Customer Reviews

The Clarinet Polka: A Novel

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This is a marvelous, tough, joyful book about a man finding his way in the world. Jimmy Koprowski comes home to Raysburg, West Virginia, after four years in the service. He spent the Viet Nam war in Guam, but he still can't get this life together. He's living at home, working at a TV repair job when he can manage to make it in. Jimmy often spends too much of the evening drinking at the Polish American Club. The drink inflames his self-destructive tendencies, as does a nasty affair with Connie Bradshawe, a wealthy, beautiful woman who seems intent on bringing them both to grief.

Distraction comes in the unlikely form of Jimmy's younger sister Linda, a musician who wants to start an all-girl polka band. Since it is 1969, you might think that Linda is going to have a hard time finding musicians to play something as un-cool as the polka. Ah, that's not the case in Raysburg's Polish community, where even hippies have a good time at polka parties. My Sister's Polka Band includes Linda on trumpet, a 60-ish accordionist, one of those tattooed hippies, a non-Polish farm girl from Ohio, and a 15-year-old named Janice on the clarinet. Janice is a real talent, the daughter of Polish refugees who may be the only people in town to look down on polka music. Jimmy is drafted to ferry Janice to and from rehearsals. He is surprised to find out how much they have to talk about, and not only must he grapple with his drinking and his relationship with Connie, but with his developing feelings for a girl too young for him.

Jimmy is a terrific voice-unsentimental, wry, funny, and down to earth. He wants to pooh-pooh the Polish dances and church festivities, but is always willing to admit that he can't because he likes them too much. You like him, too, and Janice, the polka band and all the neighbors who love to dance and drink beer at the Polish American Club.

I'm surprised that author Keith Maillard is not better known, and I was surprised to read that "Clarinet Polka" is his seventh book about Raysburg. He came to most readers' attention with "Gloria"-a book as elegantly designed as it was written. Maillard is an excellent writer who is worth discovering.

I was so happy when I saw this book in the bookstore because I am such a big fan of his book Gloria. So...I bought this book and I loved it! Mr. Maillard writes in a way that wraps his words and characters totally around me, I get so involved, and he makes me feel the feelings that the characters are feeling, or at least understand them. After reading Gloria I have wondered why Mr. Maillard is not more known, not on reading group lists......anyway, he is a great rider, pick this book up and enjoy the ride.

Any fans of the Polish polka must read this book, for what other contemporary novel would dare mixe unabashed praise for old Polish musicians like Lil Wally ("father of Chicago-style polka"), Walt Solek and Marion Lush? And then manage to weave an engrossing story in a believable 1970s time-capsule, replete with different characters' viewpoints on polka music?? Is it "zdegenerowana" (degenerate peasant culture) or is it part & parcel of Polish-Americanism? Author Keith Maillard brings us again a story set in fictional Rayburg, WV (think: Wheeling, WV) in a blue-collar Polish Catholic community. The story is told from the viewpoint of a 3rd-generation, Holden Caulfield-esque narrator named Jimmy Dombrowski, back in town after an overseas stint in the Army. He's bored and bummed about the Vietnam War and as anomie and alcoholism set it, a form of unexpected rescue comes his way as he gets involved with his kid sister's new all-girl polka band.

Even though our 26 y/o Jimmy doesn't see it coming, we readers do as he falls hard for the leader singer in a band, a mere teenager named Janice. Even a messy physical relationship with a married woman can't erase his feelings for Janice and our Jimmy takes a dive. Anyone familiar with the vagaries of chronic, severe alcoholism will realize that author Maillard does a first-rate job detailing how one can hit rock bottom and stay there for a long time.

Of course, I won't reveal the ending to this rather length story, but suffice it to say that Jimmy's Polish background is a constant in his frequently changing world: he can recite the Rosary in Polish, appreciates good golubka and uszka and can sing along to Polish polkas with the best of 'em.

(As a Cleveland-style polka fan, I appreciated the mention of Ray Budzilek in the story and the commentary about Cleve-style polka (altho' not totally accurate, in my opinion). The venerable Eddie B gets regular mention; curiously, Grammy-winner Jimmy Sturr gets no print!

