Comments on: Nowheresville http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/ Place. Limits. Liberty. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:57:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: polistra http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/#comment-13046 polistra Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:32:56 +0000 http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=5814#comment-13046 I loved all of Russo's earlier books, read each of them over and over... so I bought this one immediately when it was announced. Started reading, couldn't get past the second page, threw it away. I'm not sure exactly what's wrong, but he's lost his soul. This fate seems to overtake the great "place-based" authors sooner or later. Maybe they tire of fighting the venomous accusations of racism and sexism that always rain on anyone who doesn't fill a book with verbatim recitations of Leninist orthodoxy. I don't know why, but most of them fold into academic sameness after several wonderful books. I loved all of Russo’s earlier books, read each of them over and over… so I bought this one immediately when it was announced. Started reading, couldn’t get past the second page, threw it away. I’m not sure exactly what’s wrong, but he’s lost his soul.

This fate seems to overtake the great “place-based” authors sooner or later. Maybe they tire of fighting the venomous accusations of racism and sexism that always rain on anyone who doesn’t fill a book with verbatim recitations of Leninist orthodoxy. I don’t know why, but most of them fold into academic sameness after several wonderful books.

]]> By: John Willson http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/#comment-12932 John Willson Wed, 09 Sep 2009 22:08:46 +0000 http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=5814#comment-12932 Russo's Straight Man is one of the better academic novels ever written, and certainly one of the funniest. Nobody's Fool is a dark and nihiistic book that was made into a truly fine movie by Newman, et. al. This is one of those cases, rare indeed, where the movie is much better than the novel. Much better. Don't credit Russo. Russo’s Straight Man is one of the better academic novels ever written, and certainly one of the funniest. Nobody’s Fool is a dark and nihiistic book that was made into a truly fine movie by Newman, et. al. This is one of those cases, rare indeed, where the movie is much better than the novel. Much better. Don’t credit Russo.

]]> By: Mark Maier http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/#comment-12913 Mark Maier Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:55:46 +0000 http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=5814#comment-12913 Hassler's novels are very much a Midwestern take on many of Russo's themes. North of Hope and Grand Opening are, in my opinion, his finest novels. There are numerous parallels between Bridge of Sighs and Grand Opening. Hassler’s novels are very much a Midwestern take on many of Russo’s themes. North of Hope and Grand Opening are, in my opinion, his finest novels. There are numerous parallels between Bridge of Sighs and Grand Opening.

]]> By: Jason Peters http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/#comment-12902 Jason Peters Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:11:40 +0000 http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=5814#comment-12902 Rob G: Hassler has never disappointed me. Like Russo, he has the right kind of affection for his characters and their places. Maybe start with <em>Staggerford </em>or <em>Rookery Blues</em>. Rob G:

Hassler has never disappointed me. Like Russo, he has the right kind of affection for his characters and their places. Maybe start with Staggerford or Rookery Blues.

]]> By: Danny Z http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/#comment-12901 Danny Z Wed, 09 Sep 2009 15:54:46 +0000 http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=5814#comment-12901 NOBODY'S FOOL was shot largely in my hometown of Fishkill, NY, where Washington's sword and the first copies of the NY Constitution were made, and in the neighboring town of Beacon, where every Sunday one can find Pete Seeger chatting up his neighbors at the farmers market. I remember watching as a 9 year old as they filmed Paul Newman decking the police officer played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. In the background of that scene is our local library and a few of my old classmates' homes. None of us kids were allowed to see the film when it was released (thank you, Melanie Griffith). Finally liberated from my parents adherence to MPAA ratings, I watched the film and, hometown bias aside, I think it is one this crowd would thoroughly enjoy. NOBODY’S FOOL was shot largely in my hometown of Fishkill, NY, where Washington’s sword and the first copies of the NY Constitution were made, and in the neighboring town of Beacon, where every Sunday one can find Pete Seeger chatting up his neighbors at the farmers market. I remember watching as a 9 year old as they filmed Paul Newman decking the police officer played by Phillip Seymour Hoffman. In the background of that scene is our local library and a few of my old classmates’ homes. None of us kids were allowed to see the film when it was released (thank you, Melanie Griffith). Finally liberated from my parents adherence to MPAA ratings, I watched the film and, hometown bias aside, I think it is one this crowd would thoroughly enjoy.

