My second book by Russo and it was truly even better than the Straight Man. I have an intense love for this book and really didn't want it to come to an end. I am still in a state of withdrawal, missing the opportunity to follow the life of the main character, Sully, a 60-year-old man striving to make ends meet in a very small town in northern New England.

This book is set between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, yet, similar to Straight Man, it manages to cover an entire life through the device of reflecting back on one's life. The characters in this book are simply incredible.

I am a huge fan of John Irving and this book reminds me a bit of his style. Once again, this is a book from a man's perspective, although there is a major character who is an 80-year-old woman and she is truly terrific. I am curious to know if Russo appeals to women as much as he does to men.

One more thing. This was another Audible Books "read" for me. If you haven't tried this format, this is a great book to give it a try with. Much of the book consists of dialog and the characters are read with different voices (by the same reader). It is really like a theatrical production, which I believe adds to the overall experience.

I didn't find this to be quite as compelling as Empire Falls was, but it was damn close.

Ron McClarty narrated Nobody's Fool, (as he did Empire Falls), and I ADORE this man's voice. His narration added an extra layer of depth and charm to the story.

I will be looking for more works from both of these gentlemen. Richard Russo's writing in Nobody's Fool is engaging and filled with well-developed characters. The story unfolds in a small town, and Russo does an excellent job of描绘 the lives and relationships of the people there. McClarty's narration brings these characters to life, making it a truly enjoyable listening experience.

I can't wait to see what else Russo has in store and to hear more of McClarty's wonderful voice.

I really enjoyed this particular work. However, it was a little bit on the crazy side and also quite long. The main character is one of those complex individuals that you just can't quite decide whether to love or hate. It was still a lot of fun to read though. I have heard that the movie, which stars Paul Newman as that main character, along with Bruce Willis and Melanie Griffith, might actually be better than the book. This doesn't usually happen, but in this case, it might be possible.

Richard Russo is an author that I have always had a great deal of enjoyment reading. His works have a certain charm and depth that keep me engaged from start to finish. Whether it's the characters he creates, the storylines he weaves, or the way he describes the settings, there is always something to appreciate in his writing. I look forward to reading more of his books in the future.

Sully, Sully, Sully...

How easily he could cause a cranial blood clot in someone and get away with it. Take 'The Bank', for example, who called Sully 'Upstairs'. Mrs. People's banker son didn't like Sully. Sixty-year-old Donald Sullivan might have been an underachiever, but his mom said he wasn't nobody's fool. Even his dad knew it, and cried eventually, though it was way too late. Forgiveness had a long way to go, and Sully had trouble imagining his dad in heaven. As far as 'The Bank' was concerned, there were other factors, and it's a long story.

Mrs. Peoples, a retired eighth-grade teacher, was Sully's landlady for twenty years. Her deceased husband Clive Sr's picture was on the mantel, and Driver Ed, the African Zambe mask, was next to it. She also talked to Mrs. Gruber next door. This year, she decided not to tour the world. She expected something bad to happen, like the dying elm trees that threw a branch on her neighbor's roof. She wanted to stay home in case death came for her. For Thanksgiving, she was expecting her son Clive Jr. to visit with a hidden agenda, as usual.

North Bath, almost thirty miles south of Vermont, was in decline. It was populated with extreme human behavior, with Sully in the lead and Rub Squeers second. They were a popular duo. Thanksgiving was also the day Sully's son Peter, the professor, returned to town. Sully had forgotten him after his divorce from Vera decades earlier. Sully was an antihero: imaginative, contemptuous of authority, and indifferent to pain. He knew how to cheat people out of tragedy. Thanksgiving changed everything. Sully's son had needs, and something smelled like destiny. Sully's way would change things for everyone. I will have to reread 'Anybody's Fool' since it's a sequel to 'Nobody's Fool'. Richard Russo's books are amazing. He has a love and insight into people, small communities, and life that allows him to bring good and bad together and serve it up as realism. He spices it up with hilarious events and deep emotions, leaving the reader feeling good. Sad but warm. Smiling. Richard Russo has what it takes. RECOMMENDED.

