The three loosely interconnected stories which comprise "American Spirits" -- a powerful final collection by Russell Banks who passed away at the beginning of 2023 -- are timely and bleak. Having read this author for decades, I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of this book which will be released in early March of 2024,

These stories--all linked through the incorporated town of Sam Dent, NY--speak directly to our current political divisiveness, the legacy of violence and misuse of power that brought us here, and the fallout from a growing distrust in the government. It speaks to the powers of violence and hopelessness in the lives of a handful of people within an insulated town, The stories are dark and violent, acting as wonderful character studies of people who grow disillusioned with their lives, the pride of family roots, the fragility of egos, and the lengths people will go to in defense of their beliefs.

The stories are rife with flawed characters, people in the wrong place at the wrong time, people who begin an endeavor with good intentions only to end in tragedy, and people with secrets to hide. I cannot add quotes to the review, but the language and imagery were, as always, powerfully Banks and he is a writer who will be deeply missed. Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

Interesting take on American relationship and ideals. I liked some of the plot lines but most of them were meh.

"American Spirits" is a quick read, but one that I've thought about repeatedly since I finished. The three short stories take place in the same small town and vaguely reference each other at certain points, but beyond sharing the same location, the only common thread between them is that all three casts of characters were 2016 Trump voters. Their ages, education, backgrounds, economic tier, and political motivations are varied but the characters are all well written and fully fleshed out.

These stories are compelling but not pleasant. The characters suffer for their choices, and nearly all of them are brought down by their own "pride and vanity", as one of the characters comes to realize in the final vignette. They believe themselves to be exceptional and have a tendency to judge and fear those who they view as different. The first person narrator is an unidentified resident of the same small town, with the friendly but detached tone of someone sharing town gossip. It's eventually implied that he may live in the home formerly occupied by one of the families.

I think the title "American Spirits" is a reflection of those things that haunt us as a culture. Not just pride and vanity, but economic inequality, glorification of violence, and the (sometimes public) vilification of those we disagree with. One of the stories is actually based on true events that occurred several years ago, which makes me wonder if the others were also inspired by news stories. (Or maybe just town gossip.)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Three stories of entirely different characters from opposite walks of life connected by a rural town in New York. Each struggles with the day-to-day hostilities that have now appeared at their doorsteps and tries to deal with the tragedies that are becoming the norm.

While I enjoyed each story, I felt the second one, in particular, was a little too on the nose. Mirroring a similar tragedy that occurred a few years back, it was almost boring to read as I already knew what to expect.

Overall this was a well-written novel. Each character was dark and mysterious, with some grit, which I enjoyed. And with the political undertones, really set the stage for understanding each character’s quirks and their train of thought.

The publisher provided ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

You could spend your entire life watching TV commentators heatedly trying to explain US politics, and, pathetically, many specimens will do just that. For anyone seeking an actual understanding of the way their fellow Americans live now, Russell Banks' new single-volume trilogy of novellas, "American Spirit," provides an insightful and disturbing study, in addition to being an important and, I expect, enduring work of art.

It's accepted that 21st Century forces such as technology, gun-fetishism, diminished economic opportunities, and gradual, creeping madness have deformed the American spirit, and it's observable that the Covid pandemic sped the mutation process. Banks zeroes in on everyday characters and contemporary situations in the northernmost parts of the Empire State of New York, and interweaves his protagonists across centuries of natural history. The effect is remarkable.

His observations are simply stated, darkly pessimistic, and unflinchingly persuasive. Three centuries of American life may be divided into three phases, and the inevitable final one, in Banks' telling, is a story of decline and fall. His mythical upstate village of Sam Dent is firmly in its end-phase, with implications for the townsfolk and, come to think of it, their countrymen. There's a matter-of-factness to Banks' depictions of everyday violence, crushed souls and broken spirits that he juxtaposes against natural settings including the ever-terrifying Ausable Chasm. He writes: "With the passage of time, a forest primeval becomes a modern woods, and native people are replaced by locals, first growth gets displaced by second and third growth, overstory by understory, towering oak and chestnut trees are replaced by shrubby alder, scrub pine and poplar."