]]> By: Carl Scott http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/#comment-12891 Carl Scott Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:44:04 +0000 http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=5814#comment-12891 As Susan McWilliams reminded me once, integral to the greatness of my favorite Alexis de Tocqueville was the fact that he was traveller. His restless soul was not interminably so, he was rooted in La France(and Normandy), but his greatness only came due to his wanderlust. And then there's what my second-favorite, Blaise Pascal, said, that no-one would ever travel if they could not talk about it afterwards. Pascal had a thing or two to say about human vanity and our desire for diversion. As Susan McWilliams reminded me once, integral to the greatness of my favorite Alexis de Tocqueville was the fact that he was traveller. His restless soul was not interminably so, he was rooted in La France(and Normandy), but his greatness only came due to his wanderlust.

And then there’s what my second-favorite, Blaise Pascal, said, that no-one would ever travel if they could not talk about it afterwards. Pascal had a thing or two to say about human vanity and our desire for diversion.

]]> By: Rob G http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/#comment-12886 Rob G Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:27:26 +0000 http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=5814#comment-12886 I've not read Russo but he sounds good -- thanks for the tip. What do you guys think of Jon Hassler as a "small town" writer? I've often been tempted to give him a go, but never have done, as I don't know anyone who's read him. I’ve not read Russo but he sounds good — thanks for the tip.

What do you guys think of Jon Hassler as a “small town” writer? I’ve often been tempted to give him a go, but never have done, as I don’t know anyone who’s read him.

]]> By: Jason Peters http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/#comment-12872 Jason Peters Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:47:06 +0000 http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=5814#comment-12872 Don't anybody spoil <em>That Old Cape Magic </em>for me. I can't get to it until the Christmas holidays. Darryl, you're right to say that Russo deserves a rocking chair on The Porch. Not an honorary rocking chair; a real one. <em>Straight Man </em>is the funniest campus novel since <em>Lucky Jim</em>, and <em>Empire Falls </em>belongs on the august list of damn fine Catholic novels. Yup. Russo's the real deal. Don’t anybody spoil That Old Cape Magic for me. I can’t get to it until the Christmas holidays.

Darryl, you’re right to say that Russo deserves a rocking chair on The Porch. Not an honorary rocking chair; a real one. Straight Man is the funniest campus novel since Lucky Jim, and Empire Falls belongs on the august list of damn fine Catholic novels. Yup. Russo’s the real deal.

]]> By: Jeremy Beer http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/2009/09/nowheresville/#comment-12863 Jeremy Beer Wed, 09 Sep 2009 01:58:12 +0000 http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=5814#comment-12863 That clinches it: I'll go get Bridge of Sighs. Russo's latest novel, actually, is THAT OLD CAPE MAGIC, which I finished a couple of weeks ago. It was my first foray into his work, which I'd been encouraged to read for years by friends. I don't know that it was profound, but it was actually enjoyable to read, which is more than I can say for most modern fiction. And it confirms Russo's front porch sympathies, to be sure. I wonder if he'd be surprised to hear that. That clinches it: I’ll go get Bridge of Sighs. Russo’s latest novel, actually, is THAT OLD CAPE MAGIC, which I finished a couple of weeks ago. It was my first foray into his work, which I’d been encouraged to read for years by friends. I don’t know that it was profound, but it was actually enjoyable to read, which is more than I can say for most modern fiction. And it confirms Russo’s front porch sympathies, to be sure. I wonder if he’d be surprised to hear that.

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