"The Risk Pool" is much like a vivid memoir chronicling the childhood of the narrator, Ned Hall. It's presented in three distinct parts, covering his childhood from ages 8 to 14, then 10 years after he leaves Mohawk, NY, and finally another 10 years after that when he returns. Besides Ned, the story features a cast of characters including Sam, his father, his mother, and a diverse assortment of locals and influential figures.

Russo is truly a master when it comes to character development. His deadpan sense of humor is both endearing and perceptive. He has an uncanny ability to capture both the absurd and the profound aspects of his subjects. Growing up in a small Massachusetts town during the same time period, just under 200 miles away from Mohawk, NY, I found it easy to relate to the narrative. I had many relatives, family friends, and town folk who were similar, if not identical, to the various characters Russo presents. The constant sarcasm, joking, and ribbing that occur between us are exactly what Russo excels at. He's a master of the witty quip, double meanings, word play, the clever joke, and the veiled insult.

Four years ago, I read his similar work, "Everybody's Fool," and thoroughly enjoyed it at the time. However, now all I have is a general memory of it, and I struggle to remember details or even the names of the characters without looking them up. This is undoubtedly a weakness on my part, but it also reflects the reality that Russo's characters come and go, life continues, and the passage of time blurs the past. What does endure, though, are the feelings that people evoke within us. I couldn't recall Sully's name from "Everybody's Fool" without some assistance, but I do clearly remember liking him and feeling good about his attitude and how he made me feel at that moment. I suspect that in time, I'll have much the same feelings about Ned and Sam.

The themes explored in this novel, such as alcoholism, the decline of small town middle America in the post-WWII decades of the 1900s, the breakdown of marriages and families, and the inevitable march of change in our lives, are all magnificently presented and delved into. These themes are very real and have had a significant impact on all of us. A novel like this serves as a time capsule, a not-so-gentle reminder of how things used to be. But it's also a very real reminder because it challenges you to avoid taking a complacent, nostalgic sigh and believing that everything was wonderful back then. The truth is, times were tough, people had to be even tougher, and the world could be harsh, cruel, and uncaring. However, there was also love and a great deal of caring, even from damaged people who helped you along the way.

I'm coming to realize that if you enjoy one book by Richard Russo, you'll likely enjoy any of his books. I've now read four of his works, and they are all quite similar in style and tone - all were excellent and enjoyable reads. If you haven't laughed out loud while reading a book recently, then I highly recommend giving a Russo novel a try!

My kind of story is the one that focuses on ordinary people just getting by.

It might seem that such stories are too much like real life, lacking in the excitement and drama that some might expect.

However, it is precisely this resemblance to reality that makes them so endearing to me.

In these tales, we can see the struggles, the joys, the small victories, and the inevitable setbacks that are a part of everyone's life.

They remind us that we are not alone in our experiences and that even the most ordinary of lives can be filled with meaning and beauty.

These stories have the power to touch our hearts, to make us laugh and cry, and to give us a new perspective on the world around us.

That's why I love them so much.

Russo never disappoints.

This is an incredibly wonderful story that serves as a powerful reminder of the deep connection between children and parents and the profound impact they have on each other's lives.

Russo delves particularly deeply into the relationships between fathers and sons, as well as the extent to which a child is seemingly destined to resemble his or her same-gender parent.

The characters in the story are extremely well developed, each with their own unique personalities and traits that make them come alive on the page.

The story itself is highly engaging, drawing the reader in from the very beginning and keeping them hooked until the very end.

Moreover, there is an abundance of profound symbolism throughout the story, adding an extra layer of depth and meaning.

Overall, this is a truly great read that is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who picks it up.

This book leaves me with a mixed feeling.

It is extremely well-written, yet it actually deals with a rather sad subject. Ned is the son of Sam and Jenny. When Sam returns from World War II, he abandons his wife and young son and leads a life full of gambling and alcohol. Ned is raised by his somewhat nervous mother. Jenny tries to make everyone happy, but only in her own way.

When Ned is picked up from school by his father at a certain point, he goes on a fishing trip with his father's friend Watje. Two days later, he is brought back home. Over time, Ned even lives with his father for 2 years. And then the differences between both parents become clear. Jenny is an overprotective and smothering mother, while Sam is a father who doesn't take fatherhood very seriously and often leaves his son to fend for himself for days.

This book also provides a disturbing insight into the life of Americans in the countryside. The men spend their days and nights in various cafes and snack bars, the women accept their fate and raise hordes of children. We follow Ned until he himself becomes a father of a son at the age of thirty-four.

This is the novel that Goldfinch wishes it could be.

