A decaying new england town is the backdrop for its unique citizens, led by unassuming restaurant manager miles roby. Welcome to empire falls, a bluecollar town full of abandoned mills whose citizens surround themselves with the comforts and feuds provided by lifelong friends and neighbors and who find humor and hope in the most unlikely places, in this pulitzer prizewinning novel by richard russo. Empire falls is the kind of book that reminds you of the truth that each individual harbors his or her own private pain and yearning, and that these internal motivations can be confounding even to close loved ones. The life of a small southerncentral maine town is memorably laid bare in russos splendid fifth novelevery bit as readerfriendly and satisfying as its predecessors straight man, 1997, etc. Miles roby has been slinging burgers at the empire grill for 20 years, a job that cost him his college education and much of his selfrespect. Empire falls by richard russo reading guidebook club. Empire falls is primarily a characterdriven book and the plot, where it becomes important, is more of a letsseewhathappensnext variety rather than one where there is a definitive goal or outcome to be achieved. Richard russofrom his first novel, mohawkhas demonstrated a peerless affinity for the human tragicomedy, and with this stunning new novel he extends even further his claims on the smalltown, bluecollar heart of the country. Dominated by the whiting family, the founders of the three mills that provided employment for. Irving, is at once cutesy and portentous, unlike the rest of the book. The washington post welcome to empire falls, a bluecollar town full of abandoned mills whose citizens surround themselves with the comforts and feuds provided by lifelong friends and neighbors and who find humor and hope in the most unlikely places, in this. It is sometimes difficult to tell if richard russos intent with empire falls is to describe the human condition in a story about the fate of a small town in maine or to describe a small maine town in a story about the human condition. Empire falls, situated at a fictitious and unlovely bend of the knox river, is the kind of place tourists from boston or new york speed through en route to the minimarthas vineyards of the maine coast, perhaps stopping for lunch at a place like the empire grill and eavesdropping on the. Welcome to empire falls, a bluecollar town full of abandoned mills whose citizens surround themselves with the comforts and feuds provided by lifelong friends and neighbors and who find humor and hope in the most unlikely places, in.
Theres certainly a lot of depth here and i appreciate that. Hes barely scraping by in an economically challenged community that was once the thriving site of the whitings logging and textile mill empire. Empire falls by richard russo about the book withempire fallsrichard russo cements his reputation as one of americas most compelling and compassionate storytellers. Richard russo has won this years pulitzer prize for fiction, americas most prestigious literary award, for his novel empire falls. How do the details he provides about the town, including its streets, buildings, and neighborhoods, create a more than physical backdrop against which the story is played out. Jun 14, 2018 topics about this book topics that mention this book. Empire falls by richard russo book club discussion. Reading guide for empire falls by richard russo bookbrowse.
Empire falls vintage contemporaries kindle edition by. Russos tale of the tensions within a small, decaying town in. Empire falls, his fifth book, features strained relationships and screwball situations that should be familiar to any russo fan, but its also steeped in an almost subliminal sadness that, as the novel progresses, develops into horror, then rage, and ultimately resignation. With ed harris, philip seymour hoffman, helen hunt, paul newman. Empire falls is a 2001 novel written by richard russo. As of 2006, this same audio book was also available as a download from. Kennebunk book port is transformed into the vineyard book port for a scene in hbos production of empire falls. For more details and flyers please look at the events calendar below.
It provides members with an opportunity to entertain friends and colleagues and meet with other fellow members. Empire falls richard russo, 2001 knopf doubleday 484 pp. In any event, empire falls is a onceprosperous industrial town ruled by four generations of the wealthy whiting family. One of the highlights of club membership is access to an excellent calendar of events throughout the year. Empire falls topics for discussion richard russo this study guide consists of approximately 85 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of empire falls. Empire falls by richard russo penguin random house audio.
Empire falls is the pulitzer prizewinning story of miles roby, a lifelong resident of the. The novel, empire falls, by richard russo depicts the life of the townspeople in the town empire falls. May 22, 2001 miles, generally considered the nicest, saddest man in all of empire falls, manages the empire grill for widowed plutocrat francine whiting who maymay not bequeath it to him. Not that russos trademark wry humor isnt everywhere present, especially in protagonist miles robys relations, friends, neighbors, and antagonists. Its mills are closed, stores are boarded up, and its population is dwindling. The stroy is extremely well written and the characters are very well developed. Compared to the whiting mansion in town, the house charles beaumont whiting built a decade after his return to maine was modest. Miles roby has been slinging burgers at the empire grill for. Wealthy, controlling matriarch francine whiting lives in an incongruous spanishstyle mansion across the river from smalltown empire falls, dominated by a longvacant textile mill and shirt.
Empire falls has fallen victim to a cheap international labor market with greed on both sides of the labornegotiating table. The miniseries was nominated for and won multiple awards, including various primetime emmy awards and golden globe awards. By every other standard of empire falls, where most singlefamily homes cost well under seventyfive thousand dollars, his was palatial, with five bedrooms, five full baths, and a detached artists studio. Walt, the healthclub entrepreneur who has stolen miless estranged wife. Empire falls was made available as an audio book, read by ron mclarty and released by harperaudio on audiocassette in 2001. I felt at times i was looking in the windows of the characters homes and watching them live life on a daily basis. Miles is portrayed as the nicest and saddest man throughout the entire region of empire falls. Empire falls vintage contemporaries paperback tattered. Set sail on a remarkable exploration up the northeast coast on this funfilled grandparent program by ocean liner. Empire falls by richard russo is a story about relationships and life in a small town called empire falls in maine. Most folks in little empire falls in central maine admire roby, who. Empire falls is one of the most brilliantly written books by richard russo. Miles roby has been slinging burgers at the empire grill for 20 years, a job that cost him welcome to empire falls, a bluecollar town full of abandoned mills whose citizens surround themselves with the comforts and feuds provided by lifelong friends and neighbors and who find humor and hope in the most unlikely places, in this pulitzer prizewinning novel by richard russo. A decent man encircled by history and dreams, by echoing churches and abandoned mills, by the comforts and feuds provided by lifelong friends and neighbors, miles is also a patient, knowing guide to the rich, hardscrabble nature of empire falls.
