This book amazes me everytime I read it. It follows a visit to the hometown of Evan Carlyle. Through narrative, flashbacks and memories, his life unfolds. Read it. It is the best book I have a ever read.

This, the first book in Keith Maillard's Raysburg series, brings the reader right back to the first decade of the twentieth century, using narrative techniques that were popular in that era. The novel is set in "Raysburg", a fictional city based on real-life Wheeling, West Virginia. Maillard's eye for detail is what makes this novel especially successful. Watch for an especially good recounting of one of the key battles of the American Civil War by two of its participants, one of whom fought for the Union and the other for the Confederacy.

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!

"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!

So refreshing to read a novel set in this era in this place. There is a real sweetness to this book -- Mr. Maillard obviously cares deeply about his characters.

I also picked this book for the beautiful cover and was not at all disappointed with the story inside. While reading I realized that, although this novel is set in a time way before mine, I could completely relate to what Gloria has to go through in order to find herself. I loved the refrences to the fashions of the time and the outfits that Maillard uses to costume this cast of privledged characters made my imagaination sparkle. This is the perfect gift to give to those women who have graduated from college and don't really know what to do with their lives (it is also a perfect read for the mothers of said women). "Gloria" was a wonderful, beautiful, and compelling story and I can't wait to read this book again!

I admit, I picked this book because of the cover. I loved the photo! But after reading about 50 pages, I realized sometimes you really can pick a book for its cover (albeit very rarely). This is the story of Gloria, a recent college graduate and member of a country club family. During the summer after graduation, she relives her experiences from a tortuous time at boarding school to successfully pledging her sorority at school. Nestled between her remembrances are Gloria's summer existence including spending time with her family and some potentially dangerous interactions with her father's old war buddy. Although this sounds pretty tame, wait until you read the book. Gloria is a master at acting the part of the society daughter, but underneath, she is just like the rest of us, dealing with her sexuality, her need to be accepted and loved. I completely loved this novel, both for its highly detailed descriptions of the time period and setting and for the author's talent in developing such a sympathetic, realistic main character. I can't wait for another book from Mr. Maillard!

Gloria is a multi-faceted young woman. She has just graduated from college in Pennsylvannia and returned to her elite family in West Virginia for probably her last summer at home. This is a very emotional and indecisive time for her in which, in addition to swimming laps in her pool and dining at the country club, she drifts back in time via her volumes of diaries and a certain sense of unconsciousness. You not only experience this one summer with Gloria, but you relive much of her youth.

Gloria is haunted by many things in her past, and you feel her struggle to lift the good out of the bad. Her love for poetry and literature make much of your reading experience seem a sing and a dance through the pages. Gloria is vain and extravagant, yet ambitious and resilient, and you see the power residing within this young woman and you want her to triumph.

I loved this book. I absolutely recommend it.

Our society has come a long way since this book was first published. I can't frankly imagine why the publisher felt it worth re-printing. The conflict of the protagonists is so familiar that it becomes stereo-typical in today's context - the hairdresser male and athletic female as evidence of their gender confusion?! Really! I found the intervention of the crone also too convenient. This injection and many others in the novel (native spiritualism, etc.) make the conflict unreal, fantastic in essence. Neither the characters nor the plot is developed sufficiently to be believed or valued.