Richard Rosso has an extraordinary ability to turn a phrase like no one else. The section where Ned lives with his father is truly perfection. It is funny, clever, witty, and heartfelt. It continuously showcases both style and substance. This kind of writing is a genuine talent that is extremely rare to find. It is so enjoyable that I deliberately tried to read through that section slowly to make it last longer. I would have definitely given this book five stars (and I am not one to inflate grades!). However, the other sections are not quite as excellent (although they are still very good) and are a bit slow-paced. I guess it's really hard to maintain perfection throughout an entire novel. Still, I absolutely loved it.

I found myself completely immersed in the story and the characters. Richard Rosso's writing has a unique charm that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Even though there are some slight flaws in the other sections, the overall quality of the book is outstanding. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone who appreciates great literature and a captivating story.

I truly love this book. In fact, this is either the third or fourth time that I've delved into its pages, and with each reading, my enjoyment grows exponentially. The cast of characters within its narrative is simply amazing. They are all flawed in their own unique ways, yet they are incredibly likable. The author has richly portrayed each and every one of them, breathing life into their personalities and making them feel real and relatable. The prose is beautifully present, enhancing the story without being overly intrusive or distracting. It flows smoothly, guiding the reader through the plot with ease. Without a doubt, this book is firmly within my top 5 favorite books of all time. I can't recommend it highly enough.

It is quite reasonable to assert that Russo has a tendency to pen the same kind of book repeatedly. However, the remarkable thing is that he does it with such extraordinary skill that it becomes difficult to be overly concerned about this repetition. This particular work is truly one of his absolute best. In it, the narrator reflects upon numerous episodes throughout a lifetime spent with his semi-estranged and rather shiftless father. While it might not possess the same extensive scope that he would later attain with "Empire Falls" and the Fool series, it is nevertheless filled with all the trademark qualities of humanity and poignancy that are characteristic of Russo's writing. Without a doubt, this is my personal favorite among Russo's works.

This was an extremely good read.

I had previously read his "Empire Falls," and it had just left me feeling depressed.

That story was centered around losers in a rather depressing place.

This book, on the other hand, is set in a town that is at least as sad and dilapidated as Empire Falls.

However, the people in this town have a better outlook, which makes the book a real pleasure to read.

It's still not the kind of story that is overly uplifting, but it has good writing and a good plot that doesn't make you feel like you want to jump off a bridge.

The author has managed to create a world that is both believable and engaging, despite its rather gloomy setting.

The characters are well-developed and their struggles and triumphs are easy to relate to.

Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good story, even if it's not the happiest one.

I was always deeply puzzled about the title of this book. What on earth could it be about? It actually refers to his father's assignment to the auto insurance risk pool. However, it is truly a much larger and more profound metaphor for all those characters in the book who are living on the very edge of existence. They are barely getting by, and their luck has deserted them in these upstate NY towns that have been abandoned due to the closing of plants.

The characters in this book are simply wonderful. Each chapter is like a separate and captivating short story, drawing the reader in and making them care about the fates of these individuals. This book, just like all of his other books, is filled to the brim with human stories, events that touch the heart, and a wealth of emotions.

I am so glad that I finally managed to get around to reading these early books of his. It has been a truly enlightening and moving experience, allowing me to gain a deeper understanding of the human condition and the power of storytelling.

Fourth of July, Mohawk Fair, Eat the Bird, and Winter. These were the markers of my mother's life, as observed by my cynical grandfather. I didn't fully understand the depth of his observation until I was an adult. Summer was reduced to a single day, autumn to a third-rate fair, Thanksgiving to an obligatory act of eating, and the rest was Winter, capitalized.

Richard Russo is a writer who tells similar stories with slight variations. His fictional Mohawk and its people are not so different from those in his other works, but the story of Ned Hall and his relationship with his father Sam feels fresh and important. Russo is good at what he does because he writes from the heart about familiar blue-collar communities.

In Mohawk, most people lived on the edge of various hardships. Sam Hall, Ned's father, came back from World War II with a thirst for life that led him to a wild lifestyle of drinking, gambling, and fighting. Ned was raised by his single mother, but the specter of his father always loomed over them. When his mother had a nervous breakdown, Ned was forced to live with Sam, which opened up a new and dangerous way of life for him.

Despite the difficulties, Ned found hope in his passion for books. He read voraciously and developed an inquisitive mind and keen observation skills. However, the sins of his father caught up to him before he turned 14, and he had to escape back to his mother's care. Ten years later, Ned was still struggling with his past and almost sabotaged his post-graduate studies with drinking and gambling. He knew he had to come back to Mohawk and face his demons.
In the end, Ned realized that he had to run away from Mohawk and the people he loved if he wanted his life to have a purpose. Literature offered him an open door to a larger world and new horizons. Richard Russo's decision to become a wordsmith has given us a vivid and authentic portrayal of life in a small town, and for that, I am grateful.

