Customer Reviews

Dewey Defeats Truman: A novel

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is the second novel by Thomas Mallon I have read (the other being HENRY AND CLARA), and in both books Mallon excels at finding the right detail to open up a character or a scene more fully for the reader. In a scene in a hospital waiting room, Anne Macmurray wishes to indicate to her fiance to leave so that she can comfort a teenage boy who she senses wants to cry but won't in the presence of the older man. Mallon writes that Anne attempts a telepathic sort of glance at her fiance, "like a test of the Emergency Broadcast System," and he does take the hint. The detail both evokes the period in which the book is set and also shows how Anne is slowly satisfying herself that she has made the right choice after all in her finace. The novel is filled with small moments like this, all of them well selected and all of them reminding us of the humanity of the characters. (If I had the book with me here at work, I could add another good example, but that is one I remember from savoring this book in January.

Two things in particular set this novel apart. One is Thomas Mallon's acute eye for detail -- both in terms of conveying a very particular milieu and in finding behavioral nuances that reveal so much about the characters.

The second is the author's genrosity of spirit and humaneness. He has created richly-detailed people in this book, all of whom are recognizable and utterly believable. Despite their flaws, these are characters we truly do care about. Mallon's tone is one of wry, non-judgmental sagaciousness. A lovely novel, highly recommended.

Thomas Dewey, the people of his hometown, Owosso, Michigan, and the reader all come in for surprises as this entertaining read moves through its fast-paced pages. Mallon has done his historical research on the time and the town well, and, among the numerous narrator points of view, has created some memorable characters, most of whom stand slightly off-center from the main love triangle. A few never take on more than a single dimension, particularly the striver teenager Billy Grimes. And the deep dark secret that drives much of the novel's action hardly seems momentous after fifty years, let alone shocking if it were to be revealed. But those are small quibbles for the opportunity to spent novel time with the cantankerous Horace Sinclair, the apparently shallow neophyte politician Peter Cox, the forever grieving mother Jane Herrick, her trapped son Tim, and the high school teacher Frank Sherwood who introduces them through his telescope to Jupiter while carefully keeping his own world hidden from all. Because Mallon succeeds in making both the characters and the time affecting, the upbeat ending for nearly everyone is a pleasure. Sure, it's not a happy ever after assurance that Mallon delivers as the country careens toward the second half of the 20th century, but he has skillfully brought each character around to the opportunity to live a chosen, rather than prescribed, life, and therein lies much of the considerable satisfaction this novel gives.

The summer of 1948 was an exciting one as far as presidential campaigns go. Thomas E. Dewey was highly favored to win against Harry Truman. The Democrats were so badly split they didn't think Truman had a chance against Dewey. Although there was little money available, Truman's whistle stop campaigns drew crowds of farmers and small town folks shouting the now famous, "Give 'em Hell, Harry." But Dewey was the front runner all the way to the polls in November.

For the people of Owosso, Michigan, Dewey's hometown, it is one of the most extraordinary moments in the town's history - their native son is most likely going to become President of the United States. They discuss the prospects for newfound fame as well as political issues throughout the book. Although Dewey drops into the story a time or two, this is not a novel about the elections or the candidates. The hullabaloo does provide a wonderful backdrop for this humorous, nostalgic novel about the citizens of Owosso and a love triangle, in particular. The local love story mirrors the national election contest and, almost wistfully, captures a period in American history and culture that is gone forever. Author Thomas Mallon also weaves strands of Shakespeare's "Midsummer Night's Dream," with a Midwestern accent, into his tale.

Anne MacMurray, a recent college graduate, book store clerk and aspiring writer is being courted by Jack Riley, a passionate UAW organizer and Peter Cox, an up-and-coming Republican politician with an enormous ego. As election day draws near and voters must make their choice at the polls, Anne too must make a decision about her future.

Mallons gentle comedic narrative and eye for detail make this such a worthwhile read. He captures the period effortlessly and accurately and imbues his characters with a humanity that makes it difficult not to care about them.
JANA

A highly enjoyable novel distinguished by humor, compassion, a touch of mystery, and characters that come across as real people. It's been a long time since I read a novel that didn't play games with the reader, just delivered on its promise of a good story. If you're into the period of the late '40s and know something about the election of 1948, you will enjoy the book even more.

This was lovely novel...Mallon has recreated the 1948 down to the tiniest detail. I kept seeing the novel as a film from the time--it just has the right feel. The characters are affecting and their stories enthrall you. There were one or two changes in characters that I didn't quite buy (ie, they weren't developed enough), but still a delightful book.

Perhaps I was primed to love this book: I still think Thomas Mallon's essay from Owosso, published in 1991, is the best thing the American Spectator ever printed. His trip there obviously inspired this book. I'm also from Michigan, so the whole thing had a homey feel. But I don't think you need to have ever set foot in the Wolverine State to appreciate this book. The characters are wonderful--colorful, poignant, and very authentic. The writing is just great. If you're at all curious, give Thomas Mallon a try. This one probably won't be your last.

I am quite taken by this story. It is a rich, layered story of love and the turning points of many lives in the summer and fall of 1948. Mallon challenges us to think a little differently and a little more deeply about the choices we face, and shows that 'following one's heart' is not so clear and easy (or maybe even 'right'). While I am surprised by the negative reviews I found here, they are just another reminder that whether we love or dislike a book sometimes says as much about our tastes, mood, circumstance, expectations etc. as it does about the quality of what the author has created. (See the reviews for Annie Proulx's The Shipping News in Amazon). I think Mallon has progressed far from Aurora 7, (the other work of his I have read), a nice book but not nearly so affecting. I especially admire his respectful treatment of all these characters, which is tougher than leaning on cynicism, which seems more common. But in stepping from story to story in this collection of people of Owosso, the shifts in viewpoint sometimes tumble too abruptly. The book slowed a bit in the middle (though never to a 'slog' as two other readers found). Some of the sub-stories don't work as well for me (Horace Sinclair's dilemma, and the follow through on Tim Herrick), and I suppose he might have done more to further develop Peter Cox and his relationship with Anne M. But I still found this fresh, unique and a moving read.

The description of the town was so detailed and I identified strongly with the characters even though I had never heard of Owosso and the story took place 20 years before I was born.

Owosso was located only 1-1/2 hours from our home in Detroit, so we decided to check it out. We drove into town and I immediately fell in love with the whole area (which hasn't actually changed much). We moved her three years ago and I have no regrets.

This is the first, and probably the last, book I've read by this author. I've read articles Mr. Mallon has written and survived them well but I can't say the same for "Dewey Defeats Truman". Unfortunately, I recommended this book to my book club on the basis of the reviews found here and am still trying to make up for that mistake. Each of the 5 book club members slogged their way through this waiting for something, anything, that would catch their attention. We were rewarded with 2-dimensional characters (and I'm being generous allowing there as many as 2 dimensions) and came away with very little understanding of the times. (Does a more "innocent" age translate to "boring"? It sure does here.) By the time I finished I didn't much care who Anne picked, I just wanted her to get it over with. Neither beau was fleshed out enough to warrant much thought, anyway. The only two characters created to make me notice them (but not sit up and notice) were Jane Hewitt and her dead son's closeted gay lover. My recommendation is not to look to this book as anything more than a sleeping aid. In that capacity it really does the trick.