Bad Luck, Bad Choices

Richard Russo, the 77-year-old novelist, once likened himself to a bullshitter, not a writer, in a 2025 interview. His father, Jim, a highway worker with little interest in books, instilled this habit in his son, Richard, by sharing tales of his job from day to day. Russo's experiences with his father shaped his perspective on storytelling, a skill he later honed during his M.F.A. program at the University of Arizona.

Russo's novels, published since 1986, feature men with few gifts, navigating an economy that doesn't reward them. His most famous work, the North Bath trilogy, explores the lives of its flawed characters, whose humor comes from their foibles, not formal innovation. Russo's latest novel, Under the Falls, presents a stark contrast to his past work, featuring young characters and a protagonist who is rich and honest.

The novel delves into the lives of those who, despite their wealth, choose paths that compound their misfortunes. Russo's recurring theme is the relationship between bad luck and bad choices, with his emblematic figure, Donald "Sully" Sullivan, representing this idea. Sully, a handyman with a bum knee, never had extra money until his old age, when he finally made something of his life.