A craftsman captures the smallness of American life
Russo's collection of three short stories and novella, while not always wrapping themselves up in satisfying conclusions, are still a pleasure to read.
Fiction: Trajectory, By Richard Russo, Allen & Unwin, €23.80
The novelist Richard Russo is neither a mega-seller nor a household name, but the 68-year-old commands plenty of respect in his field anyway. Straight Man, his darkly amusing tale of a college professor who threatens to kill one duck per day until his department receives the funding it needs to keep operating, is one of the great under-appreciated American novels. Empire Falls, meanwhile, landed ...
