American Spirits by Russel Banks is not the kind of book you “like,” it is the kind of book you think about and react to, the kind of book you want to talk about with a friend or a group, because the stories are touch on some of the biggest issues of our modern society - guns, drugs, violence, economic inequality, and the ways we treat those who hold different political views from our own. I think my biggest problem with this book was the way the stories were told - by an omniscient narrator well after the fact - which took away some of the emotional impact. Intriguing. Dark. Highly readable and disturbing.

Thornton Wilder gave us Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire and Russell Banks gives us Sam Dent, New York. Both communities are small, rural, and isolated. Considering the three stories in Banks’ AMERICAN SPIRITS in the light of Wilder’s OUR TOWN, however, one can’t help but speculate on how the passage of time has warped our vision of America. On one hand, we have stories that focus on the comfortable quotidian, while on the other the stories force us to ponder the darkness that seems to pervade the scene today.

Sam Dent is a community founded on optimistic land speculation following the revolutionary war, but the Banks’ stories seem to suggest that the American experiment may be floundering and clearly facing existential threats.

Hostility leading to tragedy underlies each story. In “Nowhere Man” a man sells a piece of property to a survivalist who has plans to turn it into a training camp for right wing activists. It is not surprising that guns and toxic masculinity ensue with predictable tragic consequences. “Homeschooling” seems to be based on actual events recently reported in the news. A lesbian couple have adopted four at risk African American children. The women’s strangeness and stories told by their children raise the suspicions of the neighbors who intervene resulting in yet another tragedy. The back porch gossip in the Wilder play is now replaced by social media. The final novella (“Kidnapped”) is a dark story with a tangled plot involving drug deals, guns, revenge, kidnapping, and murder. This one is a little less believable than the other two, mainly because the characters seem to be untethered to reality. I think making some of the main characters descendants of the original founders of the village is revealing, however, as it suggests just how far off the rails we may have come.

Banks’ vision of America seems dark and pessimistic, yet his talent for storytelling clearly is on display in all three novellas. Despite their unrelenting darkness, these are suspenseful and compelling stories of 21st century America worthy of the late Russell Banks.

Ever since the early fame of "Continental Drift" through "Affliction" (which was adapted into an Oscar-winning film) and last year's search for a paradisiacal sense of Americana in "The Magic Kingdom," Russell Banks has been on the Mount Rushmore of living North American storytellers alongside the likes of Atwood, Robinson, Irving, and McCarthy. "American Spirits" is an elegant, compelling legacy left by one of the G.O.A.T.S. He will be missed.

These three stories took my breath away! Wow! Wow! Wow! Russell Banks will be missed. These stories will haunt you.

I haven't had great luck with Russell Banks writing in the past, although I'm always intrigued by his concepts and so give his books a try despite rarely finding myself connecting with them. Unfortunately, this book held true to that tradition for me. Despite a really interesting idea and a fantastic cover, I just couldn't find my way into this one. His writing style just doesn't resonate with me and I find his characterizations difficulty connect with also. This one just wasn't a good fit for me.

This was wildly depressing, but in a good way. I really was into the storylines, and wanted to get to know these people better. He did a great job of developing his characters.

Three short stories are connected by northeastern conservatives in a city named, Sam Dent, after the founder of this small town in upper state New York.

“Nowhere Man” is about a man who sells 320 acres after his father dies for $250,000 to be split between his siblings. He didn’t realize that the buyer would be building a security training camp for militant extremists on this land with no trespassing for hunters.

“Homeschooling” is about two lesbian mothers who raise four Black adopted children from Texas. They think they know best on how to educate them but the neighbors aren’t so sure this is working.

“Kidnapped” is about grandparents who are taken captive to Canada for drug money. Will they be released?

The three short stories are well written which sparks a lot of emotional feelings. The characters and settings take you right there. However, the author mentioned “Trump” in each one which leaves a good or bad impression to readers who either love or dislike the former president.

The stories make us more aware of difficult-to-solve problems with ordinary folks in America. I imagine, that’s why Russell Banks wrote these before he passed in January, 2023 hoping that we could learn from them. He was a great storyteller and will be missed.

My thanks to Alfred A. Knopf and NetGalley for allowing me to read an early copy of this book with a release date of March 5, 2024.

There are not many authors, who can write a book such as this, and make it so wonderful. He truly is an American treasurer, and I look forward to many more books by him.

In three very loosely connected novellas, there is a low-level threat underlying each compelling story—not traditional suspense, but a tension and this sense that you, the reader, should keep on your toes because there is probably not going to be a happy ending.

What connects the stories primarily is the setting: A fictional rural town in upstate New York. More than one character has a MAGA hat, and, while conceding that Trump isn’t perfect, there’s a sense that even though he’s a lunatic, he’s a lunatic who is on *their* side—the side of the regular Joe who is white and owns more than one gun.

I enjoyed this book. It’s the first I’ve read by Russell Banks and was sorry to read about his passing.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES MARCH 5, 2024.

