Had the opportunity to see my literary hero, Richard Russo, speak at the Writers Institute. In the afternoon he was on the uptown SUNY campus, doing a question and answer period, and talking about his new book (and signing). In the evening, he was at Page Hall with another author, Lorrie Moore, who I hadn't know before and she was reading from her new book as well. Then they had a joint q & a.
Richard Russo has won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for his book Empire Falls, but my favorite book of his is Bridge Of Sighs.
I loved this book; I mean I loved everything about this book. Some criticisms of it include that it is far too wordy, but in my view, the picture is painted in such rich detail with all those words. I feel that Russo gives us so much of the reality of life...it isn't all car crashes and wild excitement, but an exploration of the characters and feelings and interaction that make a family, a relationship, a town real.
I had such an epiphany as I read this book...The characters Sarah and Lucy each come to their own realization of Bobby's place in their lives, seeing how much (mental, emotional) energy has always been spent on him, despite not having seen or talked to him in 40 years. When finally Lucy realizes 'How many times, after all, does the same person get to break your heart?'- To me that was such a huge 'lightning bolt' moment.
Some details I admit I missed on the first read, but as I read it again, questions filled in, and I just appreciated the scenes - such as the description, the importance of the picture of Sarah's mother with the cigarette ash....the 'surfing' in the milk truck, finding out that the teenaged Lucy had actually seen Sarah's picture of Bobby through the train window -
Choosing to be happy is not the same as being too gullible to know the truth.
When Richard Russo was speaking about his new book 'That Old Cape Magic' he did say that Bridge of Sighs was so dark and emotionally draining, that he wondered if he had any stories left to tell. Luckily, he found another.
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