Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader's copy of this book.

American Spirits
By Russell Banks

The late Russell Banks wrote novels chronicling the dark side of life of poor working people in upstate New York and New England. His books resonated – several, including "Affliction" and "The Sweet Hereafter", were made into movies. This book is his last. It is not a novel, but three loosely interconnected stories involving characters living in Sam Dent, a fictional town in New York close to the Canadian border.

Mr. Banks himself was from such a working class background, though he went on to win a Pulitzer Prize and teach at Princeton University. The diversity in his background does much to explain what some readers might find confusing in the book. His dislike of Trump and the proliferation of guns and drugs are balanced by his understanding of a working class that is being left behind by their country's government. He has obviously thought deeply about the divide in our country – and "American Spirits" is the result.

If you are, like me, a fan of his work, this one is the perfect ending to a saga of working class America. RIP, Mr. Banks.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a collection of 3 short stories that are linked. All 3 feature a cast of residents from a rural New York town, in the current modern day of Trump's America. These stories each address what happens to conservative families when they encounter extremist situations. All feature characters that have a clear plan, and a want for a life that is better than what they have now, and it is reality that keeps getting in the way.

Russell Banks is a fantastic writer who will be greatly missed. Highly recommend!!

A collection of loosely related short stories that will have you thinking, American Spirits is the last work by Russel Banks, prior to his death. Do yourself a favor and give it a read.

American Spirits - by Russell Banks

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

I wanted to start this review by stating that I feel honored to write a review for an author who has giving me so much entertainment, and so much to think about throughout the decades. Introduced to his writing at an early age, he will forever remain one of my favorite authors. When you are a liberal a very conservative rural, very judgemental environment, life can be a lonely place.

Although I never met him in person, Mr. Banks provided me years of solace and support through his thought-provoking and wonderfully written novels...

American Spirits is a collection of three novellas that explore the dark side of the American dream, as seen through the eyes of the residents of a small town in upstate New York. Russell Banks, one of the most acclaimed and prolific writers of his generation, delivers a masterful work of fiction that blends suspense, tragedy, and social commentary.

The first novella, "The Stranger", tells the story of a local realtor who sells a piece of land to a mysterious and volatile buyer, and faces the consequences of his curiosity and suspicion. The second novella, "The Neighbors", follows a middle-aged couple who become increasingly alarmed by the strange behavior of the family next door, and the children who seek their help. The third novella, "The Kidnappers", recounts the ordeal of an elderly couple who are abducted by two ruthless criminals, and the desperate attempts of their grandson to rescue them.

Banks skillfully weaves these stories together, creating a vivid portrait of a community haunted by secrets, violence, and fear. He also examines the larger issues of American politics, culture, and identity, exposing the cracks and contradictions of a nation divided and disillusioned. With his sharp prose, rich characterization, and keen insight, Banks delivers a powerful and provocative book that will stay with you long after the last page. American Spirits is a testament to Banks' literary genius and a fitting farewell to one of the greatest storytellers of our time.

Thank you Mr. Banks, may you rest in peace.

American Spirits by Russell Banks, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is not a novel but three longer stories loosely tied together by the location of a small town in upstate New York.

Readers who enjoy short stories will certainly enjoy this collection. I am a reader who prefers a full novel, however I did enjoy American Spirits. Each character was so well drawn and fleshed out that in a short time, the reader feels connected and has as understanding of what makes them tick. Each story also has dramatic action, so there’s something for everyone. Mr, Banks is a wonderful, prolific writer with a large catalog of books to enjoy.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Alfred A Knopf for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Whew. This one is dark and will hurt your heart. Three separate stories in a rural town upstate, and at least one that was inspired by a real life tragedy/mystery. The book has no happy endings, just a glimpse into the bleak world of ppl coming to grips with the seemingly small decisions and choices they made under the backdrop of a charged political climate. The writing is masterful and the stories will stay with you long after the last page.

There are few authors like the late great Russell Banks who can engage readers in exceedingly dark stories which tell it exactly the way it is. American Spirits, a cigarette brand referred to in one of the three interrelated stories, is a double entendre also referring to the growing bleakness of the American psyche.

The stories are set in the fictional town of Sam Dent way up north in New York State, not far from the Canadian border. Descendants of the founding father, Sam Dent, still live there. The town is much in decline but is geographically located near some of the most beautiful spots in upstate New York and Banks’ stories contrast the awesomeness of nature with the dark side of human existence. Frequent barbs regarding Trump followers are in all three tales. Banks’ political views are pervasive.