Fourth of July, Mohawk Fair, Eat the Bird, and Winter.
I was an adult before I truly grasped the cynicism in my grandfather's observation. His summer was but a single day; autumn, a third-rate jumble of carnival rides, stinky animals, mud, and manure; Thanksgiving, an obligatory carnivorous act he called a "foul consumption"; and the rest, Winter, capitalized. These became the seasons of my mother's life...

Richard Russo is the kind of writer who essentially tells the same story repeatedly, with minor differences in plot and character arcs. But he always returns to the same setting of a small town in a rundown area and the relationships between family, friends, and luck (or the lack thereof). The fictional Mohawk and its inhabitants are not too dissimilar from those in "Empire Falls" or "Nobody's Fool," yet the story of Ned Hall and his thirty-year quest to understand his relationship with his father Sam feels fresh, meaningful, and important on its own. Russo is so skilled at what he does, and he speaks from the heart about fictional people who are so familiar to those of us who grew up in similar blue-collar communities, struggling to make ends meet from one paycheck to the next, wondering if it's really worth fighting Winter all year long for a few days of unlikely sunshine and fun.

Most everyone in Mohawk lived perilously close to the edge – of unemployment, lunacy, bankruptcy, potentially dangerous ignorance, and despair. So the local custom was to only worry about those nearest the brink.
Otherwise, you'd worry yourself over the edge in no time, with so many candidates for concern all around.

Some people are better equipped to handle hardship. They have thicker skins, more recklessness, or less imagination than introverts who keep everything bottled up inside. Sam Hall returned from World War II with a huge thirst to make up for his lost years. Instead of seeking a steady job, he raised hell in Mohawk with his drinking, gambling, and fighting. Not even the birth of his son Ned could bring Sam back to the straight and narrow path of respectable living. And there wasn't much chance of a good job in this town in the post-war years anyway.

The tanneries, the town's lifeblood, which had been in temporary decline before the war, began to shut down after its end, victims of foreign competition and local greed.

Ned was raised by his single mother, a telephone operator, in his grandfather's house. But the shadow of his violent father always hung over their door, culminating in an actual kidnapping of the young boy for a weekend of fishing in the wild. Ned was both fascinated and terrified by this absent father figure. But when his mother had a nervous breakdown after losing her job, Ned was forced to go live with Sam, and this opened up a whole new way of life for him.

She had waged her solitary war with the outside world for too long.

The school of hard knocks was toughening Ned up, preparing him for the troubled years ahead. His father was mostly absent, doing temporary road construction work in the summer and continuing his wild evenings of drinking, gambling, and fighting in the ginmills around Mohawk, where he had the reputation of a hellraiser and the king of the underworld. Left to his own devices, Ned started doing odd jobs for pocket money, stealing, lying, and conning his way among his father's friends and drinking buddies, where everyone called him "Sam's Kid."

For sheer complexity, there's nothing like a horse race, except perhaps life itself. And keeping the myriad factors in balanced consideration is excellent mental training, as long as the student understands that even if he does this perfectly, there's no guarantee of success. The scientific handicapper will never beat the horses, but he will learn to be alert to subtleties that escape the less trained eye. Weighing and evaluating a vast grid of information, much of it meaningless, and arriving at sensible, if incorrect, conclusions is a skill not to be轻视.

Handicapping horses for the daily races, retrieving lost balls at the golf course, and hanging out in the ginmills may have their allure, but Ned also had the figure of his mother to make him worry about the future. He needed to find a way out of the vicious cycle of poverty and misfortune that Mohawk symbolized. The money he saved in the bank was his hope for some form of insurance for this future, and the white mansion on the hill above the town made him dream of another lifestyle, especially after he met beautiful Tria Ward, the daughter of the mansion's rich owner. This dream would also turn sour in later years, proving that nobody in Mohawk is immune to misfortune.

Living under Sam Hall's roof, I had become a thief and a liar. I'd made dangerous friends and knew far too much of the world for my own good.

There was a glimmer of hope for Ned in his love of books, which developed naturally and without supervision through his visits to the local library. His inquisitive mind and keen observation skills helped keep the young boy on an even keel in the stormy boat that his father's life represented.

I continued to read voraciously, almost everything except what had been assigned. Years later, I was told that I sparked many an argument among my teachers, some of whom claimed I was a brilliant underachiever, others that I was just another homegrown militant moron.

In another place, Ned describes the Mohawk Free Library like this:

... the joy of dissecting the opaque sentence until it yielded something resembling meaning (this is what the bastard meant!), making flexible (sometimes too loose, I'm afraid) what had been welded stiff in a grimace of contorted syntax, giving energy and momentum to sentences stalled and flooded, like a carburetor, by leaden words. I was having a great time, and I don't regret for a moment the many hours I spent poring over 'The History of Mohawk County'.

