Amazon.com: Straight Man: A Novel (9780375701900): Richard Russo: Books
amazon.com
Hello. Sign in to get personalized recommendations. New customer? Start here.
Kindle Fire: Now Shipping, Only $199
Your Amazon.com | Today's Deals | Gifts & Wish Lists | Gift Cards
Your Digital Items | Your Account | Help
Shop All Departments
Search
All DepartmentsAmazon Instant VideoAppliancesApps for AndroidArts, Crafts & SewingAutomotiveBabyBeautyBooksCell Phones & AccessoriesClothing & AccessoriesComputersElectronicsGift CardsGrocery & Gourmet FoodHealth & Personal CareHome & KitchenIndustrial & ScientificJewelryKindle StoreMagazine SubscriptionsMovies & TVMP3 DownloadsMusicMusical InstrumentsOffice ProductsPatio, Lawn & GardenPet SuppliesShoesSoftwareSports & OutdoorsTools & Home ImprovementToys & GamesVideo GamesWatches
Cart
Cart
Wish List
Books
Advanced Search
Browse Subjects
New Releases
Best Sellers
The New York Times? Best Sellers
Libros en espa?ol
Bargain Books
Textbooks
Straight Man: A Novel and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
Quantity: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Buy New
or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Buy Used
Used - Very Good See details
Seller: Charity Book Sellers
Condition: Used - Very Good
Comment: 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! Free if not as described. Free Good Karma with Puchase and Positive Feedback. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed, Free if not as described. IF NOT SATISFIED, EASY REFUND POLICY.. BOOK RETURN NOT ALWAYS NECESSARRY, CONTACT US FIRST. All books ship within 24 hours Monday - Friday. Fast shipping direct from Amazon Warehouse. May have slight wear around edges and covers. Otherwise the item is in very good condition. FBA LABEL APPLIED IS EASILY REMOVABLE
$3.95 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Fulfilled by Amazon
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service we offer sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's own warehouses, and we directly pack, ship, and provide customer service for these items. Something we hope you'll especially enjoy: FBA items qualify for FREE Super Saver Shipping and .
If you're a seller, you can increase your sales significantly by using Fulfillment by Amazon. We invite you to learn more about Fulfillment by Amazon.
or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
Straight Man: A Novel', modal: true, closeEventExclude: ["CLICK_TRIGGER", "CLICK_OUTSIDE", "MOUSE_ENTER", "MOUSE_LEAVE"], onShow: function() { KindleReader.LoadSample({ asin: 'B005WBGNZS', width: '100%', height: '100%', containerID: 'kindleReaderContainer' , asinPrice: '$11.99' }); jQuery('.ap_content').css('paddingTop', '8'); jQuery('.ap_footer').hide(); if (!isTouchDevice) { jQuery(window).resize(handleResizeAndScroll); jQuery(window).scroll(handleResizeAndScroll); } }, onHide: function() { jQuery("body").css("overflow", "auto"); jQuery("#kindleReaderContainer").empty(); if (!isTouchDevice) { jQuery(window).unbind('resize', handleResizeAndScroll); jQuery(window).unbind('scroll', handleResizeAndScroll); } }, width: null, location: getPosition, paddingLeft: 0, paddingRight: 0, paddingBottom: 0 }); if (jQuery('#kindleReaderIFrame').css('visibility') == 'hidden') { jQuery('#kindleReaderIFrame').css('visibility', 'visible'); } if (isTouchDevice) { var w = jQuery("#kindleReaderContainer").width(); jQuery('.ap_popover_sprited').width(w + 36); jQuery('.ap_titlebar').width(w); jQuery('.ap_title').width(w - 34); } }; amznJQ.onReady('popover', function() { jQuery("#KcpmKindleReaderSampleButton").click(loadKindleReader); }); }); // end .available() }); // end .onCompletion if (window.location.href.match(/showKP=true/)) { jQuery(document).ready(loadKindleReader); }
Kindle Edition
Read the Kindle edition on Kindle, iPhone, iPad, Android, BlackBerry, PC and Mac.
