2017 Dec 23
William Henry Devereaux, Jr. is 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.
The West Central Pennsylvania State University threatens each year to cut down on their budget and any expendable employees. This leaves tensions running high between colleagues and our protagonist, Hank Devereaux, feeds off it. Goading people comes naturally to him and he continues to do it even when physically harmed in the process- being stabbed in the nose by the spiral of a notebook is one such example.
This is a man that has somehow lost himself years down the line. He is stuck in mid-life crisis but staunchly refuses to believe it and continuously exasperates his colleagues and family with his penchant for getting in trouble, absolutely refusing to address any situation without a quip in hand. The plot might unfold in a short period of time and there is repetitive driving around and conversations but that’s also where the beauty of it lies. The dialogue simply reaches out to the reader and demands attention.
The book follows Hank’s escapades as he comes to terms with his unresolved issues- be it with his marriage, his father or his own duties as a father or to his job, and author Richard Russo has no problems whatsoever capturing the chaotic setting of the underfunded university having been a teacher in a University himself. He possesses an undeniable writing style that effortlessly captures the audience’s attention, managing to tackle mid-life struggles with a never failing witty disposition that makes Straight Man a most enjoyable yet compassionate read. If the premise wasn’t enough to grab your attention, rest easy- this is a book worth your time.
Rating- 4/5
