It is extremely difficult to summarize this book.

It is a good Russian work, but definitely not the best.

The story within the book may be complex and multifaceted, making it a challenge to condense its essence into a few words.

While it has its merits and can be an interesting read, there are likely other Russian books that surpass it in terms of literary quality, depth of theme, or character development.

Perhaps the author's writing style or the way the plot unfolds doesn't quite reach the highest echelons of excellence.

Nonetheless, it still holds some value and can offer readers a certain level of entertainment and intellectual stimulation.

Overall, it is a book that has its place in the literary landscape, but it falls short of being considered the ultimate masterpiece in Russian literature.

I have an intense love for all things related to Russo, and this novel is definitely no exception. It is an interesting and engaging read, a good longish book that managed to keep me thoroughly entertained and involved from start to finish.

The story delves into the life of a boy as he grows up. It explores his complex relationship with his early absentee father and the rather sad life of his agoraphobic mother. Just like most of Russo's novels, this one is set in a town in New York state that is on the verge of dying. We follow the struggles of this family, with an only child, set in the 1950s and 1960s.

The book is filled with Russo's superb literary skills, although it doesn't have as much of his usual wry humor as some of his other works. Nevertheless, Russo has an amazing ability to write small town stories extremely well, and this novel is a testament to that. ★

Russo's writing about small-town life in the U.S. northeast is truly outstanding. His Mohawk novels strike a perfect balance, being neither overly sentimental nor overly cynical. His characters are complex and human, rarely flawless but also not completely without hope. Even the most unlikable characters are presented with a sense of dignity.

This novel focuses on the lifelong relationship between Ned Hall and his father, Sam, who abandoned Ned and his mother shortly after Ned's birth but has maintained an intermittent connection with him ever since. There is no grand "plot" to drive the story forward. Instead, it explores a son's love for an unreliable father and the diverse group of people who make up the community where they live. Some characters you will admire, some you will pity, and some you will dislike. However, Russo's skillful writing allows you to get to know each of them on a deeper level, and with that understanding comes a greater appreciation for the human experience.

In the end, that is what makes Russo such a great novelist. He has the ability to bring his characters to life and make us care about them, even when they are far from perfect. His novels are a testament to the power of storytelling and the importance of understanding and empathy.

I've come to the conclusion that Richard Russo is akin to U2. All of his works seem to have a certain similarity in tone and style, but they are truly remarkable, and that's why I don't mind.

The common elements are all clearly present:

- Hilarious humor that can make you laugh out loud.

- An affectionate yet brutally honest portrayal of small-town people and their lives. (The perfect internal echo is Sam constantly cuffing his son on the head to demonstrate his love.)

- A palpable anger towards the socioeconomic forces and big business that gradually destroy the biosphere he holds dear.

- Characters that you feel you would recognize from a distance if you were to meet them on the street. (I despise the cliché "richly drawn characters," but it is appropriate when it comes to his work. He goes beyond that; they are richly three-dimensionalized characters. He makes them more real than some people I actually know.)

- You end up loving even the characters you initially hate (just as you sense RR does).

- And a deep puzzlement, distrust, and sometimes outright dislike of women. (It's curious that I like him so much anyway.)

This novel is the most sprawling and repetitive one I've read by him. It could have benefited from a much tighter editorial hand. Also, although effective, I grew quite tired of the repeated uses of words like "blackly" and "suspiciously" after the first hundred times. However, still, an average RR book is better than most other people's best works.

I just love the way he writes. It's truly remarkable how he can paint a vivid and colorful picture of both people and a place. As I was reading, I found myself wanting to write down something on just about every other page.

Some of the things I jotted down include:

- "Once I got the hang of the fact that only lies gave her any measure of peace, I never told her the truth about anything again.” This line really made me stop and think about the complex nature of the relationship between the characters.

- "it was like having about two dozen more or less negligent fathers whose slender attentions and vague goodwill nevertheless added up." What a unique and interesting way to describe a situation!

