American Salvage (Made in Michigan Writers Series) Kindle Edition

4.5 STARS -- a very good collection of short stories, with well-defined characters. Strong, well-written interior monolog characterizes many of the stories. Character development is a strong-point in these stories, which many other authors fail to achieve in their short stories. As a consequence, the "action" is often a specific event or slice of life -- not typically a "whodunnit" or other action-oriented story line. Not a lot "happens". The characters' responses (thoughts and actions) to a life-event is the story-line. The short story "King Cole's American Salvage" is an exception, in that it does have a significant storyline that is propelled forward over a time period. Well-constructed, believable rural characters, in a short-story format makes this book a keeper. The characters are sympathetic and likeable. This contrasts with the characters developed in another book of rural short stories,"Crimes In Southern Indiana" by Frank Bill -- where the rural characters are mostly violent, crude, and definitely not likeable. This is a big contrast. I think "American Salvage" has the better writing.Of the 14 stories, I scored only 4 as being approximately average ("C"). The rest scored "B" or "A" -- which is pretty good, in my experience of reading books of short stories. I did not rate any in the "D" or "F" range.My favorite story: "The Inventor, 1972"Others that are almost as good: Bringing Belle Home; King Coles' American Salvage; Fuel for the MillenniumLeast favorite: "The Trespasser" . Too short to develop any significant action, event, character, or reason for being. Sort of a flash-in-the-pan event, contrasting a middle-class girl's life with a vagrant meth-head girl's life. Not a bad idea, but an idea that needs further development.The book's cover deserves mention: excellent design/photograph. Don't know if this photo was simply "found" and used by the designer, or if the photo was "commissioned" for the book. (I have no idea how these details are carried out). But, the cover photo, with its sepia tone (overall) and the red dress "popping" on the woman in the foreground (with her unusual, stiff, stance) is quite arresting (for some reason). I picture it as corresponding to the story "The Yard Man". I keep looking at it for some reason. Odd, but true.

In a literary world where disposable books about shopaholics, arm candy and upper middle class angst are all the rage, it's nice to discover a book devoted to the lives of ordinary people. Sure, the stories in American Salvage may never get turned into hit films, but they offer up a look at American life lacking from much of today's contemporary literary fiction. The struggles of the white working class, often forgotten in the popular imagination, are the focus of this incredible collection of stories. So incredible that American Salvage was nominated for a National Book Award, which is nearly unheard of for short story collections.Campbell's currency is the tragedy of everyday life, of people living on the margins of society, teetering toward financial and personal ruin. Meth, alcohol, crime and violence all play their part, and many of the characters are reminiscent of people I know, family members and old friends long gone. There is a indisputable honesty and truth to these stories, and though they might not always hit every beat, they always vividly bring their characters to life.Like other readers, I am reminded of Denis Johnson's beautiful Jesus' Son (probably my favorite book of all time), although there is no central narrator to tie the stories together. Campbell's use of language and the original lives and situations she crafts are nearly as good as Johnson's, and each story ends on an emotional swell that sticks with you long after you've finished it.Highly recommended.

Every now and then a collection comes along, so cohesive and wrenching, that it demands attention. Many collections these days are considered "linked," forming a loose novel, but this collection is more solidly linked through subject matter. The characters here represent people I'd probably cross the street to avoid, not giving them a second thought, but Campbell has imbued each with an inner life that transcends their hardscrabble, in many cases off-the-grid lives. She has a sure hand in writing about people so marginalized they seem irredeemable, and yet, I found myself pulling for many of them.

Kept an eye out for a long time for this title as really looking forward to read it but it was never getting a UK release. Maybe I expected too much but ultimately I was disappointed.

with only one or two standing out and being worth the paper the novel is printed in ( why it isn't available in Kindle format for europeans baffles me ).All in all, a much expected and anticipated collection, and, in the end, nothing to write home about, really.

Don't really read short stories but was happy with this read. The characters and stories were intriguing and kinda sad.i would purchase another read from this author.