The Destiny Thief: Essays on Writing, Writers and Life

Russo's (Trajectory) first collection of personal essays, though arriving late in his career, is certain to please anyone familiar with his short fiction and novels—Empire Falls received the Pulitzer Prize in 2002. An aging conceit insists that all writers have an agenda, be that political, philosophical, religious, etc. This alleged quality isn't present in Russo's essays, and the work benefits from its absence. Framing pieces "The Gravestone and the Commode" and "The Boss in Bulgaria" are masterly examples of Russo's uniquely funny, generous, and insightful mind at work. "Address to the Graduates of Colby College" manages to be both inspiring and practical. The unselfconscious voice threading through these nine explorations of writing, writers, and everyday life is a welcome alternative to the all-too-common introspection and fraught "literariness" found in many recent memoir and essay collections from prominent authors.