All those novels set in towns full of quirky characters that look appealing from descriptions but then disappoint? They're all aspiring to be Richard Russo.

A while back I added Everybody's Fool to my to-read list but then realized that I had never read its predecessor, Nobody's Fool. Although I've read and enjoyed three other Richard Russo novels, this one doesn't really have much of a plot, yet it certainly feels like it.

I found myself eager to continue reading and turning the pages to see what would happen to all of these wonderful characters, especially Sully and his 80-year-old landlady, Miss Beryl. (It's pretty long - 550 pages - but doesn't feel like it.)

Just as much a character as these two and all their wonderfully portrayed relatives and acquaintances is the town itself. It's a town in upstate New York that's seen better days and, like many such towns in Iowa and elsewhere, is willing to sell its soul to achieve better days in the future.

John Updike and Richard Ford were masters at portraying middle-class males, but nobody does working-class folks better than Richard Russo. I wholeheartedly recommend this.

A sample passage: "Ralph had never been to a poetry reading. The reason he'd never gone to one - that people would be reading poetry there - had always seemed sufficient, but now he had another reason if he ever needed one. Vera'd never asked him to attend a poetry reading, but it was the sort of thing she might do someday if she got annoyed at him and was searching for a punishment and was tired of the educational channel. The good news was that there weren't any poetry readings in Bath, but Schuyler Springs wasn't very far away and they probably had them there. Maybe Albany, for all he knew. It was a scary thought. A man could be surrounded by poetry readings and not know it" (388).

Nobody’s Fool is a truly remarkable book.

It is a quiet, yet funny and sly work that not only entertains but also deeply touches the reader’s heart. At least, it had that profound effect on me.

In the evenings, I would read a chapter or two of this book to my husband. Oh, how we both looked forward to spending that precious hour with the citizens of the small town of Bath, New York.

This town, though economically crumbling, is filled with hope. Richard Russo’s characters are crafted with such extraordinary skill and grace. I couldn’t help but fall in love with each and every one of them and root for their success.

I firmly believe that there is no other writer who can surpass Russo’s talent for writing dialogue. While reading, I found myself laughing out loud, worrying about the characters’ fates, and cheering them on.

And when I turned the last page, I was oh so sorry that the story had come to an end. But then, I made a promise to myself that I would read every single book that Russo has ever written. He is simply that good!

Nobody’s Fool – Richard Russo

Russo's work is filled with profound insights and memorable quotes. The idea that something wasn't so much foolish as "visionary" shows that what may seem like a bad idea at first can sometimes turn out to be a great one. The description of old people as dusty museums of arcane and worthless information is a harsh but perhaps accurate portrayal of how society sometimes views the elderly. The saying "We wear the chains we forge in life" implies that our actions have consequences that we must live with.

The question "How will you know when you've died?" and the answer "I guess everything will stop being so goddamn much fun" add a touch of humor and a deeper understanding of what it means to truly be alive. The concept of rhythm in physical labor and how it can get you through a morning is a practical and relatable observation. Sully's realization that pain would peak and then get no worse is a valuable lesson in perseverance.

The phrase "Don't tell your mother" has a magical ability to bring back memories for Sully, just as it does for many of us. The idea that women don't understand certain things and that it's better not to try to teach them is a controversial one, but it reflects Sully's experiences. Sully's policy of sticking by his mistakes and not second-guessing every decision in life is a refreshing take on how we should view our past actions.

The saying "Don't get stuck" is words to live by, as it encourages us to keep moving forward and not let ourselves become stagnant. The idea that you miss what you don't have more than you appreciate what you do have is a common human experience. Sully's hatred of looking for trouble but also his awareness that it can get worse if you let it find you is a balanced approach to life. The statement "You can't stand still in this life or you get run over" emphasizes the importance of taking action and not being passive.

Finally, the idea that life's truest meanings are all childhood meanings and that making people feel good is about showing them that things could be worse are both thought-provoking and offer a unique perspective on life and human nature.