More Buying Choices
503 used & new from $0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Share
"); hzSpinnerOn = 1; } }); } function removeHZSpinner() { amznJQ.available("jQuery", function(){ if(hzSpinnerOn) { jQuery("#hoverZoomSpinner").remove(); } }); } function showIVSpinner() { if(ivSpinnerOn) { return; } amznJQ.available("jQuery", function(){ removeHZSpinner(); if(!jQuery.browser.mozilla) { jQuery(document.body).css("overflow","hidden"); } jQuery(document.body).css("opacity","0.4"); jQuery('#loadingImage').css({"left": function(){ return ( jQuery(window).width() - jQuery('#loadingImage').width() ) / 2+jQuery(window).scrollLeft() + "px"; },"top" : function(){ return ( jQuery(window).height() - jQuery('#loadingImage').height()) / 2+jQuery(window).scrollTop() + "px"; },"display":"block"}); ivSpinnerOn = 1; }); } // The below 4 functions are wrappers to handle async JS. function async_changeImage(imageURL, hiResUrl, event, spinnerForHZ) { if(productImageJSdownloaded) { removeHZSpinner(); changeImage(imageURL, hiResUrl, event, spinnerForHZ); } else { lastEventType = cbEventEnum.changeImage; cbImageURL = imageURL; cbHiResUrl = hiResUrl; cbEvent = event; showHZSpinner(spinnerForHZ); } } function async_onMouseOver(imageID, imageTagID, showNotesTag) { if(productImageJSdownloaded) { removeHZSpinner(); displayImage(imageID); if(showNotesTag) { ciuAnnotationsMouseover(imageID, imageTagID); } } else { showHZSpinner(spinnerForHZ); lastEventType = cbEventEnum.mouseover; cbImageID = imageID; cbImageTagID = imageTagID; cbShowNotestag = showNotesTag; } } function async_onMouseOut(imageID, showNotesTag) { if(productImageJSdownloaded) { if(showNotesTag) { ciuAnnotationsMouseout(imageID); } resetCaption(imageID); } } function async_openImmersiveView(event) { if(productImageJSdownloaded) { openImmersiveView(event); } else { showIVSpinner(); lastEventType = cbEventEnum.openIV cbEvent = event; } }
See all product images
See all 2 customer images
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book
Start reading Straight Man: A Novel on your Kindle in under a minute.
Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Straight Man: A Novel [Paperback] Richard Russo (Author)
'); jQuery(document.body).append(offscreen); offscreen.html(data); width += offscreen.children().width() + 2; content.children().remove().end().append(offscreen.children()); offscreen.remove(); var screenw = Math.min($(window).width(), $(document).width()); if(popoverParent.offset().left + width >= screenw) { popoverParent.css('left', (screenw - width) + 'px'); } popoverParent.width(width); jQuery.AmazonPopover.updateBacking('reviewsPopover'); } else { content.html(data); } }; var loadPopoverAjax = function(anchor, popover, userInitiated) { if(anchor.data('loaded')) return; anchor.data('loaded', 1); $.ajax({ url: anchor.data('ajaxURL') + '&recordMetric=' + (userInitiated ? 1 : 0), success: function(data) { loadPopoverContent(anchor, popover, data); }, error: function(x, text) { } }); }; var onPopoverShow = function(popover, settings) { if(!this.data('loaded')) { loadPopoverAjax(this, popover, true); } else if(!this.data('hitRecorded')) { $.get("/gp/customer-reviews/common/du/recordHistoPopAjax.html", { "ASIN": this.data('asin'), "ref" : this.attr('ref') }); } this.data('hitRecorded',1); }; var onPopoverHide = function(popover, settings) { jQuery('#acr-content-' + this.data('asin')).trigger('acrPopoverClose'); }; $.fn.acrPopover = function() { return this.each(function() { var $this = $(this); if(!$this.data('init')) { $this.data('init', 1) .data('asin', $this.attr('name')); var contentDiv = $('
