I feel a certain connection to Richard Russo. In addition to enjoying a number of his books, I have had the opportunity to hear him speak in person at his alma mater, the University of Arizona. He was educated in Tucson, a city that I visit annually for the Tucson Festival of Books. I was part of a large audience when Russo was the guest discussing his writing life, including EMPIRE FALLS, the novel for which he received the Pulitzer Prize.

While preparing this review, I learned that Russo was teaching at Southern Illinois University in nearby Carbondale, Illinois, not far from my home, when his first novel, MOHAWK, was published. His books often depict life in small-town America, similar to the New York communities where he grew up. Several of his works have been adapted for television and film.

"Richard Russo is a remarkable American writer, and his sharp and poignant reflections on his craft, culture and country make for an enjoyable and memorable collection."

The 12 essays contained in LIFE AND ART are an interesting mix of observations by Russo on his career and the present-day condition of the American psyche. There are many enlightening stops along the way that discuss writing and the influences that his family life had upon his professional accomplishments.

The opening essay, “Stiff Neck,” recalls an experience common for many of us during COVID: a phone call from an acquaintance or relative --- a strong believer that the virus was overblown and thus was proudly unvaccinated --- announcing that their luck had run out and they had been infected with the virus. As Russo responds to the plight of a family member now placed on a ventilator, he observes, “The events of the last two years --- political, cultural, epidemiological --- have seriously eroded my ability to sympathize with people who should damn well know better.” But there is some sympathy and understanding sprinkled into his response: “Fools. Maybe in the end that’s the only tribe we all belong to.”

Several essays include biographical material about Russo’s parents. Their lives seem to come straight from one of his novels. His mother suffered from anxiety, and his father, a veteran of World War II, was an alcoholic and a gambling addict. Many of the characters found on the pages of Russo’s writing suffer from similar problems. He acknowledges that his difficult childhood and the community where he matured were his greatest strength. They provided him with a significant glimpse of America. Any aspiring author needs to understand that “[n]o matter how gifted you are, or how hardworking, you are never going to be good until you know who and what you love, because until then you won’t know who you are.”

Along the way, readers will discover that STRAIGHT MAN is a fictionalized account of Russo’s career in education. The 1997 novel became the television series “Lucky Hank,” starring Bob Odenkirk as an English department chairman at a fictional Pennsylvania college. Russo taught at a branch of Penn State University in Altoona. As an executive producer of the show, he often found himself at odds with how the book was adapted for the small screen. But he recognized that the only solution was to get over it.

Richard Russo is a remarkable American writer, and his sharp and poignant reflections on his craft, culture and country make for an enjoyable and memorable collection.