Rating: 
Summary: "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree"
Review: I enjoy comedy as much as the next person, but the deep meaning in this book was moving. The book is about life--and how we follow the examples set before us no matter how good or bad. Some of us claim to be better than that, however, no matter how advanced the education, you are still your fathers son. I finished the book wanting more, only to realize that Sully's son would only be repeating the mistakes made by his father years before. A comedic novel about the human cycle.
Rating:
Summary: Needs Six Stars, maybe Seven
Review: This is second on my all time favorite list. To be able to make us care so deeply for a ragtag assortment of battle-scarred souls seeking happiness or comfort in a little upstate town, bypassed by both time and the interstate, is true genius. It's a pleasure to watch Sully, a paradigm of failed potential, be revealed as the glue that holds these folks together. "Rub" has to be one of the best supporting characters of all time. After reading the book a number of times, I left it on my desk at work. I could pick it up, open it anywhere, and just marvel in the glory of jubilant dialogue for a few minutes. Russo mined the same material in "The Risk Pool", also an excellent novel. I'd reccommend this beautiful effort to anyone contemplating a career as a writer, both as inspiration and primer. Thank you, Richard.
Rating:
Summary: Satisfying, wonderful, thought provoking, refreshing..
Review: I am actually in the midst of reading this book now, and decided to come to the computer to write about it so I won't finish it before I am ready to! I am gliding through it with growing enthusiasm and gaining compassion for each of the very real, warm characters. If you like Anne Tyler as I do, this is about the best 13 bucks you will spend this month...I have to go now...I need to get back to the book so I can see what happens at Hattie's next!
Rating: 
Summary: A book that reads like a movie
Review: I picked Richard Russo's novel up a week ago. It' s quite funny with compelling characters, people you know and people you'd swear don't exist. Like all good books it ends too soon. Though most of the characters problems are solved, I wanted to continue journey. I read a novel about every 5th book. If they were all written like this I would read many more.
Rating:
Summary: One of my all-time favorites!
Review: This is one of the best books I have ever read. It is funny, poignant and easy to relate to. I have given copies of this book to numerous friends and relatives and everyone has loved it. I had the chance to talk with Richard Russo a few months ago and while he's working on a new novel, it's going to be at least several months before he's done. I can't wait.
Rating:
Summary: The more of it you read, the more you love it
Review: Russo is a master! His Sully is someone we don't want to like but we can't help but love. The more we read about Sully, the more we understand him -- and perhaps others in our society we might judge too quickly and too harshly. Russo's characters are wonderful -- realistic, likeable and full of flaws. We need more Russo!
Rating:
Summary: One of the funniest and best written books ever!
Review: This book had me sitting up until well after midnight to finish it and then when I got to the end I couldn't bear for there not to be more for me to read. Not only was I laughing hysterically outloud while reading this book I also immediately emailed some of my favorite sections to my friends so that they could crack up as well. I can't wait until I forget some of this book so I can have the pleasure of reading it again. A bunch of people are getting this book as a present from me this year - it's that good. Read it!!!
Rating:
Summary: Reestablish your faith in everyman..
Review: Moving, well-written tale of small town life. Russo's character development is excellent. Reminds us that life's real rewards are within the grasp of everyone...and that one's worth, in the end, may best be measured in consistency of character and reliability rather than great acts. A gem.
Rating:
Summary: A great read
Review: I read this after having liked the movie so much. Even though I really liked the movie, partly because I'm such a big Paul Newman fan, I liked the book even more. It was so enjoyable to read partly because I felt like I really knew the characters. Russo is excellent at telling a simple story that captures your interest through his characters. This was the first book I had read for pleasure, being so busy with reading for school. I truly recommend it without hesitation.
Rating: 
Summary: Bloated, needs considerable editing
Review: I enjoyed this book very much for the first 350 pages or so. Then things started happening over again. How many scenes in "The Horse" bar does a reader need? After a few, they no longer reveal character or advance the plot. I found Sully an interesting character and especially liked his landlady. But some of the other characters were charicatures, the lawyer, for instance, and Carl. Anyhow, the book got me through two international plane rides so it wasn't all bad. The writing is good, if sometimes careless. There were a few places were new information was suddenly given about a character and never explained. Also, I'm not all that happy when an author goes into the point of view of minor characters like Clive Jr. for just one time so near the end of a book.
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