Father and Son Paperback – 5 Feb. 1998

This is powerful stuff and superbly written. Larry Brown writes in a way that compels you to fall deep into the scene he sets. You can feel the Mississippi heat rising as the days progress...when the rains come it brings sweet relief. You can smell the coffee perking and the biscuits frying, and the whisky-breathed main antagonist Glen Davis as he spends his first days of freedom back in his home county after 3 years incarceration. We follow the compact cast of characters as a path of destruction unfolds...This novel will stay with me for a very long time. So glad I've discovered Larry Brown's writing.

I loved this book. It was like carrying a friend around with me. Great story and superb characters. Highly recommend.

This outstanding book made me very tired at work. I stayed up late for three nights in a row reading it. I simply could not put it down! The characters were interesting, and Mr. Brown did an amazing job bringing out their personalities, both good and bad. You see the ugly side of the South, and the dark side of people as you journey through the story written so beautifully. I am now anxiously awaiting the next three Larry Brown novels I have ordered. An excellent read, more than worth the money!

As a lover of both books and literature, I tend to designate my favorite authors in two camps. Those who TELL me a story. And those who put me INTO the story. The first can be an enjoyable, if at times unfocused experience. The second is such a rarity (at least for me) that each time it happens I'm in a a state of euphoria, as the author takes me by the hand and introduces me to the characters in his world. Alas, most of these authors are one-hit-wonders (again, speaking from my own experience). Such as Marjorie Keenan Rawlings' "The Yearling". Or Larry McMurty's "Lonesome Dove". Then there are the authors who turn this magical trick multiple times! For me, this short list includes Stephen King, Pat Conroy, George Pelecanos, and now Larry Brown. I tend to be a slow reader who likes to savor each book like a good wine. But some books defy you to put them down. I read "Father and Son" in two long sittings. The characters are richly defined, their conflicts so engaging, that even mundane activities, such as walking down the road to the corner store, to buy a Moonpie and and some cigarettes, is riveting stuff. A description of the story, angry man gets out of prison, blames everyone but himself for his troubles, and precedes to wreak a path of destruction, doesn't do this book justice. It's the achingly authentic voice in which Larry Brown brings to the story that's so amazing. And seeing as how some reviewers here didn't HEAR that voice, it either speaks to you or not. My hope is that it'll speak to you as well. If it does, I envy you the experience.

I suppose I am a Larry Brown fan in that "Father and Son" was the third of his books that I've read this year (the first two being "Joe" and "Fay"). In "Father and Son," Brown gives us the classic confrontation of good (Sheriff Bobby and most of the other characters) verses evil (Glen, just released from prison) in the uneducated rural south of the late 60's. The good guys smoke heavily, guzzle whiskey and beer like water, and often gamble above their heads. The bad guy does the same, plus kills, rapes, and assaults. I kept thinking to myself that all of these people, both good and bad, would die prematurely of cancer, heart disease, or cirrhosis of the liver. But given the extremely tedious and uneventful lives of these people, I couldn't really blame them.Anyway, after evil Glen gets out of jail, he has some old scores to settle, and seemingly no one, not Virgil -- his father, Randolph (a/k/a "Puppy")-- his brother, Jewel -- his former girlfriend and mother of his child, nor Sheriff Bobby, can do anything to stop him. It is hardly a surprise that Bobby's and Glen's life intersect in more ways than one.Brown is quite a unique voice in describing life in the uneducated rural south, which, to us Northeasterners, is a strange place indeed! I'm just not sure what it adds to his story to describe a character lighting up or smoking a cigarette, and/or drinking whisky, on every single page. Still, I recommend "Father and Son" to those who like this type of literature, as I do Brown's "Joe" and "Fay," both of which, in my opinion, were slightly better.

Got the tip from Ace Atkins's blogs (I read his Quinn Colson series.) It's hard to characterize, perhaps Wikipedia's reference to William Faulkner is accurate, I would add Victor Hugo and F Scott Fitzgerald but with completely different cultural settings. Wikipedia quotes Larry Brown as follows: Brown responded to criticism regarding the "brutality" in his work by saying, "Well that's fine. It's ok if you call it brutal, but just admit by God that it's honest." Father and Son is one of the best books I've read in the last year or two, estimating that's out of at least 60. The closest comparison overall was Razorblade Tears by SA Crosby that also tops my recently read list for satisfying read.

I've blown my budget buying Larry Brown novels and it's been worth every penny. I always feel connected to the characters. His slow easy writing never feels rushed, the ending will just get there when it gets there.A great story with real, believable characters.As always with this author... loved it!