'); var getargs = $this.attr('getargs'); var myConfig = { localContent: contentDiv, onShow: onPopoverShow, onHide: onPopoverHide }; myConfig = $.extend(true, myConfig, popoverConfig); if(!$this.height()) $this.css('height', 12); $this.after(contentDiv) .data('content', contentDiv) .data('ajaxURL', '/gp/customer-reviews/common/du/displayHistoPopAjax.html?' + '&ASIN=' + $this.data('asin') + '&link=1' + '&seeall=1' + '&ref=' + $this.attr('ref') + ((typeof getargs != 'undefined') ? ('targs=' + getargs) : '')) .amazonPopoverTrigger(myConfig); var w = window.acrAsinHover; if(w && $(w).parents('.asinReviewsSummary').get(0) == this) { $this.trigger('mouseover.amzPopover'); window.acrAsinHover = null; } } if($this.hasClass('non-lazy') && !$this.data('loaded')) { loadPopoverAjax($this); } }); }; window.reviewHistPopoverConfig = popoverConfig; var jqInit = window.jQueryInitHistoPopovers = function(asin) { $('.acr-popover[name=' + asin + ']').acrPopover(); }; window.doInit_average_customer_reviews = jqInit; window.onAjaxUpdate_average_customer_reviews = jqInit; window.onCacheUpdate_average_customer_reviews = jqInit; window.onCacheUpdateReselect_average_customer_reviews = jqInit; amznJQ.onCompletion('amznJQ.criticalFeature', function() { setTimeout(function() { amznJQ.declareAvailable('acrPopover'); }, 0); }); })(jQuery); }); amznJQ.onReady('acrPopover', function() { jQuery('.acr-popover,#searchTemplate .asinReviewsSummary').each(function() { jQuery(this).acrPopover(); }); }); 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (286 customer reviews) |
List Price:
$15.95
Price:
$10.85 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Deal Price:
You Save:
$5.10 (32%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Want it delivered Monday, November 21? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout. Details
64 new from $5.16 432 used from $0.01 7 collectible from $9.98
Formats
Amazon Price
New from
Used from
Kindle Edition
--
$11.99
--
Hardcover
--
$29.98
$0.01
See # more hardcovers
Show fewer hardcovers
Paperback
$10.85
$5.16
$0.01
See # more paperbacks
Show fewer paperbacks
Audio, CD, Audiobook, Unabridged
--
$186.00
$1,784.79
See # more audio books
Show fewer audio books
Unknown Binding
--
--
$76.95
Audible Audio Edition, Unabridged
$28.95
or Free with Audible 30-day free trial
More from Richard Russo
Richard Russo's bestselling novels explore the tragicomic realities of small-town life with poignancy and humor. Visit Amazon's Richard Russo Page.
? See more product promotions
Book Description
Publication Date: June 9, 1998
In this uproarious new novel, Richard Russo performs his characteristic high-wire walk between hilarity and heartbreak. Russo's protagonist is William Henry Devereaux, Jr., the reluctant chairman of the English department of a badly underfunded college in the Pennsylvania rust belt. Devereaux's reluctance is partly rooted in his character--he is a born anarchist-- and partly in the fact that his department is more savagely divided than the Balkans.
In the course of a single week, Devereaux will have his nose mangled by an angry colleague, imagine his wife is having an affair with his dean, wonder if a curvaceous adjunct is trying to seduce him with peach pits, and threaten to execute a goose on local television. All this while coming to terms with his philandering father, the dereliction of his youthful promise, and the ominous failure of certain vital body functions. in short, Straight Man is classic Russo--side-splitting and true-to-life, witty, compassionate, and impossible to put down.
Show More
Show Less
In this uproarious new novel, Richard Russo performs his characteristic high-wire walk between hilarity and heartbreak. Russo's protagonist is William Henry Devereaux, Jr., the reluctant chairman of the English department of a badly underfunded college in the Pennsylvania rust belt. Devereaux's reluctance is partly rooted in his character--he is a born anarchist-- and partly in the fact that his department is more savagely divided than the Balkans.
