Who Would Like This Book:
Accordion Crimes is a bold, inventive exploration of American immigrant life, told through the hands of a traveling green accordion. Annie Proulx's prose is rich and atmospheric, bringing to life a tapestry of cultures, eras, foods, and regional quirks. If you love ambitious, literary fiction with a historical sweep and don’t mind a book that reads more like interconnected stories than one continuous narrative, this is right up your alley. Musicians, history buffs, and fans of immigrant narratives will especially appreciate the intricate details and emotional truths.
Who May Not Like This Book:
Some readers found the book too bleak, dense, or sprawling, with its frequent grim turns and unsympathetic characters. The narrative structure - jumping from one set of characters to another and focusing more on the instrument than on individuals - may make it hard to get emotionally invested. If you prefer tight plotting, uplifting stories, or novels centered on character continuity, this one could feel disjointed or even exhausting, especially given the level of technical detail about accordions, music, and machinery.
About:
Accordion Crimes by Annie Proulx is a novel that follows the journey of a green accordion as it passes through the hands of various owners, each representing a different aspect of American immigrant life. The book delves into the interconnected stories of these owners, exploring themes of tragedy, prejudice, and cultural diversity. Proulx's writing style is described as detailed, intricate, and filled with historical context, offering a vivid portrayal of the struggles and hardships faced by immigrants in America.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for Accordion Crimes include depictions of death, violence, explicit themes of suffering, and bleak portrayals of the immigrant experience.
From The Publisher:
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie Proulx brings the immigrant experience to life in this stunning novel that traces the ownership of a simple green accordion.
E. Annie Proulx's Accordion Crimes is a masterpiece of storytelling that spans a century and a continent. Proulx brings the immigrant experience in America to life through the eyes of the descendants of Mexicans, Poles, Africans, Irish-Scots, Franco-Canadians and many others, all linked by their successive ownership of a simple green accordion. The music they make is their last link with the past-voice for their fantasies, sorrows and exuberance. Proulx's prodigious knowledge, unforgettable characters and radiant language make Accordion Crimes a stunning novel, exhilarating in its scope and originality.
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Accordion Crimes?
About the Author:
Annie Proulx is the author of eight books, including the novel The Shipping News and the story collection Close Range. Her many honors include a Pulitzer Prize, a National Book Award, the Irish Times International Fiction Prize, and a PEN/Faulkner award. Her story "Brokeback Mountain," which originally appeared in The New Yorker, was made into an Academy Award-winning film. Her most recent novel is Barkskins. She lives in Seattle.
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