Smalltown story wins the pulitzer books the guardian. Miles roby is the central character, living his depressing middleage life flipping burgers at the local diner, inexorably tethered to empire falls in spite of himself. Dexter county, maine, and specifically the town of empire falls, has seen better days, and for decades, in fact, only a succession. Also tied in with miless reminiscences is the spectacular saga of the rise and fall of empire falls, a onceprosperous mill town that has fallen into disrepair as have the towns oncerigid. May 09, 2002 empire falls is the kind of book that reminds you of the truth that each individual harbors his or her own private pain and yearning, and that these internal motivations can be confounding even to close loved ones. Walt comeau janines fiance and the owner of a fitness club. Richard russo miles roby has been slinging burgers at the empire grill for 20 years, a job that cost him his college education and much of his selfrespect.
He thinks about the history of empire falls and the factorys former owner, c. Dexter county, maine, and specifically the town of empire falls, has seen better days, and for decades, in. Empire falls by richard russo book club discussion questions. The new york times the introduction, discussion questions, suggested reading list, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your reading groups discussion of richard russos empire falls, a wonderfully evocative portrait of a small town in maine.
At the end of empire falls, the pulitzer prizewinning novel, a character about whom we have come to harbor negative feelings falls asleep in the afternoon sunlight and is swept away in the. By turns funny, poignant, satiric and shocking, empire falls captures us at our best and at our worst. The families that remain live on memories of the past and the shared fantasy that the mills will reopen and the oncethriving town will experience a. A major clue to russos goals lies in the multiple meanings of the. It is based on the eponymous 2001 novel by richard russo. Rescheduled for holiday join us in november for this months book discussion on richard russos empire falls. Welcome to empire falls, a bluecollar town full of abandoned mills whose citizens surround themselves with the comforts and feuds provided by lifelong friends and neighbors and who find humor and hope in the most unlikely places. Empire falls portrays an american family with reallife occurences thereader can identify with one or many of the characters in this. The town is dilapidated and approaching bankruptcy after the factories, owed by the whitings, have been closed leaving the boarded up buildings as a symbol of the past. Empire falls, situated at a fictitious and unlovely bend of the knox river, is the kind of place tourists from boston or new york speed through en route to the minimarthas vineyards of the maine coast, perhaps stopping for lunch at a place like the empire grill and eavesdropping on the taciturn, wisecracking regulars. About the author richard russo is the author of eight novels. Francine whiting, who owns everything in townand seems to believe that \everything\ includes miles himself. Whiting, who had planned such a bright future for the little town.
Topics about this book topics that mention this book. Apr 12, 2002 empire falls by richard russo dominated by the whiting family, the founders of the three mills that provided employment for most of the towns residents, empire falls finds itself in sharp decline at the turn of the twentyfirst century. In empire falls richard russo delves deep into the bluecollar heart of america in a work that overflows with hilarity, heartache, and grace. Richard russos description of empire falls is as memorable and vivid as his portraits of the people who live there. Apr 09, 2002 richard russo has won this years pulitzer prize for fiction, americas most prestigious literary award, for his novel empire falls. Empire falls finds itself in sharp decline at the turn of the twentyfirst century. May 21, 2001 empire falls by richard russo in the latest from the author of mohawk and nobodys fool, the residents of a small maine town survive on simmering feuds, dirty backroom deals and plenty of. In this case, the town is empire falls, maine, where miles manages a restaurant that serves as a kind of meeting hall for the novels large cast of characters. It won the pulitzer prize for fiction in 2002, and follows the story of miles roby in a fictional, small bluecollar town in maine and the people, places, and the past surrounding him, as manager of the empire grill diner. Richard russofrom his first novel, mohawk, to his most recent, straight manhas demonstrated a peerless affinity for the human tragicomedy, and with this stunning new novel he extends even further his claims on the smalltown, bluecollar heart of the country. Miles roby, the central contemporary character, is the manager of the empire grill with his brother david. Winner of the pulitzer prize russo writes with a warm, vibrant humanity a stirring mix of poignancy, drama and comedy.
Its a sweeping story about empire falls, a rural bluecollar new england town, and the people who inhabit it. In september, when hollywood came to 1,100squarefoot kennebunk book port to film scenes for empire falls, the hot question from kennebunkport, maine, residents was, when is paul newman coming. Kick off your learning adventure with two full days in boston, where youll walk the historic freedom trail and explore americas most beloved ballpark during an expertled visit to fenway park. Empire falls is primarily a characterdriven book and the plot, where it becomes important, is more of a letsseewhathappensnext variety rather than one where there is a. Hbos empire falls transforms kennebunk book port the. Empire falls is a twopart american television miniseries that aired on hbo in the fall of 2005.
Welcome to empire falls, a bluecollar town full of abandoned mills whose citizens surround themselves with the comforts and feuds. In empire falls, richard russos trademark wry humor is all over the book, especially in the protagonist, miles roby, her family, friends, and neighbors as well. Welcome to empire falls, a bluecollar town full of abandoned mills. May 18, 2005 at the end of empire falls, the pulitzer prizewinning novel, a character about whom we have come to harbor negative feelings falls asleep in the afternoon sunlight and is swept away in the.