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Book Review of Townie: A Memoir

Townie: A Memoir
Townie: A Memoir
Author: Andre Dubus III
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Book Type: Hardcover
reviewed on + 89 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


ARC 391 ppgs.
There is a quote on the front cover of my copy that says a lot. It's by Richard Russo and says, "I've never read a better or more serious meditation on violence, its sources,consequences,and, especially, its terrifying pleasures.". This tells the reader so much about this book. It is so filled with violence and anger that it was hard to read in places. So, you ask, why bother?

Well, I love Dubus's work. I've read THE HOUSE OF SAND AND FOG and THE GARDEN OF LAST DAYS. Waiting on my shelf is BLUESMAN and I can't wait to dig in. This book also encouraged me to try and get some of his father's work to read. I believe that he did mainly short stories and essays.

This is not a book for the fainthearted. It is indeed violent. For me, it gave me great insight into the rage that you find in his novels. The other plus is that it is a study of how he comes to learn that violence is not the answer to everything. I was hoping that it would go that far.

Loved it!