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Summary: Loved it!
Review: "The Clarinet Polka" is a great read by a talented author. Based on this book, I'm definitely going to look up his previous novels. The characters in "The Clarinet Polka" are complex and interesting, and his portrayal of small-town Polish/Catholic life is lifelike and strangely sweet, despite dealing with topics like alcoholism and death in the Vietnam War. I really loved this book!
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Summary: A retired polka musician from Port Richmond, Phila.
Review: A touching story that stays with you long after it's finished. I would love to read a sequel!
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Summary: "OJ DA NA, OJ DANA!"
Review: 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!
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Summary: Excellent
Review: 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!
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Summary: Love and Redemption--Polish Style
Review: Keith Maillard, the author of "The Clarinet Polka," has been compared to such writers as George Eliot and Balzac. This is no doubt due to the strain of realism in his books. There is no question that he is a first-rate fiction writer. As a chronicler of Polish life in the fictional town of Raysberg, he makes you see and feel the lives of the Polish community during the 1960's and 70's. The story is told through the eyes of his main character, Jimmy Kaprowski, a veteran who returns to his hometown of Raysberg in 1969. He spent four years of duty on the island of Guam. Unfortunately, he can't seem to get his life together, and most of the novel is taken up with his affair with a married woman and with his numerous drinking binges. The reader is put through a number of sordid drinking scenes and sexual trysts in following Jimmy's exploits. Many are tedious and exasperating to read. However, Jimmy is a sympathetically drawn character, and his good qualities shine through--family loyalty, love for his kid sister, generosity, etc. Because the author chose the first person narrative, i.e., Jimmy's autobiography as it were, the reader does not get to know many of the other characters in the book except as stereotypes. This is a drawback. We only see things from Jimmy's point of view. Nevertheless, the redeeming value of the book lies in Maillard's depiction of Polish life in America, its excursions into Polish history, and its romantic theme wherein Jimmy falls in love and marries his Polish sweetheart. He got to know her by helping his sister Linda form a polka band, the Polka Sisters. She is too young for him when he falls in love (she's still in high school) but waiting pays off and years later they marry. In the interim he spends his time drinking, finally hitting rock bottom before joining AA and reforming his life. His road to recovery included his returning to his hometown, marrying, raising three children, and, after 30 years on the wagon, coming to this conclusion which ends the novel:"I don't care how much you lost. I don't care how far down you sunk. I don't care how hopeless you feel...There's a way back for you if you want to take it, and believe me, you can get your life back....You can even get a lot more than you deserve--because if we all got what we deserved, we'd every one of us be down there shoveling the coals where, you know, they keep things pretty hot." This novel is not flawless in execution but it is well worth the reader's time and effort. As a person with a Polish heritage I found it especially rewarding. As one critic put it: Keith Maillard is a national treasure. Read the book and see for yourself!
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Summary: Sneaky little love story
Review: 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.
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Summary: The Hero as Everyman
Review: 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.
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Summary: Great Book on Many Levels
Review: 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.
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Summary: Great Book on Many Levels
Review: 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.
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