Whisper My Name

I read this book for a second time after Richard Russo's "Empire Falls" brought it to mind. Although it lacks the epic sweep of Russo's novel, "Whisper My Names" shares a similar setting (small town New England), eccentric and often comical characters, and a narrative informed by American realist traditions.Hebert perfectly conveys the small-town rivalries, petty grievances, and endearing foibles that afflict the fictional town of Darby, New Hampshire, where two of his previous novels were set. The source of the town's current problems is a proposed shopping mall that (to some) promises new jobs and revenue and (to others) threatens the area's rustic way of life. The novel's characters are motivated by greed, principles, politics, and pretensions--and some of them just don't care. All in all, Darby is a microcosm of American life. At the center of it all is Chance, a journalist covering the story while seeking the identity of his real father and pursuing Soapy, a young girl whose parentage is equally unclear. But the most memorable character is perhaps Ike Jordan, a churlish fraud and petty criminal from the wrong side of the tracks who has pretensions of becoming one of the town's leaders.It's a shame this book is out of print. I can only hope that the University Press of New England, which has reprinted Hebert's first two Darby novels, will see its way to adding this book to its list.