‘Knockemstiff’ stories
Speaking of Knockemstiff, that tiny town in remote Ross County may heretofore have been notable mainly for its peculiar name. Now it will be notable for Donald Ray Pollock, a startlingly good writer whose book of intertwined short stories is named for his home town.
You might not want to meet the characters of Knockemstiff — the niece who reluctantly joins her aunt on late-night hunts for drunken young men; the young men who spend their time in pursuit of a high from aerosol propellants; the woman who does laundry at the Henry J. Hamilton Rehabilitation Center and accepts fish sticks as tips.
The days are dark in Knockemstiff, and the humor is dark, too. Pollock’s biography says he worked at a paper company in Chillicothe for 32 years, during which he took four trips to rehab, finally giving up drinking and drugs in 1986. In 2005, he entered the master of fine arts program at Ohio State University.
Knockemstiff (224 pages, hardcover) costs $22.95 from Doubleday.*
*This is there because the previous item was an “Ohio curiosities”-type book that mentioned funny place names like . . . yeah.
That first sentence had really grabbed me until I got to “fucking his own little sister in the Dynamite Hole.” I then mentally moved the author into the “using shock value instead of good writing” category and lost all interest.
It is both shocking and good writing. I agree that it may be too strong for some people, and for them I would not recommend it. But, having read the book, I don’t agree that it is shock value only. The author is very talented.
I guess it’s obvious that I picked a sentence that will turn off some readers. That may not be a bad thing. No book will please everyone, and this one depicts scenes and ways of life and uses language that I would not recommend indiscriminately. One of the powerful things about the book, I think, is the way it opens the reader’s eyes to an alien world that is right around the corner, a world where a walk in the woods can end with a scene like that. When I bought the book, I had some concern about what I would say to Don if I thought the book sucked. That did not turn out to be a problem, because I think it’s great. I’m heading back to Baltimore tomorrow with autographed copies for my brothers and my daughter, but not for my mother.
“Alien world” is right. I’m almost finished – I wanted to read more slowly because the writing deserves it, but I can’t.
What’s weird is that I’m just as appalled by some of the ordinary misbehavior as I am at the criminal stuff. Mom gives her daughter $20 to buy mom a carton of cigarettes. Daughter and boyfriend head for a bar where daughter drinks up mom’s money and takes off with another guy. You don’t do that to your mother or your boyfriend!
I was also appalled by the couple from California who stopped at Maude’s store and took pictures of the locals, like you’d do at a zoo.
I think these stories are nothing short of brilliant. They’re restrained and unrestrained at the same time. Pollock dives in but he doesn’t wallow. Remarkable achievement.
This book is definitely something I’m interested in reading! (Says the girl who grew up in a rural Ohio town that used to be called Henpeck.) Thanks for posting this; I’m gonna skip down to the library and see if they have a copy.
Crotalus, thanks for the heads up - I just requested it from my library (they have one but it’s due back May 12) - looks really interesting (and I could use a break from the reading rut I’m stuck in right now).
AuntiePam - I had the same problem. I ended up reading it once as fast the the stories drew me along, and now I’m reading it again, more slowly. It’s better the second time.
freekalette - If you’re from rural Ohio, you will see some familiar characters in Knockemstiff, and learn more about them than you might have preferred, in some cases.
Sigmagirl - Maybe your review spurred interest at your library.
Missy2U - This book will definitely jar you out of your rut. I hope you enjoy it.
To all - Don looked in on the thread on Thursday and was grateful for the interest.
