I like Rachel Cusk’s writing. I loved “Outline.” So I picked up “Parade” once it came out in paperback with some apprehension as the premise was a bit odd (no characters, just a mix of artists all named “G” that vary in age, artistic medium, and gender) and the reviews seemed mixed. I think this one needs another read through because I enjoyed parts of it (especially the second half) but feel like I missed a lot because I didn’t really know what was going on a lot of the time.
“Winesburg, Ohio” is what I’ve said is my favorite book and yet I’ve only read it once (and it’s probably been overtaken by Szabo’s “The Door”). I recently picked up a very nice Franklin Press edition of this book (not a novel, arguably) and decided to give it a second read.
I went a little too fast and didn’t quite give it the time that it takes. This is a collection of stories about characters from a small fictional town before the American industrial revolution and not nlong after the Civil War. But there’s also some level of narrative as it follows George Willard through his early adulthood and as he moves away from Winesburg (probably Clyde, Ohio).
But in any case, this is a great work as it captures both a certain loneliness and inescapably togetherness of small town life. While it’s often called outdated, the characters and experiences, on some level, still capture the essence of small, rural towns.
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