I'm going to attempt to explain... or at least describe what I love about this novel. I fear, however, that after you take a look at the cover (above) you'll automatically be turned off to it as a whole. This would be greatly disappointing to me, and quite frankly, quite a shame.
I was first introduced to this novel in my Modern American Literature class and after seeing the list of assigned titles, I didn't have high hopes of liking any of them. I was shockingly and presently surprised when I opened the cover of Winesburg, Ohio. The words are poetic and the images are haunting. The novel itself is set up to tell the story of one man, George Willard, and the town (and it's people) around him. Each chapter stand more as a short story, and you'll find that, while some characters or settings reaper, they're more individual than they are whole. Not every chapter has to do directly with George Willard, but you do start to notice how each character is connected and how their stories play off of one another and affect the town as a whole. There's just enough cohesiveness mingled amid the unique quality of having individual stories that I found it refreshing, insightful, and gripping.
With many "classic" books, I find that the language is so poetic or over the top, that I have trouble following or keeping my interest piqued. The short story aspect of each chapter seemed to remedy this for me. I kept hoping that each time I'd find out a little more about that one character from three chapters back or that this person and that person would happen to meet up and this or that little mystery would be resolved... but, and I add that it was to my great surprise and pleasure, a lot of these things are left up in the air.
This novel encompasses the secrets that each town, each house, family, person, heart... has. Always has had and always will have. It's a fictional place, but, that being said, it could take place anywhere. Anderson taps into the heart of what's in all of our backyards. He unleashes the dark shadows in each of our bedrooms and talks about what it is to be a person. What it is to live and let live. What it is to be cooped up in a small town and long to get out; and how disappointing getting out can be when you realize how well off you might have been before.
If you have the time and the concentration, and you're able to take a step back and appreciate fine, classic literature when you see it, I highly recommend that you read this title. It's possible that I happened to read this at a really "inspirational" time in my life (meaning that it's by coincidence that I happened to enjoy it as much as I did) but it's also possible that it's just that good.
Either way, as with any book, you'll just have to read it and decide for yourself.
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