In the course of a single week, Devereaux will have his nose mangled by an angry colleague, imagine his wife is having an affair with his dean, wonder if a curvaceous adjunct is trying to seduce him with peach pits, and threaten to execute a goose on local television. All this while coming to terms with his philandering father, the dereliction of his youthful promise, and the ominous failure of certain vital body functions. in short, Straight Man is classic Russo--side-splitting and true-to-life, witty, compassionate, and impossible to put down.
Best Value
Buy Market Forces and get Straight Man: A Novel at an additional 5% off Amazon.com's everyday low price.
+
Buy Together Today: $20.48
Show availability and shipping details
Market Forces Paperback
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
This item: Straight Man: A Novel Paperback
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Market Forces Paperback
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
This item: Straight Man: A Novel Paperback
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought
Page of (Start over)
Back
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
4.7 out of 5 stars (99)
$10.85
Moo by Jane Smiley
3.6 out of 5 stars (87)
$11.64
Empire Falls by Richard Russo
4.0 out of 5 stars (516)
$10.20
The Risk Pool by Richard Russo
4.6 out of 5 stars (72)
$10.20
That Old Cape Magic: A Novel (Vintage Contempora... by Richard Russo
3.5 out of 5 stars (168)
$10.20
Bridge of Sighs: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries) by Richard Russo
3.8 out of 5 stars (199)
$10.17
Next
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
First Jane Smiley came out of the comedy closet with Moo, a campus satire par excellence, and now Richard Russo has gotten in on the groves-of-academe game. Straight Man is hilarious sport, with a serious side. William Henry Devereaux Jr., is almost 50 and stuck forever as chair of English at West Central Pennsylvania University. It is April and fear of layoffs--even among the tenured--has reached mock-epic proportions; Hank has yet to receive his department budget and finds himself increasingly offering comments such as "Always understate necrophilia" to his writing students. Then there are his possible prostate problems and the prospect of his father's arrival. Devereaux Sr., "then and now, an academic opportunist," has always been a high-profile professor and a low-profile parent.
Though Hank tries to apply William of Occam's rational approach (choose simplicity) to each increasingly absurd situation, and even has a dog named after the philosopher, he does seem to cause most of his own enormous difficulties. Not least when he grabs a goose and threatens to off a duck (sic) a day until he gets his budget. The fact that he is also wearing a fake nose and glasses and doing so in front of a TV camera complicates matters even further. Hank tries to explain to one class that comedy and tragedy don't go together, but finds the argument "runs contrary to their experience. Indeed it may run contrary to my own." It runs decidedly against Richard Russo's approach in Straight Man, and the result is a hilarious and touching novel. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
Hank Devereaux Jr. is the kind of guy who turns anything serious into a joke. Pushing 50, he's the interim chair of a squabbling English department at a small rural college. Big budget cuts are rumored. Each department chair has been told to provide a list of those who will lose their jobs. His department believes that Hank has prepared such a list, but he hasn't and won't. Instead, he goes on television and spontaneously jokes that he will kill the campus geese until the administration gives him his budget. When a goose really is killed, Hank becomes the prime suspect. In his earlier novels (e.g., Nobody's Fool, LJ 4/15/93), Russo captured with compassion and humor the lives of the people in small backwater towns; now he does the same for those who inhabit the groves of academe. This novel is filled with laughter but also much seriousness. Give it a straight A.?Charles Michaud, Turner Free Lib., Randolph, Mass.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
See all Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Paperback: 391 pages
Publisher: Vintage (June 9, 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0375701907
