A review by saxifrage_seldon
Straight Man by Richard Russo

4.0

I liked this book more than I thought I would, as well as for reasons I didn't consider when choosing it. The book is narrated by Hank Devereaux Jr., chair of the English department of a fictional university in Western Pennsylvania experiencing budget cuts. On the one hand, the book is a window into inter-departmental politics in higher education during crises. While this was amusing to read, I loved the book because of Russo’s development of Hank as a character. While Hank presents himself as flippant throughout the book, even going so far as threatening the life of a duck a day until the college releases the budget to a television crew while wearing Groucho Marx glasses and a mustache, this demeanor begins to unravel as the narrative unfolds and we see the complexities of Hanks life coming to bear further down on him. Hank is presented at one time as hilarious, detestable, and sympathetic. These perspectives continuously shift as Hank deals not only with issues regarding the university but the state of his marriage, his daughter’s marriage, his health problems, and the impending return of his father, who is a sort of celebrity academic, to name a few. This is my first Richard Russo book, and this book has made me a fan. I look forward to reading more of his work.