In his blistering account, fentanyl addiction, poverty, slaughtering thy neighbor with gunfire, MAGA, and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (referred to but unnamed) are all as inevitable and American as once were baseball, apple pie, and Chevrolet. That is tragic, and it reflects a brutal natural order. Banks died prior to this book's publication, and American Spirits ends his prodigious and worthy career on an elegiac note. It's well worth purchasing, and highly recommended. I thank NetGalley for making this masterpiece available prior to its 2024 publication.

Just wow! This was my first Russell Banks novel, and I'm not sure why I've never discovered his books previously. This heartbreaking story will rip your guts out - in a good way. The three interlocking stories give stark, painful look at one small town in upstate New York. It's hard to categorize this book as the 3 stories touch on so many topics - political polarization, income inequality, drug use, and more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the Kindle ARC. This was the first book I've read by Russell Banks and I was stunned by his writing and by the fact that I had not read any of his other books. American Spirits is a book in three stories, all set in the fictional town of Sam Dent in upstate New York. Each story is devasting in its own way and while the stories don't have the same characters they are interwoven perfectly. I preferred the first two stories to the third but once I got into the third story, it became interesting also. I don't know who I could compare Banks' writing to but I'll add more of his titles to my to-read list for certain.

Initially, I was drawn to this book by its captivating cover, and the intriguing description provided just enough information to pique my interest. I downloaded the book but didn't start reading it immediately, leading to a short gap between getting it and starting it. However, when I finally began reading, I was pleasantly surprised to find three short stories within. I had forgotten about this, and as I reached the end of the first story, I felt a momentary pause and a tinge of sadness that it was over. Nonetheless, I was impressed with how the story evoked such strong emotions in such a concise format. The writing was skillful, and the pacing was just right. The theme of family ties made the story relatable, and the emotions of rage, embarrassment, fear, guilt, and regret hit hard.

As I moved on to the next story, I found it equally engaging. The concept of the second story kept me guessing, and I couldn't help but create various possibilities in my mind, immersing myself in the town's environment. The story continually surprised me with new developments, making it even more intriguing. The relatability factor was evident again, as many of us have had that mysterious neighbor whose life we yearn to know more about, even if we don't interact with them directly. This short story succeeded in making me feel like I knew these characters as if they were my neighbors.

The final story, while still enjoyable, became my least favorite of the three. It had its unique qualities, but it felt somewhat predictable and didn't leave as lasting an impression as the others. Nevertheless, I must stress that this is purely my personal opinion, and had it been the first of the three stories, I might not have noticed these minor shortcomings as much. I understand the challenge of interlocking the stories, and despite this small critique, the overall reading experience remained thrilling.

Russel Banks skillfully weaved three stories together in subtle yet meaningful ways in "American Spirits," resulting in an engaging read. Each story had me invested, and while I anticipated having a favorite, it's reasonable that one of them didn't resonate as strongly. In fact, it's rare for me to find an author whose consecutive works are all homeruns, and Banks has truly impressed me. Although these stories were short, I couldn't help but wonder about the possibilities if they were full-length novels. I regret not discovering Banks' talent sooner, and I can confidently say that his work will be missed.

American Spirits is actually three interwoven stories based on Bank's fictitious small town "Sam Dent" located in New York State. Banks has features a few stories in the rural almost American-West small town an this is a perfect place to set tragic stories.

In all three, Banks has set the protagonist up to make a choice - in all situations in fact, they have multiple opportunities to NOT choose incorrectly. But much like an out of control car, a runaway shopping cart, a rolling avalanche...the dice had rolled and the choices are made. I was holding my breath as each story neared the end, wanting to look away from the consequences but unable to stop myself from reading.

The stories remind me of the some of the great literature we read in school - the short stories that would stay with you FOREVER. I don't think I will forget these characters or what transpired. Truly wonderful work! If you love a short story, or interconnected theme or maybe you are a Banks fan and just want to see how Sam Dent is faring, American Spirits is for you! #Knopf #Pantheon #Vintage #AmericanSpirits #Ruleofthebone #RussellBanks #Netgalley

I really enjoyed how the 3 stories came together and connected with each other. Made it feel like a 3 part mini-series.
Each story was filled with the right amount of suspense and thrill to keep you invested and at times on the edge.
The author also figured out a way to mix in a touch of current politics without overdoing it and becoming preachy.