Empire Falls by Richard Russo

In a dying town with no hope left, those at the Empire Grill still have faith. Miles Roby is a nobody fry cook with a deteriorating family and a failing business. HE and his friends get by on barley making ends meet but its the company of each other that keep them together. While reading this book I felt like I too was in the conversation. This book felt very "homey" and had a very relaxed feeling about it. The immense character portrayals bring them to life while the author puts them in everyday scenarios. This book was filled with thought and meaning; a quote that really spoke to me was, "Who, after all, arrives at his heart's home at the end of the day? Even this day, who can say that the next will bring joy?... or comfort?... or justice?... or release?... or an end to care? Lives are like rivers... eventually they go where they must... not where we want them to". I feel like this quote closely sums up American Literature in my eyes. It speaks of destiny, fate and the choices you make in life and how they effect your future. It makes you think if we do have the power to change the future, and if so how. The author throws these thought provoking questions at you that actually apply to your life in a way no book has done before, for me at least. This book goes up there for one of my favorite books of all time.