Title: America America
Author: Ethan Canin
First published June 24, 2008
458 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780679456803 (ISBN10: 0679456805)
Rating: 3.67
Overview
Ethan Canin’s America America is a breathtaking novel that takes us on a journey through time, exploring the complexities of family, politics, and tragedy in America. Set in a small town during Nixon’s era, the novel follows the life of Corey Sifter, the son of working-class parents who becomes a yard boy for the powerful Metarey family.
Through the family’s generosity, Corey receives an education at a private boarding school and becomes an aide to the great New York Senator Henry Bonwiller, who is running for President of the United States. As Corey becomes involved with one of the Metarey daughters, he finds himself leaving behind his humble beginnings.
But as the Bonwiller campaign gains momentum, Corey becomes entangled in a web of loyalty, politics, sex, and gratitude that conflict with morality, love, and the truth. America America is a poignant exploration of how vanity, greatness, and tragedy combine to shape the course of history and the fate of individuals.
About the Author
Ethan Canin is a highly respected novelist and short story writer, known for his breathtaking and stunning works such as Emperor of the Air and The Palace Thief, respectively. He has also written wise and beautiful novels like Carry Me Across the Water and epic masterpieces like America America.
His short stories have been the basis for four Hollywood movies and have been published in various magazines, including The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, Esquire, and The Paris Review. They have also been featured in numerous prize anthologies.
Growing up, Canin lived in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and California. He attended Stanford University, the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and Harvard Medical School before ultimately choosing to pursue a career in writing and teaching instead of medicine.
He is now a professor of English at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where he has had the honor of teaching many talented new writers. In his free time, he is slowly renovating two old houses, one located in the woods of northern Michigan and the other in Iowa City, where he resides with his wife, three children, and four chickens.
Editoral Review
America America by Ethan Canin is a literary masterpiece that explores the American experience through the eyes of a young man named Corey Sifter. Canin is an accomplished author who has published several critically acclaimed novels and short stories.
His writing style is characterized by vivid imagery, elegant prose, and complex characters who struggle with the human condition. Set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement, America America tells the story of Corey Sifter, a bright and ambitious young man from a working-class family in upstate New York.
He is fascinated by the world of politics and aspires to be a part of the American dream. He lands a job as an assistant to a charismatic politician named Henry Bonwiller, who becomes his mentor and father figure.
Corey soon realizes that the world of politics is not as idealistic as he had imagined. He witnesses acts of corruption, betrayal, and deceit that shake his faith in the American dream.
Meanwhile, he falls in love with a beautiful young woman named Erica, who shares his aspirations but has a troubled past. The novel is a rich tapestry of themes, characters, and conflicts that reflect the complexity of the American experience.
Canin explores issues such as class, race, power, and the role of the individual in society. He also portrays the generational divide between Corey’s parents and the young idealists who are fighting for change.
Canin’s writing is masterful and his characters are deeply human. Corey is a sympathetic protagonist who struggles to find his place in the world.
Bonwiller is a complex figure who embodies both the best and worst of American politics. Erica is a tragic figure who represents the toll of societal pressures on individuals.
One of the strengths of America America is its historical and cultural significance. Canin captures the zeitgeist of the late 1960s and early 1970s, a time of immense change and turmoil in America.
He also sheds light on some of the enduring issues that continue to shape American politics and society today. The novel is not without its flaws, however.
At times, the plot feels disjointed and meandering, with too many subplots and characters vying for attention. Some of the secondary characters are underdeveloped and feel like caricatures.
Despite these flaws, America America is an important and compelling novel that will resonate with readers who are interested in the American experience. It is a poignant reminder that the struggles we face as a society are not new, and that we must strive to overcome them with compassion and understanding.
I would highly recommend America America to anyone who loves literary fiction, historical fiction, or political fiction. It is a beautifully written novel that will inspire and provoke deep reflection.
I give it a rating of 4 out of 5 stars for its rich themes, memorable characters, and masterful prose.
