Straight Man by Richard Russo
Straight Man by Richard Russo Book Summary
Hilarious and true-to-life, witty, compassionate, and impossible to put down, Straight Man follows Hank Devereaux through one very bad week in this novel from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Empire Falls. • Now the AMC Original Series Lucky Hank.
William Henry Devereaux, Jr., is the reluctant chairman of the English department of a badly underfunded college in the Pennsylvania rust belt. Devereaux's reluctance is partly rooted in his character—he is a born anarchist—and partly in the fact that his department is more savagely divided than the Balkans.
In the course of a single week, Devereaux will have his nose mangled by an angry colleague, imagine his wife is having an affair with his dean, wonder if a curvaceous adjunct is trying to seduce him with peach pits, and threaten to execute a goose on local television. All this while coming to terms with his philandering father, the dereliction of his youthful promise, and the ominous failure of certain vital body functions. In short, Straight Man is classic Russo—side-splitting, poignant, compassionate, and unforgettable.
Look for Richard Russo's new book, Somebody's Fool, coming soon.
Straight Man Book Details
| Book Name | Straight Man |
| Genre | Literary Fiction |
| Author | Richard Russo |
| Published | 09 June 1998, Tuesday |
| Price | $12.99 |
| E-Book Size | 7.58 MB |
Straight Man by Richard Russo Book Reviews
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Ehh.... I had to read this book for a class I'm taking called Humor in Literature. The book has a lot of bland, sexual humor that isn't to my taste. It is an ok book, but if I could, I would go back in time and opt not to take the class as I found reading the book very tedious.
in the top twenty best books EVER. Thank god for writers like Richard Russo, who restore my faith in the great american novel. By turns hysterical and heart wrenching, this is a book for the ages-Dickens meets Irving. In a word- Amazing.
In My Top 20. "Straight Man" is my personal favorite by Richard Russo and ranks among my very favorite books of all time. I'm astounded a reviewer found it lacking, but I can surmise the person who wrote the review is quite young. After pondering it for a bit, I do see how Mr Russo's wit appeals better to those who've experienced the ups and downs of mature relationships, a mid-career crisis or two, and a viewpoint tarnished by having lived long enough to figure out that things rarely turn out at 40 or 50 or 60 as we had planned when we were 20. This truly is laugh-out-loud hilarious but with a poignancy that touched my heart. For those who've been around the block of life a few times, you will surely enjoy every page of "Straight Man."
The dog dies. There was no need to kill the dog. I would have given it 4 stars if not for that, but that part took ALL the humor out of the book. It went from an entertaining, if very dated, look at academic life in the early ‘90s to a sad pathetic story of a sad pathetic middle aged man. Killing the dog killed the laughter. Instantaneously. It was like the author’s true mettle was revealed and it was lacking. Hard pass.
My favorite Richard Russo so far. I have read several of Mr. Russo's novels. This was absolutely my favorite. A great read, funny and poignant. I hated it to end. Highly recommend.
Clever Disappointment. I kept hoping it would get better.
Enjoyable Read. I enjoy books in academic settings and Straight Man is just a good story to read and enjoy. Russo creates interesting characters who you become involved with & actually care how they turn out, unlike many fiction books...EAF
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5 Books like Straight Man (Richard Russo)
Richard Russo (born July 15, 1949) is an American novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and teacher. In 2002, he was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in Fiction for his novel Empire Falls. Early life and education Russo was born in Johnstown, New York, and raised in nearby Gloversville. He earned a bachelor's degree, a Master of Fine Arts degree, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Arizona, which he attended from 1967 through 1979. The subject of his doctoral dissertation was the works of the early American writer, historian and editor Charles Brockden Brown. Career Russo was teaching in the English department at Southern Illinois University Carbondale when his first novel, Mohawk, was published, in 1986. Much of his work is semi-autobiographical, drawing on his life from his upbringing in upstate New York to his time teaching literature at Colby College, where he retired from in 1996 to pursue writing full-time.His 2001 novel Empire Falls received the 2002 Pulitze....
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