ISBN-13: 978-0375701900
Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: '); jQuery(document.body).append(offscreen); offscreen.html(data); width += offscreen.children().width() + 2; content.children().remove().end().append(offscreen.children()); offscreen.remove(); var screenw = Math.min($(window).width(), $(document).width()); if(popoverParent.offset().left + width >= screenw) { popoverParent.css('left', (screenw - width) + 'px'); } popoverParent.width(width); jQuery.AmazonPopover.updateBacking('reviewsPopover'); } else { content.html(data); } }; var loadPopoverAjax = function(anchor, popover, userInitiated) { if(anchor.data('loaded')) return; anchor.data('loaded', 1); $.ajax({ url: anchor.data('ajaxURL') + '&recordMetric=' + (userInitiated ? 1 : 0), success: function(data) { loadPopoverContent(anchor, popover, data); }, error: function(x, text) { } }); }; var onPopoverShow = function(popover, settings) { if(!this.data('loaded')) { loadPopoverAjax(this, popover, true); } else if(!this.data('hitRecorded')) { $.get("/gp/customer-reviews/common/du/recordHistoPopAjax.html", { "ASIN": this.data('asin'), "ref" : this.attr('ref') }); } this.data('hitRecorded',1); }; var onPopoverHide = function(popover, settings) { jQuery('#acr-content-' + this.data('asin')).trigger('acrPopoverClose'); }; $.fn.acrPopover = function() { return this.each(function() { var $this = $(this); if(!$this.data('init')) { $this.data('init', 1) .data('asin', $this.attr('name')); var contentDiv = $('
'); var getargs = $this.attr('getargs'); var myConfig = { localContent: contentDiv, onShow: onPopoverShow, onHide: onPopoverHide }; myConfig = $.extend(true, myConfig, popoverConfig); if(!$this.height()) $this.css('height', 12); $this.after(contentDiv) .data('content', contentDiv) .data('ajaxURL', '/gp/customer-reviews/common/du/displayHistoPopAjax.html?' + '&ASIN=' + $this.data('asin') + '&link=1' + '&seeall=1' + '&ref=' + $this.attr('ref') + ((typeof getargs != 'undefined') ? ('targs=' + getargs) : '')) .amazonPopoverTrigger(myConfig); var w = window.acrAsinHover; if(w && $(w).parents('.asinReviewsSummary').get(0) == this) { $this.trigger('mouseover.amzPopover'); window.acrAsinHover = null; } } if($this.hasClass('non-lazy') && !$this.data('loaded')) { loadPopoverAjax($this); } }); }; window.reviewHistPopoverConfig = popoverConfig; var jqInit = window.jQueryInitHistoPopovers = function(asin) { $('.acr-popover[name=' + asin + ']').acrPopover(); }; window.doInit_average_customer_reviews = jqInit; window.onAjaxUpdate_average_customer_reviews = jqInit; window.onCacheUpdate_average_customer_reviews = jqInit; window.onCacheUpdateReselect_average_customer_reviews = jqInit; amznJQ.onCompletion('amznJQ.criticalFeature', function() { setTimeout(function() { amznJQ.declareAvailable('acrPopover'); }, 0); }); })(jQuery); }); amznJQ.onReady('acrPopover', function() { jQuery('.acr-popover,#searchTemplate .asinReviewsSummary').each(function() { jQuery(this).acrPopover(); }); }); 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (286 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #23,623 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
More About the Author
? Visit Amazon's Richard Russo Page
Rick Russo is the author of six previous novels and THE WHORE'S CHILD, a collection of stories. In 2002, he received the Pulitzer Prize for EMPIRE FALLS. He lives with his wife in Camden, Maine, and Boston.
Photo credit Elena Seibert
Customer Reviews
286 Reviews
5 star:
(192)
4 star:
(53)
3 star:
(22)
2 star:
(15)
1 star:
(4)
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (286 customer reviews)
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
87 of 90 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars If this Book Doesn't Make You Laugh..., May 7, 2003
By
Bruce Kendall "BEK" (Southern Pines, NC) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (COMMUNITY FORUM 04) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Straight Man: A Novel (Paperback) ..then, "Jack..You Dead!
I had thought until reading STRAIGHT MAN that the standard for humorous novels with academic settings had been set by James Hynes. Russo is even funnier. His comic timing is akin to the great comedians of stage and sceen, like the Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields, Moore & Cooke, etc. Yet not only is the man funny, he can flat out write, as well.
