Richard Russo's new collection of essays touches on topics ranging from the pandemic to his childhood in upstate New York. He reflects on how his life experience shaped some of his novels and shares some insight related to film adaptations of his work, too. My favorite pieces here address his later-in-life understanding of his parents and grandparents and their shortcomings and ambitions. Russo also treats the reader to a couple of pieces of literary analysis, including an interesting essay in which he zooms in on Townes Van Zandt's song "Poncho and Lefty." If you haven't read much of Russo's work, this collection may not resonate with you. But for longtime fans, this slim volume has lots to offer.

Richard Russo is one of those rare writers who amazingly still produces incredible books into his 70s. The first half of the book ("Life") spends a lot of time reflecting on his parents' influence on him. The two had differing ideas about the American Dream--his Dad pessimistic, his Mom optimistic. Russo comes to the realization that each probably died thinking Richard had adapted the other one's belief, but, of course, in reality Richard arrived at a composite of the two philosophies. Lots of interesting writing about how his Mom desperately wanted him to get away from the dying town he grew up in, but even though he left, Richard spent most of his career writing about that very town.

The second half is comprised of reflections on Art. He has an intriguing chapter about the writing of "Pancho and Lefty" that gives me a completely new view of a song I've heard dozens of times. Another highlight is a chapter illustrating his unique thoughts about "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."

Like almost anything Russo writes, I highly recommend this wonderful book.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I have read everything Richard Russa has written ever since I was one of his creative writing students at Colby College. (not from a wealthy family as he implies we all were). This essay certainly exhibits Russo's skill as a writer and will probably appeal to those of us who have read much of what he is written, but I do not think it will have a much wider reach. While Russo's insight into recent history is interesting and aligns well with my own, his twists and turns through his own life and through literature make for a disjointed narrative.