ABOUT THIS BOOK
Set in a beautiful but economically devastated Pennsylvania steel town, American Rust is a novel of the lost American dream and the desperation—as well as the acts of friendship, loyalty, and love—that arise from its loss. From local bars to trainyards to prison, it is the story of two young men, bound to the town by family, responsibility, inertia, and the beauty around them, who dream of a future beyond the factories and abandoned homes.
Left alone to care for his aging father after his mother commits suicide and his sister escapes to Yale, Isaac English longs for a life beyond his hometown. But when he finally sets out to leave for good, accompanied by his temperamental best friend, former high school football star Billy Poe, they are caught up in a terrible act of violence that changes their lives forever.
Evoking John Steinbeck’s novels of restless lives during the Great Depression, American Rust takes us into the contemporary American heartland at a moment of profound unrest and uncertainty about the future. It is a dark but lucid vision, a moving novel about the bleak realities that battle our desire for transcendence and the power of love and friendship to redeem us.
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Phillipp Meyer takes up right into the restlessness of the book from the first page, the first sentence even. We are introduced to Isaac, who’s mom has been dead for five years and he can not stop thinking about her. He has stayed home, passing on college to take care of his paraplegic father but stirs for something more… this is the passion that starts American Rust rolling page by page into what was meant to be an adventure and turned into something much more.
Isaac likes to do things, lets say the adventurous way not necessarily the easy way, or in many cases even the right way. Along with his friend Poe, they find themselves deep into a murder that becomes quite interesting due to twists and turns such as the Police Chief is having an affair with Poe’s mom. And this is just one example of how the plot of American Rust ripples through the small town.
It took me a while to get into the rhythm in which this book flows. Phillipp has a way with words and a certain method to his writing that I found at times harsh (the strong language was not a plus for me) and at other times refreshing ( for a first time author, heck for any author, Phillipp really can paint an intriguing picture using words that brought me into the action).
I agree when they say this book evokes the restlessness of John Steinbeck’s novels of restless lives during the depression. Restless is a great word to use to describe the characters that bring this book to life and I would expect this book to make its way into the Classics of tomorrow.
Philipp Meyer grew up in Baltimore, dropped out of high school, and got his GED when he was sixteen. After spending several years volunteering at a trauma center in downtown Baltimore, he attended Cornell University, where he studied English. Since graduating, Meyer has worked as a derivatives trader at UBS, a construction worker, and an EMT, among other jobs. His writing has been published in McSweeney’s, The Iowa Review, Salon.com, and New Stories from the South. From 2005 to 2008 Meyer was a fellow at the Michener Center for Writers in Austin, Texas. He splits his time between Texas and upstate New York.
Yes – I had mentioned a giveaway!
I have one copy of this book to give away to one person who leaves a comment on this review leaving me the name of your favorite classic read.
Giveaway is open to USA and Canada – ends February 17
That’s it!
This review copy of this book came from TLC Book Tours
The Tour stops for American Rust:
Monday, January 18th: Literary Feline
Tuesday, January 19th: Book Club Classics!
Wednesday, January 20th: A Circle of Books
Thursday, January 21st: One Person’s Journey Through a World of Books
Tuesday, January 26th: Luxury Reading
Thursday, January 28th: Ready When You Are, CB
Tuesday, February 2nd: Rough Edges
Thursday, February 4th: Bibliophile by the Sea
Monday, February 8th: Bibliofreak
Tuesday, February 9th: Becky’s Book Reviews
Thursday, February 11th: The 3 R’s Blog
Friday, February 12th: Beth Fish Reads
Thursday, February 18th: So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Book Journey 
I love The Great Gatsby
I really loved To Kill a Mockingbird. I read it for the first time this year and think it’ll be a yearly read for me.
Maybe because I grew up in Illinois and love rivers, my favorite classic is Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi. Actually I should read anything by Mark Twain in a soundproof room so no one hears my roars of laughter. Now I live in Pennsylvania which has a rich history I’m gradually learning.
My Favorite Classic Read Is Pride And Prejudice By Jane Austen.
Great Review, The Book Sounds Really Great And I Would Love To Be Considered For This Giveaway.
Thanks for the great review. It’s hard to choose just one classic….but mine would be a toss-up between The Good Earth and To Kill a Mockingbird.