- "Protection was my strong suit. I needed something to be protected from." It shows the character's mindset and the need for security in their life.

- "Drew had an arm like a leg…" This is a humorous and unexpected description that really adds to the charm of the writing.

- "For Sam Hall there was no statute of limitations on other people’s idiocy." It's a witty and clever observation about human nature.

- "I nodded. Maybe it was true." A simple yet effective way to show the character's thought process.

- "She always congratulated herself on the fact that she had nothing to worry about, and wouldn’t have, as long as she continued to worry all the time." This is a paradoxical statement that makes you think about the nature of worry and how it can affect our lives.

- "This had the effect of subtly shifting the cop’s allegiances…" It creates a sense of mystery and anticipation about what might happen next.

- "My fingernails were clean and I looked good enough to court a girl at her father’s wake." A vivid and detailed description that helps you picture the character.

- "If it wasn’t for winters I’d be governor." A humorous and lighthearted comment that adds a bit of levity to the story.

- "I couldn’t tell whether he was finishing up Friday night or starting Saturday." It shows the confusion and uncertainty that can exist in our daily lives.

- "I didn’t say that last, but Eileen Littler looked like she heard me think it." This is a great example of how the author can convey a character's thoughts and feelings without actually stating them.

- "My mother had to move to California." A simple statement that could have a significant impact on the story and the characters involved.

Overall, I am thoroughly enjoying this book and can't wait to see what else the author has in store for us.

I really enjoyed this particular piece, just as I have thoroughly enjoyed pretty much everything that Russo has written.

Once again, we are presented with a complex main character who is not only flawed but is also unapologetically proud of those flaws. This character is also quite the wise guy, always ready with a snappy comeback or a sarcastic comment.

I have to admit that I have a great appreciation for Russo's character's unique perspective on life and his astute comments about various aspects of society, the world at large, friends, and relatives.

Underneath the engaging story about these interesting people lies some truly thought-provoking material. It gives the reader a wonderful opportunity to stop and think about the concept of luck. How does it play a role in our lives? Is it something we can control, or is it simply a matter of chance? These are the kinds of questions that Russo's work often prompts us to consider, making his stories not only entertaining but also intellectually stimulating.

Overall, I found this to be another excellent offering from Russo, and I look forward to reading more of his work in the future.

3.5 Stars

I have enjoyed this reading.... but I would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't read Russo's other books. All of his commonplaces appear: a father incapable of being a good father but who is a good person despite everything, the overly good mother, the father's friend who considers him his best friend, the bets... in short, I won't continue because I'm bored.

The book is okay, but if I had known that it was so similar to the others I have read (which, by the way, are chronologically later), surely I would have saved myself the trouble.

Overall, while this book has its merits, it suffers from a sense of déjà vu for those who are familiar with Russo's other works. The recurring themes and character types can make it feel a bit formulaic at times. However, if you are new to Russo's writing or don't mind reading about similar storylines, you may still find enjoyment in this book. It has its moments of charm and the writing is engaging enough to keep you turning the pages. But for those who have read his other books and are looking for something more unique and original, this one may not quite hit the mark.

I did a reread of this while recovering from surgery. It's quite evident that Russo is truly at his best when delving into father-son and male friendship relations. However, upon this second go-round, I was not only struck by the rather thin portrayal of the women in the book but also the presence of some unearned misogyny within its pages. Of course, first-person narrators are permitted their prejudices. But at a certain point, as a reader, you渴望 the novel's voice to offer you a reason to understand the viewpoint. Yet, one must also bear in mind that your critic was on painkillers throughout this entire second reading. So, perhaps he can't be entirely trusted.

Maybe the painkillers influenced my perception, making me more sensitive to the flaws in the portrayal of women. Or perhaps it was just that upon a closer examination, these issues became more glaring. Either way, it's a thought-provoking aspect of the book that I couldn't ignore. Despite Russo's strengths in other areas, the treatment of women in this novel leaves something to be desired.

