Richard Russo's 1993 novel Nobody's Fool turned out to be the first book in what would become known as Russo's "North Bath Trilogy," although the second and third books in the trilogy would not be published until 2016 and 2023, respectively. This, though, is the novel that introduced Donald "Sully" Sullivan and his messed up family to the world. Sully is one of those characters that are more lovable than not despite themselves, so I'm grateful that Russo eventually decided to write something close to 2,000 pages all told, exploring who Sully is and how he got that way.
Even when first introduced to readers, Sully is already an old man, especially physically. He's been a blue collar worker his entire life, and now even with a knee so damaged that most men would beg for the knee surgery Sully refuses to have, he is still surviving on whatever manual labor he can find on any given day. Despite having been divorced for decades, Sully is a woman's man and has never lacked for female company. He is also a drinker, and he has never lacked for drink or drinking partners.
As you probably have figured out already, Sully is also a man likely to have as many enemies as he has friends. One of Sully's eccentricities is that his acquaintances switch roles so often that he has a hard time keeping friends and enemies straight in his mind - often to his own detriment. In the North Bath trilogy, Russo has created an entirely believable little upstate New York town, and he's populated it with a cast of fully developed characters who probably deserve novels of their own. It's a world that most readers will probably be happy they don't have to live in, but it's definitely a fun place to visit.
This year's Somebody's Fool made me want to go back and read the two earlier novels in the series, and I'm now looking forward to re-reading Everybody's Fool. If you enjoy long novels that you can fully immerse yourself in for a few days, I highly recommend the North Bath trilogy by Richard Russo.
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| Richard Russo jacket photo |
I'm so glad Nobody's Fool has stood the test of time! That makes me think chances are pretty good for Everybody's Fool, too. Right now I'm at the top of the hold list for Somebody's Fool... may have to delay it until I finish The Covenant of Water (which I'm really enjoying, but reading very slowly)
ReplyDeleteLong books can be both a blessing and a curse. If they are working for you, you want them to go on forever; if not, and you've already invested a lot of reading time in them, you tend to start thinking ahead...and that slows you down. Luckily for me, this Russo trilogy really fits my tastes. I'm kind of surprised that the publisher hasn't reprinted the first two in "matching" covers because I think they would sell well.
DeleteSam - I wouldn't be surprised if they do that with the paperback release of Somebody's Fool... it would make sense. I'd want the set on my shelf!
DeleteThey would look good together.
DeleteIt's nice when a book you read and loved that long ago holds up so well over time! I haven't read any of these books. Russo sounds like a very good writer, but I just can't do really long books right now. Maybe if life ever calms down...or if I catch up on my sleep...I'll give one a try.
ReplyDeleteDo try it one day when you feel a little less pressed to read other newer things. I think you'll like it. There's so much going on in the books, so many great characters and plot lines, etc. that it's like a whole world has been created by Russo.
DeleteHi Sam, I would like to read this book because Sully sounds like a survivor, a blue collar worker he probably didn't earn as much as he should have been paid and it's a story repeated in small and not so small towns across the country. Sully should be getting knee surgery but can he afford it? The drinking though is something he should have taken care of and stopped.
ReplyDeleteSully is an old man who never makes the right decision when it comes to money. He is a day-worker kind of guy and he never seems to have more than a couple of hundred dollars in the bank. When he does collect a small windfall now and then, he has to pay off old debts and ends up broke again. Really, he's his own worst enemy, but everyone in his orbit loves him...unless they hate him. Nothing in between.
DeleteThis is a great review, telling me enough to know I want to read it but not too much. Luckily, today when I went to the book sale (the first day of the sale), I found a copy of Nobody's Fool, serendipitously. I was looking for something else, by an author named Smith, and this book was nearby. So I plan to read it soon, at least before the end of the year.
ReplyDeleteI'll look forward to hearing what you think of this one, and whether or not it makes you want to read all three books.
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