In STRAIGHT MAN, Russo performs a balancing act of surface playfulness combined with searing truths about life's missed opportunities and moments of quiet despair. Behind the one-liners and the buffoonery of Henry Devereux Jr.'s comic mask, exists an enigmatic, compassionate, troubled soul, whose personality disorder has been triggered by a single incident he shares with his mother when he is a young teen. His humorous guise is something he has created so as to safely retreat from the seperation anxiety that is his constant companion. To his friends and colleagues he is "Hank," easy to dismiss or to to ridicule, or in two instances, to physically attack (OK, three, if you count the goose!). Russo does a very subtle and masterful job of slowly developing the interior Henry Devereux Jr., however, and by the novel's end, the reader has been granted the full revelation of character and the whole man stands naked (figuritavely speaking) before us.
STRAIGHT MAN is definitely my recommendation of 2003, thus far. The funny bits are truly hysterical. The dramatic bits ring true to life. This certainly not just another humorous novel about Academia. It's as well written and well rounded as any novel I've read in recent years. I look forward with great anticipation to reading EMPIRE FALLS.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Report abuse | Permalink
Comment Comment
53 of 57 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars "The truth is, we never know for sure about ourselves.", January 15, 2004
By
D. Mikels "It's always Happy Hour here" (Skunk Holler) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)
This review is from: Straight Man: A Novel (Paperback) Ah, middle age. Some gray around the temples. Occasional regrets about missed opportunities. Finding one's self, to his or her embarrassment, thinking out loud. Plumbing that either stops up, or slows to a frustrating dribble.
Thus we enter the world of William Henry Devereaux, Jr., through the pages of Richard Russo's wonderful novel, STRAIGHT MAN. Henry, or "Hank," is the interim chair of a delightfully dysfunctional English department at a small Pennsylvania college. Because he doesn't want to turn out like the moody and disgruntled professors he works with, Hank refuses to take life seriously; whenever an earnest statement is uttered, Hank counters with an off-the-cuff witticism--in essence, every person who comes in contact with him becomes a "straight man." His demeanor has worn thin with his colleagues, even with his family, and over the course of a very eventful early spring week the midlife trials and tribulations of Hank Devereaux will come to a hilarious, yet endearing, fruition.
Russo writes a relaxed, comfortable prose; his humorous timing--while simultaneously keeping the main character's first-person point of view on target--is marvelous. Yes, Hank is a smart aleck, but he's a lovable smart aleck, thanks to Russo's powerful storytelling ability. Yet despite all the humour and wit, there is also a deep underlying theme of melancholy and angst, all of which makes STRAIGHT MAN a compelling and highly recommended read.
--D. Mikels
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Report abuse | Permalink
Comment Comment
45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A very funny, serious novel, January 13, 2000
By
J. Mullin (Plantation, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This review is from: Straight Man: A Novel (Paperback) Like one of the other reviewers here on Amazon, I stumbled across this book on a bargain rack and picked it up on a whim. I am an english major and thought the premise for the book looked promising, although having read it I think the duck cover does the book an injustice because this is not a slapstick, absurdist novel like the cover might suggest. Russo has written a contemporary masterpiece, a brilliant, serious novel that includes occasional scenes so funny you will laugh out loud. He pokes fun at today's climate of political correctness (one the of the assistant professors has been nicknamed "Orshee" because he is always correcting the automatic use of the male pronoun) and similarly lampoons academia with terrific results. You need not be a professor to enjoy his writing, and Russo's dialogue is maybe the best being written today. I have recommended this book to many people since I discovered it, and also enjoyed The Risk Pool and Nobody's Fool by the author. I can't wait for his next book. Read Straight Man you won't be disappointed.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Report abuse | Permalink
Comment Comments (2)
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
? See all 286 customer reviews...
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Headline: Former College Administrator Loves Straight Man!
"Former College Administrator Loves Straight Man" - Now there's a headline that would strike fear into the Dean's office, yes? But in this case it's appropriate. Read more
Published 12 days ago by D. Wade
2.0 out of 5 stars Sophomoric and Overly Repetitive
I somehow ordered this book by accident but I did read it and did finish it. The setting is life in a small town second-rate college. Read more
Published 1 month ago by ReadsALot
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read and Instant Classic
I have a whole new faith in writing after reading this novel. Straight Man is a brilliant, entertaining, hilarious novel that deals with 'darker' subjects. Read more
Published 2 months ago by A Hans
5.0 out of 5 stars Bill Murray-ish
I was unexpectedly delighted
with this book that I am
finding myself recommending it
to everyone. The main character,
William Henry Devereaux, Jr. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Debnance at Readerbuzz
2.0 out of 5 stars First person thoughts, conversations, and incomplete mini stories. I did not find it funny or witty. I was not entertained.