The first tale focuses on land ownership and the struggles of social class land ownership. Gun ownership and gun control as well as hunting are major themes throughout. The characters are so well defined that I could anticipate their moves.


In the second story, a family looking for an affordable home, relocates to Sam Dent and finds their next door neighbors to be so peculiar that having a real relationship with them is impossible. Banks addresses many social issues such as gay marriage, interracial adoption, home schooling, and suicide.

In the final piece, Banks depicts a family who has lost their son in war, raising a naive grandson into maturity. There is murder , drug abuse, kidnapping and an extremely dark perspective throughout.

Beautifully and clearly written, these stories are hard to put down. I read the book in a day. They will appeal to discerning readers who like to read stories that take a look at real issues even when the observations are bleak. I will miss Russell Banks’ keen perceptions of our society. Four and a half stars rounded to five. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for providing an ARC in exchange for my review. Publication date is soon- March 5, 2024.

American Spirits is a book of three short stories that are dark, powerful and thought provoking. All three are tragic and deal with issues of guns, adoption, child abuse, drug addiction and several other social issues that can be taken out of the headlines any day in the U.S,

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for this e-arc.*

This wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get into the first story - it felt like it was taking too long - and I can tell I’ll feel the same way about the others.

Wow....I have loved Russell Banks books for many years, they are rarely sweetness & light & this is no exception. Personally this book takes place in a fictional northern NY town, but the surrounding areas are real & very well known to me, so that was interesting.

These are short stories which are loosely connected to each other in this small town. And there's reference to Trump & MAGA hats, which may be a turn off to some, one way or the other. But the underlying theme for me was this connection to Trump, he wasn't perfect but yet he was there for them, he was not perfect like many of these characters & that was what they loved about him.

This is in no way a Trump or MAGA book, but it does come up in each story, briefly.

I have to think this is his final book as he did die last year, unless there's book written & yet unpublished.

Definitely dark

This trilogy of stories, all based in one small upstate NY town, features characters that are completely different from each other. The common theme, besides the town, is the mindset and political culture of the town, not stereotypes, but reflective of reality. I come from a similar place also in NY, and I recognize the similarities.

I can’t say that this is an enjoyable book due to the dark themes running through it, but it is thought provoking. It reminded me of works by Shirley Jackson, so if you like this style this is a good book for you.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book, but my opinions are my own.

I'm not familiar with the author and I found these stories just ok. Dark, and depressing, sure.
3 stories in an upstate NY town all with gloomy outcomes.
I wasnt looking for something happy, I was aware what I was getting into but my interest just wasn't peaked reading.
Finished just to know how it ended. Thank you, Netgalley, author (rip), and publisher for the ARC.

American Spirits is a book of three short stories that are dark, powerful and thought provoking. I'd read a couple of the authors previous novels so I knew this wasn't going to be filled with unicorns and rainbows. All three are tragic and deal with issues of guns, adoption, child abuse, drug addiction and several other social issues that can be taken out of the headlines any day in the U.S,
Sadly the author passed away in 2023.

Knopf Books provided an early galley for review.

A couple years ago, I read my first book by Banks - The Magic Kingdom. So, when I saw his name along with this striking cover, I was instantly drawn to checking it out. This collection of three stories is the first posthumous release (Banks passed away in 2023).

First is Nowhere Man which tells of Doug Lafleur's growing conflict with businessman Yuri Zingerman. Things really escalate when Doug goes against Yuri's wishes, putting the two men at great odds. The tension turns up to eleven with a rather unexpected ending. For me, it makes a very pointed statement about rash and uncontrolled behaviors.

Next up is Homeschooling where Kenneth and Barbara Odell's involvement with their neighbors results in a very tragic ending. This one leaves the reader with so many unanswered questions regarding the Weber family, which reflects upon the notion that so often today people fail to really get to know others.

And, lastly, Kidnapped is a dark and twisting tale of family and failure, drugs and death. It reminded me of something that would be right at home in a Quentin Tarantino film, though delivered thankfully with less gratuitous violence.

Banks touches upon many topical themes in these stories including privacy, gun ownership, miscommunication and misinterpretations. Any one of the three stories could have been ripped from the headlines of recent years. There is a dark tone to them all; there are no happily ever afters here. Given the dark times of the last decade or so, these tragic tales do not come across as shocking as they could have. And that makes me a bit sad.

