Archive for December 4, 2009

AMERICAN SALVAGE by Bonnie Jo Campbell

The story of the slow collapse of Michigan’s economy is well known by now. Built around the automotive industry and a core base of manufacturing, the economy started a slow decline as those manufacturing jobs moved out of state. The state now has an astounding unemployment rate of 14.8%.

The characters in AMERICAN SALVAGE, a memorable set of short stories nominated for the National Book Award this year, are all victims of the state’s slow decline. The author Bonnie Jo Campbell narrates stories in which some of the characters have taken to meth or alcohol while still others cling on to jobs that don’t pay much.

December 4, 2009 · Judi Clark · No Comments
Tags: , ,  Â· Posted in: 2009 National Book Award Finalist, 2009 NBA Finalist, Award Winning Author, Class - Race - Gender, Reading Guide, Short Stories, US Midwest