Russo Redux

Once disappointed, I tread lightly. That was my thought when I saw that Richard Russo had published a new novel, “That Old Cape Magic.” I’d read and enjoyed “Straight Man,” “Risk Pool” (my favorite Russo book) and “Empire Falls.” When “Bridge of Sighs” came out I was eager to read that, too,

My friends and I have often discussed the reasons why critics heap praise on a novelist’s latest, even if it doesn’t measure up to his or her previous works. That’s what I think happened with “Bridge of Sighs.” Tedious, too long, and lousy editing made it a chore to finish. Now along comes “That Old Cape Magic” which flew to number two on this week’s New York Times Bestseller List in the first week of publication. Critics praise it, of course. After all, “Empire Falls” won the Pulitzer Prize a few years ago.

But Janet Maslin’s review in the August 9th edition of the New York Times confirmed my hesitancy. So I will pass it up. Here’s an excerpt from her review. To read it in its entirety, go to www.nytimes.com/2009/08/10/books/10maslin.html.

It’s Summer at the Cape, but This Is No Vacation
“That Old Cape Magic” is the only Richard Russo novel that has its own theme song. It’s also the only Russo book that needs one. And Mr. Russo supplies enough props, picture postcards and pratfalls to underscore the fragility of his latest venture. Its main character, the autobiographical-sounding Jack Griffin, feels adrift after having lived in the worlds of both moviemaking and academia and is no longer sure where his heart or his talents lie. This entertaining but facile book suggests that Mr. Russo is himself contemplating those same questions.