Russell Banks is an amazing writer. His latest is a collection of very loosely connected short stories that reflect politics and relationships in a small town in upstate New York. A mysterious stranger moves in on the property next door, a secretive family may be abusing their children, an elderly couple gets kidnapped. Every story is completely engrossing. I practically read this book in one sitting. One warning though -- these stories are sad, depressing, gut wrenching. This would be a great "book club" book. There's so much to discuss, although another warning -- the current political climate is a vital piece of these stories, so discussions could be problematic. This book is one that will stick with a reader for a long time.

"American Spirits" by Russell Banks presents three dark and interlocking tales that revolve around the residents of a rural town in New York. The stories delve into the lives of the townspeople and the shocking headlines that transform into local mythologies.

In the first tale, a husband sells property to a mysterious and temperamental stranger, sparking controversy and social media scrutiny when he questions the man's character publicly. The second tale revolves around a couple's growing concern about a mysterious family that moves in next door, with their children seeking help from the neighbors. The third narrative follows the kidnapping of an elderly couple by dangerous criminals who blackmail their grandson, demanding repayment of a debt.

The novel explores the suspenseful and thrilling dynamics within a community, shedding light on the hostile undercurrents in American politics and the impact of local tragedies on both a devastating and everyday level. Russell Banks, celebrated for his storytelling, crafts a compelling narrative that delves into the complexities of small-town life, human relationships, and the broader socio-political landscape. "American Spirits" promises to be an expertly crafted exploration of the intricate fabric of American fiction.

What an interesting set of short stories! I really enjoyed seeing things from a vastly different perspective than my own. Growing up on the East coast and being familiar with some of the people that shares similar mindsets as the main characters has definitely helped me better understand that life is never just one moment in time. It's a collection of moments that culminate together to bring people to the edge.

10/10 would highly recommend!!

Russell Banks, always a favorite, caps his legacy with this series of three linked, dark tales, all set in a small town in upper New York state, just across the Canadian border. Each story has a counterpart from the headlines, familiar to anyone cognizant and curious about, say, the, to many, unlikely ascent of the popularity of Donald Trump. So sorry to learn of his recent death, meaning that there won't be any more of his cleareyed insights.

American Spirits is a slice of small-town America at the current time, but it's also a look at how communities are shaped by the tragic stories of those around us. These three stories stand alone, but they also connect to create a larger picture.

What struck me in each story was the way that good intentions, or general goodness, is not enough for the forces we're up against--random acts, the bad intentions of others, the misunderstandings and missteps that have tragic consequences in our lives.

[ (Spoiler: the second story immediately reminded me of Sarah and Jennifer Hart, and the murders of their adopted children, and I feel that readers should be aware it was based on a true story.) (hide spoiler)]

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest, original review.

I've never been good at reviewing short stories, because I always feel like I'll give away everything and say too much. So for this trio of stories, succinctly summarized in the descriptions here, I will only say that they are complusively readable commentaries on American society and how we see and treat each other. Absolutely worth the read.

Watch for Russell Banks latest coming this March! "American Spirits", soars as a dark, tale of families living in an upstate New York town. He brings family dynamics, history of the town and stunning use of language together in three tales of altering times and values as reflected in these stories of a changing America. These characters struggle to make sense of their world and their place in it with tragic outcomes. An extraordinary read!

Russell Banks is a frankly underrated American treasure and so is this book (though hopefully less so the underrated part!). I sped through this collection in a day, both because the writing was so compelling and because I was curious as to how the stories would wind up connecting. The location is so specific and so well depicted, and one I was not familiar with - I love NYC stories but have seen far less stories set upstate. Highly recommended!

Interesting concept. Three stories all based in the same small town at different times. Each story is interesting on its own yet tied to the others by location. The stories are well-written and easy to follow yet still intriguing enough to keep you reading. Definitely enjoyed the book!

All three stories in this book take place in a fictional upstate New York town that skews heavily towards the right end of the political spectrum. The first 2 primarily deal with what happens to moderately conservative families when they come up against extremists. And it doesn't go well. All three veer sharply into non-supernatural horror stories that try to deal with "average" people's struggles with the culture of guns, drugs, personal property rights, religion and more. I'm not sure I enjoyed the stories per se, but they did make me think. The initial story about the family wanting to hunt on once family owned land was particularly brutal and successful at confronting feelings of rights about guns and property and the changing cultural landscape of rural communities
Thanks to NetGalley for the advance review copy

These stories are exceptional. I am always impressed with Banks and these are the types of stories that will be remembered long after finishing them. Dark and often violent, these stories offer a hard look at the current state of America through the lens of the small town of Sam Dent. While I enjoyed all three, I will say that I found the second one a little distracting/offputting since it mirrors (to an almost alarming degree) an actual news event with little added to it except for a change of location. It is very well done but I just found it unsettling how it felt more like a report on the actual event than fiction.