STORY BRIEF:
Told in first person by Hank Devereaux. He is chair of the English Dept. at a university in Pennsylvania. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Jane
5.0 out of 5 stars life can be funny
This books is a great read. Written in first person, the main character is an "ordinary" professor, but with a great eye for the ironic, and the humor in the current moment. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Lori Ellingboe
4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Look at Faculty Dynamics
I once read a quote to the effect that faculty political infighting is so ruthless because it means so little and this book illustrates the point. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Bonner '62
4.0 out of 5 stars Hilarious, even poignant, clever without being glib
Compared to "Empire Falls," "Straight Man" delivers Richard Russo at his funniest and comparatively light on the heartbreak - although there is something extremely wrenching about... Read more
Published 6 months ago by Rett01
5.0 out of 5 stars Made me laugh out loud
I enjoy reading, but am by no means an avid reader. That's why Straight Man was such a wonderful surprise. It is - by far - the funniest book I've ever read. Read more
Published 7 months ago by D. Cripe
5.0 out of 5 stars Funny and Heart warming
This is straight up one of the funniest books I've read. The situations in which the main character finds himself might ring false to anyone NOT in academe, but for anyone who has... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Book Addict
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews
? See all 286 customer reviews...
Customers Also Bought Items By
Jennifer Egan
Jeffrey Eugenides
Elizabeth Strout
Pat Conroy
Philip Roth
Michael Cunningham
Jonathan Franzen
John Irving
Joseph O'Neill
Colson Whitehead
Sigrid Nunez
Jane Smiley
Greg Ames
Jo Nesb?
Deborah Eisenberg
Paul Harding
David Henry Hwang '); var images = jQuery('div#s9DpEntity img[url]'); images.each(function() { jQuery(this).attr('src', jQuery(this).attr('url')); jQuery(this).attr('url', ''); }); }, 0); });
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
When my nose finally stops bleeding and I've disposed of the bloody paper towels, Teddy Barnes insists on driving me home in his ancient Honda Civic, a car that refuses to die and that Teddy, cheap as he is, refuses to trade in. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
harassment lunch, campus executive officer, donkey basketball game, fake nose
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
William Henry Devereaux, Richard Russo, Jacob Rose, Billy Quigley, Paul Rourke, Allegheny Wells, Dickie Pope, Lou Steinmetz, William of Occam, Tony Coniglia, Modern Languages, Hank Devereaux, Bodie Pie, Meg Quigley, Phil Watson, William Cherry, Lucky Hank, Occam's Razor, Missy Blaylock, The Tracks, Mike Law, New York, The Circle, Terence Watters, June Barnes
New!
Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 10 books:
Bleak House (Penguin Classics) by Charles Dickens on page 213, page 214, and page 346
Bleak House (Macmillan Readers) by Dickens on page 213, page 214, and page 346
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald in Front Matter
Great Gatsby (Penguin Longman Reader Level 5) by Fitzgerald F Scott in Front Matter
Good Morning (English and Irish Edition) by Lucinda Jacob on page 154 See all 10 books this book cites
45 books cite this book:
Faculty Towers: The Academic Novel and Its Discontents (Personal Takes) by Elaine Showalter on 4 pages
The King's English, Adventures of an Independent Bookseller by Betsy Burton in Back Matter (1), Back Matter (2), and Back Matter (3)
Imagining the Academy: Higher Education and Popular Culture by Susan Edgerton in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
Romances of the Archive in Contemporary British Fiction by Suzanne Keen in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
The Discipline of Religion: Structure, Meaning, Rhetoric by Russell T. McCutcheon on page 133, and Back Matter See all 45 books citing this book
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Empire Falls by Richard Russo Paperback
4.0 out of 5 stars (516)
$10.20
That Old Cape Magic: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries) by Richard Russo Paperback
3.5 out of 5 stars (168)
$10.20
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo Paperback
4.7 out of 5 stars (99)
$10.85
Bridge of Sighs: A Novel (Vintage Contemporaries) by Richard Russo Paperback
3.8 out of 5 stars (199)
$10.17
? Explore similar items
Tags Customers Associate with This Product (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below.
