Title: Read the stories, not this
Review: This novel is a disappointment to many Ron Carlson fans. I've read his two most recent novels--not the newest due out this next week--and all the short stories. This novel feels under-imagined and over-scripted--as if someone who knew perfectly well how to write twenty pages were trying desperately to stretch it to two hundred. It's not a terrible novel, but he's a better writer than this. Though I usually prefer a novel over short stories, I love Carlson's stories more than almost any novel I can think of. They are funny, aching, and explosive with insight about the human heart. Read The New Yorker review excerpt above and then go read Carlson's brilliant short stories. A Kind of Flying is a good place to start, but also be sure to read At the Jim Bridger, which I've handed out like candy to my friends.
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