{"product_id":"2940169065978","title":"Knockemstiff","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this unforgettable work of fiction, Donald Ray Pollock peers into the soul of a tough Midwestern American town to reveal the sad, stunted but resilient lives of its residents.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpanning a period from the mid-sixties to the late nineties, the linked stories that comprise \u003ci\u003eKnockemstiff\u003c\/i\u003e feature a cast of recurring characters who are woebegone, baffled and depravedamp;mdash;but irresistibly, undeniably real. Rendered in the American vernacular with vivid imagery and a wry, dark sense of humor, these thwarted and sometimes violent lives jump at the listener with inexorable force. A father pumps his son full of steroids so he can vicariously relive his days as a perpetual runner-up body builder. A psychotic rural recluse comes upon two siblings committing incest and feels compelled to take action. Donald Ray Pollock presents his characters and the sordid goings-on with a stern intelligence, a bracing absence of value judgments, and a refreshingly dark sense of bottom-dog humor.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith an artistic instinct honed on the works of Flannery O'Connor and Harry Crews, Pollock offers a powerful work of fiction in the classic American vein. \u003ci\u003eKnockemstiff\u003c\/i\u003e is a genuine entry into the literature of place.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47169551466736,"sku":"2940169065978","price":15.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940169065978_p0.jpg?v=1763759577","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940169065978","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}