 |
I purchased this volume of "Empire Falls" because I first it read within days of it's release and this first edition volume was signed by the author. As a dealer in autographs I know that the only autographs sincerely worth keeping and saving for my descendants, are those of authors and composers who will be just as famous then-if not more so-than they are now. Or so was the thought of my great grandfather when he carefully shelved his first edition signed copy of Tom Sawyer. I've read the book no less than five times each time gaining more respect for a writer who is able to put into words that which so many of us feel but have failed to verbalize. He is, to date, the only man who has managed to pen the truth of life (in "The Bridge of Sighs"). In each of his novels he takes on a new voice and it is always the perfect voice and, I would guess, is rarely his own. "Empire Falls" is an epic, the sort of novel that we have not seen since "Gone With The Wind","War And Peace" or "The World According To Garp". It is to these authors with whom I compare him. "Empire Falls" takes place in a small Maine town that originally sprouted up around a business that kept it alive and then remains, owned and operated by the single family who owns the choice real estate and wise investments while the rest of it's residents cling to their small jobs, unemployment, alimony or the streets. Each character is someone we've met before in our own lives and each circumstance is something at which we can shake our heads as we turn the page, passing judgment on fools or love or just because we've been there. Miles runs the Empire Grill which is owned by the old wealthy woman on the hill. He has an agreement with her that he will run this restaurant until her death upon which he will take ownership. His recent divorce has left him in a position where his ex-wife, for whom he seems to hold no contempt, is making a fool of herself and has alienated their teenage daughter who is a good kid, but we've caught her during what is easily the darkest year of her life. We get to know these people, and many others, well; we know them the way you know everyone who lives in a small town: by conversation, occupation, history and gossip. The story has drive and urgency and reaches an apogee of huge proportions, but I will leave that to Mr. Russo to tell; he is far more skilled and gifted than I. Truth be told, though this is the book that won the Pulitzer Prize and allowed Russo to call himself a writer without blinking when someone asks his occupation, the best way to read this book is as I did: by coming to it in the order in which it was published. I was fortunate to have had his first novel placed into my hands and had to wait anxiously for the release of each subsequent book. So that when "Empire Falls" came along it was yet another journey. I wouldn't say that this book is better than his others; certainly one of the bigger ones, but all of his novels have the same remarkable qualities and my favorite remains "Nobody's Fool" simply by way of who I am. So you could begin with "Empire Falls"-there's no reason not to, but you'll only end up reading all of his books including his recent "The Bridge of Sighs" which is a masterpiece and some of his books shouldn't be read during winter, particularly if you live in the Leatherstocking region of New York or in The Finger Lakes. Richard Russo captures the gray desolation of winter in Central New York. Save those for summer.Read full review
Good book if you don't mind a little profanity. Otherwise OK.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Just started reading this book. It was on my pandemic reading list.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in Books
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on Books
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- You may also like