richard russo(35)
academia(32)
satire(30)
humor(24)
contemporary american fiction(20)
fiction(11)
popular fiction(11)
contemporary literary fiction(4)
bathroom humor(3)
bondage(2)
Agree with these tags?
See all 33 tags...
Your tags: Add your first tag
Search Products Tagged with
See most popular tags
Like 1321631044 false 0 22 22 21 (22)
Customer Discussions
This product's forum
Discussion
Replies
Latest Post
No discussions yet
Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Receive e-mail when new posts are made
Prompts for sign-in
Guidelines
Active discussions in related forums
Discussion
Replies
Latest Post
Literary Fiction forum What is literary fiction?
252
2 days ago
Literary Fiction forum Can you recommend some good books for a sleepless college student?
66
2 days ago
Literary Fiction forum Looking for great books that take place China and it's culture/fiction
18
2 days ago
Literary Fiction forum My New Blog, Your New Book
60
3 days ago
Literary Fiction forum "The Da Vinci Code" - what's your vote, literary fiction or not?
114
3 days ago
Literary Fiction forum Three or more living authors you view as great
302
4 days ago
Literary Fiction forum Looking for kindle reading group
2
6 days ago
Literary Fiction forum need some new authors to read
103
6 days ago
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
Related forums
Literary Fiction forum (171 discussions)
Listmania!
Christmas Gifts 2011: A list by Tate
Historical Women's Fiction: Mystery, Romance, Western, etc: A list by E. Ball ""Willa Read""
My Book List: A list by Audrey Lee Create a Listmania! list
Search Listmania!
So You'd Like to...
"Get Terrific Book Club Suggestions": A guide by Bree Avalon
See some of my favorite reads...: A guide by Sweetie-pie
~*~ BOOK CLUB FAVORITES ~*~: A guide by Madison P. ""Go! Baby!"" Create a guide
Search Guides
Look for Similar Items by Category
Books > Literature & Fiction > Literary
Look for Similar Items by Subject
Search Books by subject:
Fiction - General
Fiction
Fiction / Literary
Literary
Reading Group Guide
i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
Feedback
If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?
Your comments can help make our site better for everyone. Please note that we are unable to respond directly to all feedback submitted via this form, but we'll ask you to sign in so we can contact you if needed. Feedback is limited to 1000 characters.
Your Recent History (What's this?)
After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.
? View and edit your browsing history
Get to Know Us
Careers
Investor Relations
Press Releases
Amazon and Our Planet
Amazon in the Community
Make Money with Us
Sell on Amazon
Become an Affiliate
Advertise Your Products
Independently Publish with Us
? See all
Let Us Help You
Shipping Rates & Policies
Amazon Prime
Returns Are Easy
Manage Your Kindle
Help
Canada China France Germany Italy Japan Spain United Kingdom
AbeBooks
Rare Books
& Textbooks
AmazonLocal
Great Local Deals
in Your City
AmazonWireless
Cellphones &
Wireless Plans
Askville
Community
Answers
Audible
Download
Audio Books
Diapers.com
Everything
But The Baby
DPReview
Digital
Photography
Endless
Shoes
& More
Fabric
Sewing, Quilting
& Knitting
IMDb
Movies, TV
& Celebrities
MYHABIT
Private Fashion
Designer Sales
Shopbop
Designer
Fashion Brands
Small Parts
Industrial
Supplies
Soap.com
Health, Beauty &
Home Essentials
Warehouse Deals
Open-Box
Discounts
Woot
Never Gonna
Give You Up
Zappos
Shoes &
Clothing
Conditions of Use Privacy Notice ? 1996-2011, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates
