Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

Quantity:

More Buying Choices

22 used & new from �2.24

Have one to sell? Sell yours here

See larger image

Share your own customer images

Publisher: learn how customers can search inside this book.

Straight Man (Paperback)

by Richard Russo (Author)

5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

RRP:	�8.99
Price:	�6.99 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save:	�2.00 (22%)
	o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 4 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Wednesday, July 15? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details

15 new from �4.26 7 used from �2.24

Other Editions:	RRP:	Our Price:	Other Offers:
Hardcover			8 used & new from �10.14
Paperback			35 used & new from �1.73

Frequently Bought Together

Price For All Three: �20.97

Show availability and shipping details

This item: Straight Man by Richard Russo
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
Mohawk by Richard Russo
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Bridge of Sighs

by Richard Russo

4.4 out of 5 stars (7) �5.99

Nobody's Fool

by Richard Russo

5.0 out of 5 stars (5) �6.99

Empire Falls

by Richard Russo

4.9 out of 5 stars (7) �5.99

Mohawk

by Richard Russo

4.2 out of 5 stars (4) �6.99

The Risk Pool

by Richard Russo

4.7 out of 5 stars (3)

› Explore similar items

Product details

Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Vintage; New edition edition (4 Jun 1998)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0099376210
ISBN-13: 978-0099376217
Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 2.8 cm

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 82,489 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Product Description

Daily Telegraph
Funny and tender

Product Description
At age fifty, Professor William Henry Devereaux, Jr, has more than a mid-life crisis to deal with. As a child, his parents found him merely exasperating. As an adult, and interim chair of the English Department, he is careening out of control. Half in love with three women, unable to understand his daughter or come to terms with his father, Hank has a dangerous philosophy that life, even an academic life, could be simpler, and that endless discussions and negotiation might profitably be replaced by provocation or simple extortion. He is a man in thrall to the perversity principle. Packed with memorable characters and scenes of pure genius, "Straight Man" is exhilarating, hilarious and deeply moving - an unforgettable portrait of a middle aged man caught somewhere between cause and effect.

See all Product Description

Suggested Tags from Similar Products

(What's this?)

Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)

richard russo(2)

small town america(2)

american literature(1)

modern fiction(1)

clich� italy(1)

heartwarming(1)

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	68% buy the item featured on this page: Straight Man 5.0 out of 5 stars (2) �6.99
	14% buy Empire Falls 4.9 out of 5 stars (7) �5.99
	9% buy Bridge of Sighs 4.4 out of 5 stars (7) �5.99
	7% buy Nobody's Fool 5.0 out of 5 stars (5) �6.99

Explore similar items

Customer Reviews

2 Reviews

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

5.0 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)

Share your thoughts with other customers:

Create your own review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read it to Believe It, 25 May 2003

By	Bruce Kendall "BEK" (Southern Pines, NC) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

In STRAIGHT MAN, Russo performs a balancing act of surface playfulness combined with searing truths about life's missed opportunities and moments of quiet despair. Behind the one-liners and the buffoonery of Henry Devereux Jr.'s comic mask, exists an enigmatic, compassionate, troubled soul, whose personality disorder has been triggered by a single incident he shares with his mother when he is a young teen. His humorous guise is something he has created so as to safely retreat from the seperation anxiety that is his constant companion. To his friends and colleagues he is "Hank," easy to dismiss or to to ridicule, or in two instances, to physically attack (OK, three, if you count the goose!). Russo does a very subtle and masterful job of slowly developing the interior Henry Devereux Jr., however, and by the novel's end, the reader has been granted the full revelation of character and the whole man stands naked (figuritavely speaking) before us.

STRAIGHT MAN is definitely my recommendation of 2003, thus far. The funny bits are truly hysterical. The dramatic bits ring true to life. This certainly not just another humorous novel about Academia. It's as well written and well rounded as any novel I've read in recent years. I look forward with great anticipation to reading EMPIRE FALLS.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars His best book yet-pullitzer?, 3 Dec 2003

By	"debcat68" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Straight Man (Hardcover)

This is a typically wonderful Russo book, full of the love of comic human frailty and the understanding that some things "better left unsaid" are actually far better articulated and how! It is multi-layered and well worth a second and third read, a book forever.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 2 customer reviews...

.jsOffDisplayBlock { display: block; } .jsOffDisplayInline { display: inline; } .jsOffVisibility { visibility: visible; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayNoneBlock { display: block; } .jsOnDisplayNoneInline { display: inline; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; } .jsOnDisplayBlock { display: none; } .jsOnDisplayInline { display: none; } .jsOnVisibility { visibility: hidden; }

Customer Discussions

Beta (What's this?)

This product's forum (0 discussions)

	Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
	No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight

Start a new discussion

Topic:

First post:

Prompts for sign-in

[Cancel]

Guidelines

Active discussions in related forums

Discussion	Replies	Latest Post
fiction anyone read this book?	3	10 minutes ago
fiction Desperately seeking new author to adore...	57	1 hour ago
fiction how can you make a profit selling books on amazon?	11	1 hour ago
fiction Decently written books for a 16 year old girl...help?	21	1 hour ago
fiction 2nd hand books at over $2000?	0	3 hours ago
fiction Do you ever abandon reading a book?	62	4 hours ago
fiction looking for a erotic book that has a story as well!	16	7 hours ago

Related forums

fiction (398 discussions)

Listmania!

My Best Ever Reads: A list by J. Turner "Jan"
Books to keep boredom at bay: A list by Ms. Karen Stewart
Fast sellers, bestsellers and classics in the making: A list by NataliaBr "NataliaBr"

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Books > Fiction > By Period

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.

The Body Shop

Protect and boost your glow with The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost.

›Shop The Body Shop

More From Richard Russo

Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo

`Russo's state-of-the-nation novel is a complex read, but totally... Read more
£7.99 £5.99

We've Got Converse

Stock up on your favourite styles with great deals on Converse shoes.

›Shop Converse

Treat Someone

With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

Where's My Stuff?

track your recent orders
view or change your orders in Your Account

Delivery and Returns

see our delivery rates and policies
thinking of returning an item? (See our Returns Policy)

Need Help?

Forgot your password?
Buy Gift Certificates.
still have questions? Visit our Help Pages

Your Recent History

(What's this?)

You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.

Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

4.5 out of 5 stars (76)�3.86

Breaking Dawn (Twilight Saga) by Stephenie Meyer

4.1 out of 5 stars (464)�6.49

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

4.1 out of 5 stars (165)�3.99

The Host by Stephenie Meyer

4.2 out of 5 stars (84)�3.86


Amazon Home

International Sites: United States \| Germany \| France \| Japan \| Canada \| China

Business Programs: Sell on Amazon \| Fulfilment by Amazon \| Join Associates \| Join Advantage

Customer Service \| Help \| View Basket \| Your Account

About Amazon.co.uk \| Careers at Amazon


Amazon Home

International Sites: United States \| Germany \| France \| Japan \| Canada \| China

Business Programs: Sell on Amazon \| Fulfilment by Amazon \| Join Associates \| Join Advantage

Customer Service \| Help \| View Basket \| Your Account

About Amazon.co.uk \| Careers at Amazon