by Richard Russo
I read this because a colleague, an art professor whose work I respect, quoted it in his acceptance speech for a faculty achievement award. He chose lines that made me think the protagonist of the novel might rise above the stultifying absurdities that can take up much of an academic life. It’s more...
I was working at a bookstore when "Straight Man" was first released and it made quite a splash. My compadres at the store were talking it up, and customers who read it thought it was a riot. I probably would have agreed if I read it at the time. But I didn't. Years later I dove into Richard Russ...
God, I love this book. It was a present from two friends who rightly thought chairing the English department was driving me a bit batty.
This has got to be one of the quirkiest novels I've ever read.Funniest sentence in the whole book:"It's not an easy thing to be left holding a piece of fruit during introductions."Other great lines:"I'm not a _____________, but I can play that role.""He was a small man. Left-handed. He walked with a...
I wanted to love this book as much as I'd loved Russo's other novels, but he was trying too hard to be funny to tell his story.
Laugh out loud funny. This book is dead on about academia and those who populate it. Great read.
I was unexpectedly delightedwith this book that I amfinding myself recommending itto everyone. The main character,William Henry Devereaux, Jr. isthe chairman of the Englishdepartment at a tiny college inPennsylvania. I can see Devereaux played by Bill Murray; he isconstantly making little sarcasticb...
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