Rule of the Bone Summary
Russell Banks

"No modern author writes more perceptively about ordinary men's stumbling quest for the American grail of material comfort and self-respect," remarked Salon.com contributor Cynthia Joyce regarding the... Read more

Russell Banks has been publishing innovative fiction for more than twenty-five years, gaining praise from critics for his short stories and novels. Although he is primarily a realist, he has experimen... Read more

In the following review, Morton places Rule of the Bone within the context of the American literary tradition. Uh-oh. Salinger wannabe on the scanner, Captain. “You'll probably think ... Read more

In the following excerpt, Herron compares the portrayals of American society in Rule of the Bone and Witold Rybczynski's City Life, commenting that both novels function as “mirrorsȁ... Read more

In the following review, Eder contrasts Rule of the Bone with Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, arguing that Banks's reimagining of Twain's novel is ultimately flaw... Read more

In the following review, Baker notes the moralistic and sentimental subject matter in Rule of the Bone, deeming the novel “probably more commercial than [Banks's previous work.”] ... Read more