Empire Falls

A master at capturing the life of the working-class hero in his novels, Richard Russo looks into the heart of the country to reveal all the tragedy and triumphs found in day-to-day life. Once a prosperous mill town, Empire Falls has been on a steady decline since its factories closed. Miles Roby dreams of escape, but life has conspired to keep him in the small, dying town. The diner Miles runs, like the majority of the town, is owned by Mrs. Whiting, a vindictive widow. After years of tolerating her controlling ways, Miles looks into the past to find out why she has such an interest in his life. As he faces an impending divorce, a failing business, and the resurrection of long buried secrets, he discovers the joy of raising his teenage daughter offsets it all. Filled with a cast of lively characters and epic in scope, Empire Falls succinctly captures small town life. Narrator Ron McLarty finds the perfect voice for Miles, an intelligent and thoughtful man trapped by his own sense of compassion.