Matt McAvoy Book Review

Although Richard is a superb writer, with an eloquent tongue and a tremendous turn of phrase, and these gems are each a standalone high-brow work of art, I don’t recommend that you read “50 States” as I did, from cover to cover.  Like the pleasant burn of a liquor, these are to be savoured and enjoyed from time to time, as the mood takes you – and that mood really needs to be a pensive and reflective one, perhaps at times even melancholy.  Although all cerebral in nature, there is pretty much a tale for all tastes and attention levels; Richard’s slice-of-life moments range from haiku-length flash fiction to almost novella-length.  It is difficult to choose a favourite, nor is that really the point; the mood and tone of all of these stories is firmly in Richard’s abstract mind, and you’re just along for the ride, entering and leaving the narrative at moments of his choosing.  But there is something particularly satisfying about the mugger who turns hero to rescue his victim, the black bus-boy, who turns out to own the business he is supposedly being “saved” from, or the girl who regrets saving the life of a boy who grows up to become a mass-murderer.  Some are metaphorical, some anecdotal and others downright morose, but what they all share is good writing quality, as the author simply shows you a segment of each of the fifty main characters’ lives.

The “states” refer to the United States, of course, though this is largely irrelevant; these tales could generally be set anywhere – although, Richard’s knowledge of the different lifestyles and cultures throughout his home country is clearly innate.  More admirable is his ease at setting the period, making the reader feel present; the stories all take place over the last 60-70 years, against a fascinating glimpse of a relevant backdrop of each: the Vietnam War; race and civil rights movements, the Gulf War, right up to the COVID pandemic.  In this respect alone, they are more appropriately fifty snippets of America’s recent history.

I won’t lie, this was a tough read, from start to finish – long and involved; after a while, the stories all seemed to meld together – but it is certainly a worthwhile addition to your short story library.  To be enjoyed responsibly, rather than indulged.