The title song, "The Clarinet Polka" pops up often enough in Jimmy's story, but I believe that the old standard, "Zosia," gets more print and and printed lyrics than the former. A tip of the hat to the author as he also captures the poignant sadness of the start of the decline of eastern European communities at this point in American history: as a 3rd-generation Polish-American, Jimmy sadly observes the slow dying out of the culture as American popular culture steadily wipes out any vestiges left.

Some of this story puts me in mind of Greg Cielec's "My Cleveland Story" that takes place in a similar setting (1970s blue-collar ethnic city) when somebody's uncle was always squeezing an accordion in a kitchen somewhere. Maillard's afterward actually makes equally interesting and informative reading as he reveals his historical and political sources for devising this novel. He does great characterizations with the comical chicks in the polka band; the tragic figure of Janice's father; a realistic portrait of Jimmy's father (typical 1960s dad!) and the complexities in both Janice's and Linda's personalities.

So much more could be said about this important novel: questions of good versus evil come up; the importance/relevance of religious faith post-Holocaust...little-known facts on Poland's role in WWII.

Beware: after reading this book, you may suffer cravings for kielbasa and pierogi!

It's hard to imagine a frequently very funny book about hard-core alcoholism, but Maillard pulls it off triumphantly. Jimmy Koprowski becomes a mythical Everyman for all of us who have ever screwed up badly once - well, maybe more than once - in our lives, journeying to the bottom of the bottle and back to bring us all a little redemption, a little hope, a little love. At once both tender and gritty, this marvelously crafted encapsulation of the Polish community of a fictional West Virginia town in the late 60's, early 70's made me laugh, made me cry, and made me a little wiser about some of my own mistakes.

I was blown away by this book. The voice is singular and never tiresome, the characters are winning and real, and the story moves along like a good horse race. I was completely surprised by the outcome, which made it even better!

I loved this book so much. It's got a lot of different things going on: love story, redemption, Polish heritage, and of course Polka music. I'm going to have to find a record by one of the Polka bands in the book. Maillard's easy-going writing helps when he's delving into topics such as WWII Poland and alcoholism. Man, and the way he describes the music and mixes it in with the romance, what a great mix!

Wow! This book can appeal to people in so many different ways. The book is about a Vietnam-Era vet who returns to a small town in West Virginia inhabited by Polish-Americans. The main character, who spent the Vietnam war in service in Guam, returns to a different country and faces the challenge of reintegrating back into the general population.

That's the story in a nutshell but the author tackles a ton of issues along the way. There are great observations regarding the immigrant community, and the conflict of keeping traditions while being in a new country. He also spends a lot of time regarding the problems of alcoholism and how it can impact relationships with family, friends, lovers and employers. Also, while I wouldn't characterize this as a political book, the time period forces an examination of not only the Vietnam conflict but also of war in general and how WWII affected Poland. Finally, there is a love story in the midst of all this, and he manages to weave it all into the "heavy" subjects as well as great information regarding Polka music.

While there were times the alcoholism of the main character almost overwhelmed this book, the author does a great job of crafting an incredible story. I didn't have high expectations when I first picked up by the book, and instead was overwhelmed by how much I liked it.

This story could have taken place in any city in the predominantly Polish neighborhoods. Every chapter brought visions of my own life on the East side in Buffalo, N.Y. Keith Maillard's portrayal of a typical family, whether they were first, second or third generations born in the USA, was so real and true.

This is the first Keith Maillard book I've read, and only the second focusing entirely on the Polish-American community. I am so happy to have discovered this story and Mr. Maillard's writing style, not to mention having found a writer raised in the Ohio Valley who uses it as his template. Having grown up in Dayton, Ohio, I'm proud of the stories of the Rust Belt and the hard-working peoples who live there. Thank you Mr. Maillard, I look forward to reading your other works!!

Maillard does a good job combining the story of the servicemen re-assimilating post-Vietnam with the story of the Nazis' treatment of Catholic Poles in WWII. His book is also a fascinating portrait of blue-collar America, specifically the Polish-American communities in the Midwest. It made me want to look for recordings of the polkas the all-girl polka band plays.