With a keen eye for the ordinary, this last book of Russell Banks explores the lives of 3 different families connected only by all living in the same small town and all supporters of Trump. He exposes deadly situations that are only too familiar to Americans the last few decades: guns, bad choices, drugs, child abuse, and perceived birth rights. All three stories are thought-provoking looks at our society and are beautifully written with excellent memorable characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alfred A Knopf Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

This book is comprised of three dark short stories/novellas written by the late Russell Banks. He passed away in 2023; a loss to American literature. The stories all take place in Sam Dent, a once bustling, now forgotten, decaying town in upstate New York.

My reaction after reading the first story was “Wow…Just wow.” What a great writer. Banks captures well the struggles of people who feel marginalized, the culture that has made a cult hero out of a con man former entertainer and president of the United States and the hate and vitriol that characterizes our current social/political climate as well as the devastating effects of that vitriol.

While the title American Spirits refers to the brand of cigarettes smoked by some of the characters, it of course is a metaphor for so much more. While reading about the sometimes horrors of everyday life may not be for everyone, I think I may have already found my favorite book of 2024.

Thanks to #netgalley and @aaknopf for the ARC.

Yall. This one was interesting and kept me hooked from page one to the end. I am so thankful to aaknopf, Russell Banks, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for granting me advanced audio and digital access to this read before it hits shelves on March 5, 2024.

Russell Banks takes listeners and readers on a ride of all rides as he narrates three true crime stories... at least, I'm sure they're based on true stories. I recognized the second one as the terrible case of The Hart family, where a pair of women adopted five black children from "abused" households and only neglected and abused them more, leaving their neighbors too concerned for their well-being.

Throughout this selection, themes of American politics, greed, and pride come through to note how such emotions often result in heartbreak, loss, and even death. Strap in and buckle up, because you're in for a ride.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, for an advance copy of this collection of short works about a small town in Upstate New York, from an author who wrote about America as it really was, full of pain, sadness, regret, ignorance, and worst of all lost hope.

Russell Banks was a writer with a rare gift, and a love for characters that others tend to omit, ignore, or write about only during election season. Banks wrote of Americans, doing ok, sometimes not. Of fathers who tried and failed, and of sons coming to grips with their place in life, or daughters just getting out to safe themselves. Little people, like a bus driver involved in a horrible accident, and an American hero to some, villain to others, John Brown in Cloudsplitter. Banks, wrote characters who were always just trying to get by, things just went wrong, and unfortunately humans are just humans, and there is nothing one can do. American Spirits is a collection of 3 stories, set in upstate New York, in the recent past, and dealing with politics, freedoms, families, failures and of course human frailty.

The books three stories take place in the same area of Upstate New York, and while some characters appear or are mentioned, they are not interlinked. All feature characters that have a clear plan, and a want for a life that is better than what they have now, its just that reality keeps getting in the way. Nowhere Man is about a family that has come into a bit of luck. Selling a plot of land and being able to pay off the mortgage, add a possible addition, and keep things going the way they are going. Except the land is now being used by a guy from New Jersey, to train either his high-tech security force, or his militia, depending on politics. Homeschooling is about two families living close together. One family is unconventional, which is confounding to the second family, and strains relations. Especially when the children keep saying that odd things are going on at home. The last is the Kidnapped, which tells of a couple who are taken to Canada by associates of their grandson, for money missing in a drug deal. This one sounds the most noirish, but is actually a deep look at family pain, trauma, and guilt.

American Spirits is also the name of the cigarettes smoked by some of the characters, a showing of the cancer that seems so present in our society, that only seems to be metastasizing. These are characters one really doesn't read or see, except maybe when politicians need votes. Ones who will knit hats for soldiers being deployed, while their lives slowly keep sliding down a hill they don't understand. Some are of the everyone's fault but me school, but deep down inside these characters don't understand why things are happening to them. In Kidnapped the couple was so proud of their son joining the army after 9/11 for God and country, but God took their son home, and left them with a Grandson they didn't understand. And years later left them with more problems. The first story, the owner of the house blames all them liberals, but not President Trump, for listening to all them guns going off at all hours. There are a lot of extremes in these stories. And confusion about what is right, or even how to make things right.

Recommended as Russell Banks was a great writer and his last works should be celebrated. Highly also recommend The Sweet Hereafter, Affliction and Foregone, one I don't think gets enough attention, but one I really enjoyed. This might not be a book for everyone since many read to escape reality, but one would be doing oneself a disservice.

I am not a fan of this book because I'm not sure how it all came together. It seemed like one story started and ended abruptly and the next did the same thing. It was just confusing.

Three interrelated short stories taking place in a rural fictional town in upstate New York. I liked how the stories focused on conservative blue color Trump supporters. Not a storyline you see often in literature. I found the first 2 stories very compelling and enjoyed the writing style. The third story was not as compelling.