It makes me wonder if this is a reflection of the author's own biases or if it was an oversight in the writing process. In any case, it's an important point to consider when evaluating the overall quality of the book. And as I continue to recover from surgery and reflect on this reread, I find myself grappling with these questions and looking forward to seeing how Russo might address them in future works.

Really love Richard Russo.

I have followed him for a while. After reading the anthology of short stories he edited and Empire Falls a few years ago, I decided to read The Risk Pool.

The story is all character-driven and reminds me of Steinbeck. It's not just about the Halls (the loony mother, the inebriated father, the "lost" son Ned, who is the narrator), but also about Mohawk, NY, which is crumbling over time as the tanneries, mills, and downtown shut down. After WW2, Sam marries Jenny, Ned is born, and Sam takes off. The novel follows the entire cast, through Ned's eyes, from birth to fatherhood at age 34. Birth coincides with Sam's death. The town is populated by various characters like Jack Ward, Dennis Littler, Wussy, different priests, skid row types, weeping/whoring women and men. Odd and even tragic things happen.

What I like about Russo is his readability, his skill with dialog, and his ability to capture small things and make them seem significant. Divided into four parts by season, the reader witnesses Ned's fencing match with both of his parents who are vying for his love and attention. Like his dad, he often runs away but returns later.

The risk pool - for those uninsurable due to bad driving records. Certainly, many characters in this novel end up in that pool.

I have read the book in the Dutch translation.

It is set in a small "rundown" town in America.

The story is told by the son. After his birth, his father leaves the family, and a few years later, the tug-of-war between the parents for the son's attention begins. It mainly takes place in bars and gambling halls populated by his father's drinking buddies.

It is told with a lot of humor and understanding of human nature, and you develop sympathy for all the "losers" in that society.

I have taken another book by the same author, "Empire Falls," from the library. This book has won the Pulitzer Prize.

It is likely to be an equally engaging and well-written work that will offer a deeper exploration of the human condition and the social fabric of a small town.

I look forward to delving into its pages and experiencing the story that the author has to tell.

Perhaps it will provide further insights into the lives and struggles of the characters, as well as the themes of love, loss, and redemption that are often explored in literature.

Overall, I am excited to read this book and see what it has in store for me.

All the other Russo books I've perused have been penned from the vantage point of an adult male.

Typically, they are strongly influenced by their mothers and are set in some depressed small town in Upstate New York.

In "The Risk Pool", Ned commences his narration as a boy, residing with his mother, while his erratic father Sam is more or less absent from the scene.

When he does make an appearance, it's an unappealing one, so Ned is aware that he should shun the guy at all expenses, despite his inherent curiosity about him.

Then his mother falls ill, and there is no alternative but to move in with his rule-breaking, gambling (yet astonishingly endearing) father.

This brings about significant alterations in Ned's personality - not necessarily a negative thing.

I frequently ponder where the autobiography concludes and the fiction commences in his books.

I'm certain that a great deal of him surfaces in each one.

I read that Russo wrote this while his actual father was on his deathbed.

If that's the case, this is a poignant tribute, replete with anecdotes of their father/son relationship.

It makes me think that I'm a little bit in love with Russo the man. I know for sure that I am in love with Russo the author.

No one writes blue collar despair like him.

He has an uncanny ability to capture the essence of the struggles and hardships that blue collar workers face on a daily basis. His words paint a vivid picture of their lives, filled with long hours, low pay, and little hope for a better future.

Through his writing, he gives a voice to those who are often overlooked and forgotten in society. He shows us the humanity and dignity that exists within the blue collar community, despite their difficult circumstances.

His work is a powerful reminder that there are real people behind the statistics and that their stories deserve to be heard. It is a call to action for us to look beyond the surface and see the true nature of the blue collar experience.

Whether it is through his novels, short stories, or essays, he continues to shine a light on the blue collar world and the despair that lies within it. His writing is a testament to his compassion and understanding, and it has touched the hearts of many readers around the world.