The sins of his father caught up with Ned before his 14th birthday, in an evening of bloody confrontations and bitter recriminations. Ned escaped back to his mother's care, released from internment in a mental institution with the help of a local lawyer. The story picks up ten years later, with Ned almost subconsciously sabotaging his post-graduate studies at the University of Nevada with compulsive drinking and gambling. The young man knew he had to return to Mohawk and exorcise the demons of his past.

... I was researching the concept of social hierarchy among primitive societies for my post-thesis in cultural anthropology. For this reason, I had arranged to become a bartender in a backwater upstate New York town, where I would take notes and interview the locals in the local gin mills without their knowledge.

To protect the fragile balance of his mother's mind, Ned fabricated a tall tale that would hide his bankrupt finances and his absence from the university. Yet this tall tale was a very good summary of the core of the novel – a study of the people living in a small town, conducted by an insider who grew up among them. Richard Russo didn't create Mohawk out of thin air; it was based on his own memories of growing up in Gloversville, New York. I believe this is what makes his characters so convincing, so memorable, and so authentic. Each of these "minor" characters deserves their own novel, their own review, which might explain why the author returns so often to the same setting.

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"Things get bad sometimes," my father said, as if it needed to be said. "It's nothing to worry about. It doesn't mean a thing."
I said sure, I understood.
"If it meant something, it'd be different," he said. "But it's just the way things are."

This stoic acceptance of the prevalence of Winter is a hard lesson to learn, especially for a young boy growing up. Even the older Ned has to struggle to accept his father's wild abandon to the roulette wheel of luck, yet he feels irresistibly drawn to Sam's vivacity, his refusal to accept defeat, to hide from life.

My father had written the book on walking away from things long before I came along. Perhaps luck was his gift to me. If so, I was grateful. After all, I could just as easily have taken after my mother, who had never walked away from anything, who paid and paid, with compound interest, the principal always outstanding.

Mohawk, however, is an unlucky town. Every new year brings another couple of bankruptcies, another empty lot on Main Street, another story of someone losing their footing and going under. Winter lasts a couple of days longer here.
The risk pool is a term used by insurance companies to describe people who pay exorbitant premiums due to their past misfortunes or pre-existing conditions. Sam's father is one of them, his reckless driving being the official reason for his high premiums. Metaphorically, his whole lifestyle is under scrutiny by his handicapping-savvy son, who often sees his own future reflected in the smoky bar mirrors as he embarks on another all-night drinking binge in the company of his father.

If one were to insist on drawing a moral from [the stained glass window and the dead paperboy], it might be that life is quirky at best and that being careful isn't much of a guarantee.

Once again, Ned Hall concludes that he must flee from Mohawk and the people he loves if he wants his life to have a purpose, a direction forward. Once again, it is literature that offers an open door to a larger world, a view of new horizons. Once again, the line between fiction and memoir is blurred by Richard Russo, but I, for one, am grateful for his decision to become such a talented wordsmith:

... the joy of dissecting the opaque sentence until it yielded something resembling meaning (this is what the bastard meant!), making flexible (sometimes too loose, I'm afraid) what had been welded stiff in a grimace of contorted syntax, giving energy and momentum to sentences stalled and flooded, like a carburetor, by leaden words. I was having a great time, and I don't regret for a moment the many hours I spent poring over 'The History of Mohawk County'.

Me neither!

Richard Russo is truly great.

I have now read three of his novels and have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one of them. The characters he creates seem to leap right off the page, and I find myself getting completely lost in the narrative with such ease.

This particular book is a captivating coming-of-age and beyond story. It follows a boy/young man who lives in an upstate New York town. His parents are separated, and while they may be neglectful at times, they still show their love in their own unique ways. What is most interesting is observing how their relationships with their son ultimately shape the person he becomes.

The focus of the story is clearly on the father-son relationship, and the father in this tale truly defines the word "character" when used as a descriptor for an individual.

Relating the plot is not the main point here, although it definitely pulled me along. Rather, the greatest pleasure lies in spending time with these people, learning to know them and to love them, despite some of their despicable, yet oh so human, characteristics.

Richard Russo has a remarkable talent for creating complex and engaging characters and stories that stay with you long after you've finished reading.

This is a really good book, just like all the books that I have read by Richard Russo so far.

I love all of Russo's characters who are always very real, very human, full of doubts and flaws.

I love the atmosphere of his books and the way he shows life as it is.

However, I only thought that this book was a bit too similar to "Somewhere Else", which made me sometimes feel that I had read it all before, and it sometimes became a bit long-winded.

Despite this small drawback, I still highly recommend this book to anyone who loves good literature.

Russo's writing is engaging and his stories are always thought-provoking.

This book is no exception and is sure to keep you entertained from beginning to end.