I’d love to win this book.
thanks for this great giveaway. My favorite classic is Rebecca.
I haven’t really read much about this book, but the setting intrigues me. The town I grew up in here in Indiana had a big steel plant that employed a large number of people. When it went out, it left the city hurting, though not devastated as we had other large employers.
I don’t know if I have one favorite classic, but I love Jane Austen’s books, Great Expectations, David Copperfield, and everything those above me have mentioned 🙂
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net
My favorite classics include Pride and Prejudice & Little Women. Both have incredible female heroines!
this book has me intrigued!!
I love To Kill a Mockingbird and read it about every year and a half.
OH! My favorite is To Kill a Mockingbird.Loved the book and the movie.
This book sounds very interesting and I would love to enter :0)
Thank you!
nataliew2(at)gmail(dot)com
I love To Kill a Mockingbird and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
mittens0831 at aol dot com
Ana Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. It’s a classic to me.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
Steel City in Pennsylvania? Would that be Pittsburgh? Or one of the others? That is really neat as that would be close to my home. Sounds cool!
Pride and Prejudice is my hands down favorite but I also liked The Good Earth
I really liked Atlas Shrugged…although I read it so long ago, I should pick it up again. I see that To Kill a Mockingbird has been on some list…that’s another one I reall liked.
I like Great Expectations the most.
My favorite classic is Ethan Frome. I’ve read it a few times and get something new out of it every time.
Interesting review. Restless is a great way to describe the characters in this book (I finished it myself a few nights ago!) Thanks so much for the time you put into reading and reviewing American Rust. It is greatly appreciated!
Very nice review. I like the term restless applied to the characters. No need to enter me.
Little Women is a favorite for me.
A super giveaway, I would love to win
a copy.
This one sounds interesting, but I’m not a big fan of either John Steinbeck or harsh language, so not sure if it would be for me.
Did enjoy your review, and I like seeing everyone’s favorite classics. My favorite would have to be Pride & Prejudice, just because it started me down the road of being a serious book lover.
Please enter me in the contest and I’ll leave it up to fate if I should read this or not. 🙂
a tree grows in brooklyn thanks
Of Mice and Men. This book really intrigues me
Pride and Prejudice is my favorite.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
Hmmm. Favorite classic, huh? That’s not an easy one . . . today I pick IVANHOE by Sir Walter Scott. That was a lot of fun.
Thanks for the chance to read AMERICAN RUST – I’m sure it’s a far cry from IVANHOE!
Hi gwendolyn! I have not read IVANHOE I will have to look that one up! 🙂
My favorite Classic read is Of Mice and Men
jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com
My favorite classic would be Little Women. There’s something so comforting and familiar about that book! 🙂
My favorite classic is “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London. I’ve read it many times and never tire of the story.
I loved Catcher in the Rye
My favorite classic reads are REBECCA by Daphne du Maurier and LAST OF THE MOHICANS by James Fenimore Cooper. They both give a special feel of a time and place.
I enjoyed Ann of Green Gables as a classic.
My favorite classic is a touch one. Maybe The Scarlet Letter; I loved all of the symbolism.
My favorite classic would be Little Women.Please enter me in the giveaway.augustlily06(at)aim(dot)com.Thank you.
my favorite classic would be The Good Earth
I’ve always loved Brave New World
nfmgirl AT gmail dOT com
My favorite is Gone With The Wind. This book sounds very interesting. I would love to read it. Please enter me. Thanks!
ayancey(at)dishmail(dot)net
To Kill a Mockingbird – without a doubt
Thanks for the chance!
I’d love this book.
Count me in. Thanks
My favorite book is Ragtime by EL Doctorow. 🙂
My favorite classic book is Les Miserables. Everytime I read it, I discover something new!
My favorite classic read (hard to choose!) would be anything by Gene Stratton Porter but especially The Keeper of the Bees. At least today it’s my favorite! 🙂
heather y
click4cash4me@gmail.com
I would have to say my favorite classic read is anything Steinbeck possibly Cannery Row being my most favorite.
Thanks for the chance!
rubymoonstone at gmail dot com
My favorite classic novel is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Please enter me in this giveaway!
My favorite classic read is Little Women followed by Pride & Prejudice.