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Knockemstiff

By Donald Ray Pollock

(6)

| Hardcover | 9780385523820

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Book Description

In this unforgettable work of fiction, Donald Ray Pollock peers into the soul of a tough Midwestern American town to reveal the sad, stunted but resilient lives of its residents.

Spanning a period from the mid-sixties to the late nineties, the linked stories that comprise KnockemContinue

In this unforgettable work of fiction, Donald Ray Pollock peers into the soul of a tough Midwestern American town to reveal the sad, stunted but resilient lives of its residents.

Spanning a period from the mid-sixties to the late nineties, the linked stories that comprise Knockemstiff feature a cast of recurring characters who are woebegone, baffled and depraved—but irresistibly, undeniably real. Rendered in the American vernacular with vivid imagery and a wry, dark sense of humor, these thwarted and sometimes violent lives jump off the page at the reader with inexorable force. A father pumps his son full of steroids so he can vicariously relive his days as a perpetual runner-up body builder. A psychotic rural recluse comes upon two siblings committing incest and feels compelled to take action. Donald Ray Pollock presents his characters and the sordid goings-on with a stern intelligence, a bracing absence of value judgments, and a refreshingly dark sense of bottom-dog humor.
With an artistic instinct honed on the works of Flannery O’Connor and Harry Crews, Pollock offers a powerful work of fiction in the classic American vein. Knockemstiff is a genuine entry into the literature of place.

Critics

  • Knockemstiff, by Donald Ray Pollock

    Home Contact us Posts Comments With this collection of short stories, featuring a shared cast of characters and set in the nowhere town of Knockemstiff, Southern Ohio, Donald Ray Pollock has made a significant contribution to the American literature ... (read full critics)

    bookgeeks published on Fri, 24 Sep 2010

  • Winosburg, Ohio

    The only display of civic pride evident in Donald Ray Pollock’s first book is a blue tattoo — the words “Knockemstiff, Ohio” — etched “like a road sign” on the bony white backside of a crackhead named Sandy. And even that’s suspect, since the tattoo ... (read full critics)

    nytimes published on Sat, 18 Sep 2010

1 Review

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  • Crudo e toccante, semplicemente umano

    Con poche pagine (alle volte anche poche righe) Pollock riesce a farti entrare dentro i suoi personaggi. Ti fa provare compassione, vergogna, schifo, empatia nei confronti di questi individui quasi abbandonati ai confini di una realtà concreta e brutale. Vivi le loro storie, il loro passato, le ombr ... (continue)

    Con poche pagine (alle volte anche poche righe) Pollock riesce a farti entrare dentro i suoi personaggi. Ti fa provare compassione, vergogna, schifo, empatia nei confronti di questi individui quasi abbandonati ai confini di una realtà concreta e brutale. Vivi le loro storie, il loro passato, le ombre e le paure. E c'è anche speranza, tanta, ma ben nascosta tra le pieghe della sofferente quotidianità.

    Bellissimo.

    Is this helpful?

    Francesco A. said on Feb 6, 2012 | Add your feedback

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ISBN Edition List Sale Seller
9780385523820 Hardcover $22.95 $19.62 bn.com
-- $9.99 ebooks.com
$22.95 -- The Book Depository
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