Will's face dropped. "I'd rather live with you," he said plaintively.

"If you lived with me, then I couldn't come visit," Sully pointed out. "Besides, if I stole you away from Mommy and Daddy, they'd put me in jail. Grandma Vera would see to it."

Will knew this was true. He didn't want to go back, but he also didn't want Grandpa Sully to end up in jail. Somehow, just having this conversation with Grandpa Sully had made him feel a bit braver. He wasn't quite as scared of Wacker anymore.

For anyone who adored A Man Called Ove, I wholeheartedly recommend Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo.

Although this isn't the book that earned Russo his Pulitzer (that was Empire Falls), Nobody's Fool has become one of my absolute favorites and has secured a place on my six-star shelf.

Donald "Sully" Sullivan is an aging and kind-hearted rogue who hasn't achieved much success in life as we typically define it, simply because he makes poor life decisions. However, he becomes more introspective when his son and grandson reappear in town. Sully has a charm and wit that attract all kinds of people to him. He does treat some people poorly, but not any worse than he is treated himself. In this novel, so much detail and care are lavished on the protagonist that even the great Paul Newman couldn't resist playing him in the movie adaptation — for which Newman received numerous Best Actor awards.

Nearly the entire book is set in North Bath, NY, a fictional place as far as I can tell, modeled after Russo's own hometown in upstate NY. There are countless characters in this book, which usually puts me off. However, in this novel, the plot remains focused on Sully, so it's not too difficult to follow. Although I'm from the Midwest, for every single character in this book, I'm reminded of a similar person from my own hometown.

So, it's that kind of book for me. A page-turner and a smile-inducer. Sully causes more harm to himself than to others, which makes him a sort of anti-hero. There are many hilarious scenes that will make you laugh out loud, and the book is instantly relatable and, at times, truly touching.

5 stars all the way.

“Love is a stupid thing.”

NOBODY’S FOOL was my first encounter with Richard Russo, and it was an enthralling experience that left me eager for more. The book commences on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and, after 307 pages, we find ourselves closing out the Friday after Thanksgiving, yet the novel still has over 200 pages remaining. It offers a detailed and slow-paced, yet captivating, read.

Mr. Russo has crafted an eclectic cast of characters, residents of the small upstate New York town of North Bath. Their lives intersect and revolve around the novel’s protagonist, Don “Sully” Sullivan, a 60-year-old who has made some poor life choices. Among the many characters I enjoyed getting to know were Rub, simple-minded but decent, and Mrs. Peoples, old, wise, and highly perceptive of human nature. They are vividly human. Additionally, the dialogue in this book is sharp and engaging, with humor on every page. Sully’s dry wit is particularly entertaining when he banters with his sometimes boss and frenemy, Carl Roebuck.

This text delves into several ideas about the human heart. Consider the thought, “An imperfect human heart, perfectly shattered…a condition so common as to be virtually universal, rendering issues of right or wrong almost incidental.” This line encapsulates the recognition of someone’s humanity through their flaws. Other profound observations about our hearts that stuck with me include “The human heart, where compromise could not be struck, not ever” and “…if indeed any human can be said to own his heart.” These ideas are of great depth and worthy of contemplation.

Another intriguing aspect of the text is Sully’s father (Big Jim), who has been deceased for a long time before the book begins. He looms large over the story and Sully’s life. Mr. Russo does an excellent job of depicting the influence a bad parent can have on a life.

Overall, Mr. Russo has a remarkable ability to express some of the thoughts and observations that we all have about the world around us in an insightful and clarifying way. He may use a lot of words, but the results in NOBODY’S FOOL are truly satisfying.

As I've stated previously, reading a favorite book for the second or third time is like visiting an old friend, and this one is no exception.

The 'cast of characters' is丰富多样. There's Donald "Sully" Sullivan, a complex and engaging protagonist. Mrs. Beryl, with her own set of idiosyncrasies. Her son, known as 'the bank', who is rather unsavory. Then there's Rub, Peter, and Carl Roebuck, the antagonist, among others.

This being the third time I've delved into the town of North Bath, NY, I was once again humored, touched, and inspired by the dialog and plot. Moreover, I discovered a theme I'd missed the first time. Sully had a deeply dysfunctional relationship with his father, "Big Jim", to the point of hatred. When Big Jim passed away, Sully inherited the home he grew up in, along with years of back taxes. His marriage to Vera led to the birth of Peter, but despite his attempts to be a 'better father', the childhood psychological impact of Big Jim soon took over, causing both his marriage and paternal relationship to deteriorate.

I mention these details because the driving theme I'd overlooked is 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree', which could have been a perfect subtitle for "Nobody's Fool".

Sully's character exemplifies the dichotomy of the human experience. He can be harsh with those who taunt him, yet loving with those he respects. He openly acknowledges his shortcomings, which is a testament to great character development. Russo is truly a master at creating such vivid and relatable characters.

For those who haven't read this book or seen the award-winning Paul Newman film, I highly recommend doing both. I've seen the movie numerous times, and as I read Sully's dialog, I can hear Newman's voice echoing in my mind. Similarly, I can picture Bruce Willis as Carl and Melanie Griffith as the distraught Mrs. Roebuck.

This book is highly recommended for all those who love great storytelling, unique characters, and themes of humanity, compassion, and humor. It's a literary gem that will continue to resonate with readers for years to come.

A deep and engaging character study unfolds in Richard Russo's "Nobody's Fool." Set in a small town in upstate New York in the mid-1980s, it delves into the life of Donald "Sully" Sullivan, a sixty-year-old construction worker with a recently injured knee. Sully, who is on partial disability but eager to return to work, experiences a "stupid streak" where everything seems to go awry. His adult son and family arriving in town only add to the complexity of his life. Sully battles the demons from his past, particularly the abuse he endured at the hands of his now-deceased father.

  “Maybe Sully’s young philosophy professor at the college had been right. Maybe free will was just something you thought you had. Maybe Sully’s sitting there trying to figure out what he should do next was silly. Maybe there was no way out of this latest fix he’d gotten himself into. Maybe even the trump card he’d been saving, or imagined he was saving, wasn’t in his hand at all. … Still, Sully felt the theory to be wrong. It made everything slack. He’d never considered life to be as tight as some people…made it out to be, but it wasn’t that loose either.” - Richard Russo - Nobody's Fool

Themes such as the cycle of abuse, trust, change, free will, and responsibility are explored throughout the novel. Russo's keen eye for human behavior allows him to adeptly describe the foibles of his characters. His male characters are especially well-developed, while the female characters often serve as foils for the dysfunctional relationship issues. The book requires some patience as Russo slowly builds the setting, starting with the Adirondack area of New York, then zooming in on the small town of North Bath, and finally focusing on the building where Sully lives. Despite the rather thin plotline, which centers around a banker's deal for an amusement park and a lawyer's attempt to secure full disability for Sully, the novel is rich in character development and interpersonal relationships. It shows the cycle of physical and emotional abuse and its impact on the self-esteem of three generations of males. While Sully does show some character growth, I would have liked to see more. Overall, "Nobody's Fool" is recommended for those who enjoy slowly-developing character-driven stories that offer insights into interpersonal relationships, particularly between fathers and sons.

DNF (Did Not Finish) at 9.5 hours of listening, which is half-way through.

I really hoped that I would like this audio better than I actually did. There were indeed some aspects that I enjoyed. The writing in some parts was quite good, and the narration was really spot-on, which added to the overall experience.

However, there were also some things that I could have done without. There were some unnecessary details that seemed to prolong certain subjects and, as a result, increased my discomfort.

As I am typing this, I am specifically thinking about the part where the dog had a parasite. Some things are just extremely hard to un-imagine once they are in your mind!

It was precisely at this point that I finally decided to take a break. I needed to step away and clear my thoughts before potentially continuing or deciding to abandon the audio altogether.

I'm not sure if I will come back to it or not, but for now, I think this break is necessary for my own peace of mind.