American Salvage by Bonnie Jo Campbell (2009)

I bought this National Book Award book at a book signing by local author Bonnie Jo Campbell.  After I read her Once Upon a River and wrote it up in this blog, I received a comment from her thanking me for my review. I replied and found she was doing a book signing a few weeks later.

It is hard to comment on a book of short storie, as I might react to each one differently. Though these stories are not tied together, they could be, as they all reflect that part of rural Michigan that works hard, loves, hates, but finds it hard to prosper or to maintain healthy relationships.

"Family Reunion is the story that becomes the starting point for Once Upon a River. "Winter Life" is about two couples, where all four people probably married the wrong person. "Bringing Belle Home" was heart-wrenching story of two people - each with his own addiction, loving each other, but unable to make it work. "Storm Warning" starts with a boating accident. "Fuel for the Millennium" reminds me of the survivalists I have met, and "Boar Taint" tells of a woman who has studied agriculture in Ann Arbor, but finds it hard to make her ideas work on a real farm. Many of the stories ended in quiet despair, though a few, like the last one did end on a hopeful note.

I keep wondering how Bonnie Jo can describe these characters so well, what kind of world she lives in, but then I remember being drawn to people like she describes when I was living in rural Southeastern Ohio. Strider comes to mind as one I got to know quite well, and whose life could easily make a story in this book. Maybe I should write up their stories some time.