That Old Cape Magic, by Richard Russo

Somebody in my old Boulder book group loves Richard Russo--this is the third of his books they have read in the past three years. Unfortunately for me, the first Russo book I ever read was Empire Falls, which set my expectations for the author extremely high. To date, none of his other works have lived up to that standard.

That Old Cape Magic is the story of one year in the life of John Griffin, a screenwriter turned college professor. Griffin seems predisposed to unhappiness, and the year is marked by unhappy events--a separation from his wife and the death of his mother. Griffin's reflections include his analysis of his marriage to Joy, whose name suggests her more positive perspective on life, and his upbringing with two college professor parents, stuck in the "mid-fucking-West" when they yearned to be in the more rarefied air of the Northeast. Habitually unfaithful to each other and seemingly uninterested in their child, the two only approach happiness on Cape Cod, singing "That Old Cape Magic" (to the tune of "That Old Black Magic") as they cross the bridge to the Cape. One summer's experience with a family who welcomed Griffin into their days serves not only as a touchstone for Griffin's view of his parents but the inspiration for a piece of writing he has worked on for years. While he claims to be nothing like his parents, Griffin's similarities to them are obvious.

Parts of the book feature Russo's trademark humor: the scene at the rehearsal dinner before the wedding of Joy and Griffin's daughter is very funny. Russo also has a gift for laying out the thoughts bouncing around in one person's head--we truly come to know Griffin through his internal dialogue; how accurate his memories of the past are is unclear--but their effect on how he lives his life is clear. The story would have been more interesting and the ending more believable (perhaps) if Russo had also taken us into Joy's head.

That Old Cape Magic is enjoyable and offers an opportunity to reflect on how your perception of your parents and their relationship influence you and your relationships. But ultimately the novel lacks the depth Empire Falls proved this author is capable of.

Favorite passage:

Late middle age, he was coming to understand, was a time of life when everything was predictable and yet somehow you failed to see any of it coming.