by Richard Russo
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2002
When I was 20 I incorporated one of my mom's books into my collection. (The statute of limitations ran out years ago. It is mine now.) It was a book called Straight Man, and it promised a scene where a man did something zany with a goose. How did it promise that? By putting a zany looking goose on the cover, that's how. The novel dealt with a college professor going through a career and relationship crisis which began to take physical tolls on him. The narrator was fun, and refreshingly light even as he discussed rather weighty material, and even when I couldn't sympathize with him, I still enjoyed the way he articulated his point of view. I thoroughly enjoyed the novel, but was willing to leave my Russo-reading days behind me. Then one day I picked up a book called Nobody's Fool, which I faintly remembered had been a movie in the early 90s. I read it very quickly, and again, enjoyed it immensely, and, once again, was willing to put my Russo-reading days behind me. What I liked about both of his novels were the vivid character sketches, and the atmosphere provided by his small town New England settings. But the problem was there seemed to be something missing that held them back. Then came Empire Falls.
This is a masterwork. Russo's other work had prepared me for his incredible characters. But the largeness of Russo's vision on this project is what elevates Empire Falls from the status of a great book that I enjoyed reading, to becoming something really special. It is not just the characters in this novel that live, it is the place itself. Russo creates a history for his setting that makes the experience of seeing how his characters operate all the more meaningful. We see their story, but we see them in the context of the larger narrative of the city of Empire Falls. The central character, Miles Roby, runs a diner called the Empire Grill. He, like a lot of Russo's protagonists, is a man stuck in a rut. His wife has just left him, his career is stuck, and he is going through an existential crisis. This crisis is played out both in the present, and in a series of revelatory flashbacks where we see Miles as a young man witnessing his mother have a relationship with a wealthy man. The present shows us the decline of Empire Falls, while the past shows us what might have been. We also have the story of Mrs. Whiting, the town's matriarch, who seems oblivious to the fact that Empire Falls is not the thriving community it once was. This provides the narrative with a class struggle, but also gives a character who could come off as shrill and negative, a level of depth and dignity that would not exist in a similar story. Mrs. Whiting is not the villain, she is simply a character with her own needs and wants. And, most importantly, she is a key figure in the story of Empire Falls.
In 2005 HBO made a short mini-series adaptation of Empire Falls, which I have only seen bits and pieces of. What struck me about the film was that it had the same easy-going feel that the novel had. A friend of mine watched the first part of one of the episodes and said it was boring (and it also lost every argument I will ever have with him where I suggest he read a Richard Russo book). I don't know if watching the film version would be enhanced by reading the book first, and since all arguments along that line are sort of silly thought exercises, I won't continue except to say that, yes, it probably would. But I don't know, and since I can't unread the novel, I will never know. One thing that I noted when it came out was the cast. Ed Harris plays Miles Roby, and the supporting cast was filled out with Helen Hunt (remember when she was in everything?), Paul Newman in his last on-screen performance, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Interesting side note: Philip Seymour Hoffman had a bit part in Nobody's Fool, which was made when he was still the dude who wore the tie-dyed shirt in Twister and screamed, "It's coming," and had nowhere near the stature that he has now.
Since he won the Pulitzer for Empire Falls, Richard Russo has written three more books, one of which is sold in Target, and each time I look at books in Target I pick it up, and then put back down. Because for some reason I think that someone who has a record of three for three is not good enough. Or maybe I just don't like shopping for books at Target. Or maybe I don't like the title. That Old Cape Magic? What kind of name is that? Whatever. I'm sure one day I will read them all. And love them all. And what kind of title is That Old Cape Magic? A good one, that's what kind. I'm sure it fits the story, and why not buy it at Target? Or somewhere else? I'm just ridiculous.
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