnt out of any specific avoidance, but because russo, while being prolific and generally.
Straight man is a middleager s book,centering on an english department in a pennsylvania college where tenure matters more than anything far more than sex and none of its protagonists are likely to resign to bravely head into more adventurous seas. I imagine i laughed a couple of times, and i think i enjoyed the reading experience, but there is only one specific thing that i remember from the book itself. Russo had imagined academia might turn its nose up at the book. Reading richard russos newest novel, straight man, you cant help but experience a strong sense of deja vu. William of occam, says hank, sought to reconcile faith with rational inquiry p. Nov 03, 2012 last month s selection was straight man by richard russo, and had it not been suggested and voted upon by my book club, there s an excellent chance i would have gone a couple more years without reading it, or any of russo s works for that matter. In this uproarious new novel, richard russo performs his characteristic highwire walk between hilarity and heartbreak. In english departments the most serious competition is for the role of straight man p. The questions, discussion topics, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your group s experience of reading richard russo sstraight man. 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. As he established in his previous books mohawk, the risk pool, and nobody s 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. Russo s protagonist is william henry devereaux, jr. Jul, 2017 straight man russos fourth book also shows off his skills as a humorist. May 10, 2017 richard russos latest cast includes average men and one big star.
Free download or read online straight man pdf epub book. The writing is excellent witty, well paced, and the main character welldrawn as just an everyday guy just trying to get by and make. After a while you begin to wish you lived in richard russos world, sunday times a funny and clever novel, times literary supplement the author has never been funnier. Hank tries to explain to one class that comedy and tragedy dont go together, but finds the argument runs contrary to their experience. Straight man is the fourth novel by pulitzer prizewinning american novelist, richard russo. A gloriously funny and involving fourth novel from the author of such comfortableasoldshoes fictions as mohawk 1986 and nobodys fool 1993. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Jan 01, 1997 i remember almost nothing about richard russo s straight man. Risk pool and nobody s fool fit more neatly with this book. Mar 12, 2020 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. Why does russo call the first portion of the novel occams razor. Straight man by richard russo penguin random house audio. Discover more authors youll love listening to on audible.
Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. The task he has chosen for himself, of wooing my mother with a bright red pickup truck, a patsy cline tape, and a string of malapropisms, is ample justification to me for not taking the world too seriously, its relentless heartbreak notwithstanding richard russo, straight man. In this uproarious new novel, richard russo performs his characteri. Buy a cheap copy of straight man book by richard russo.
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