At the intersection of Highways 156 and 159 in Ohio lies the real-life town of Knockemstiff. This “town” is nothing more than a few trailers, a handful of people, and a welcome sign. Now, turn this town over to Donald Pollock, and he paints a picture of a town inhabited by the worst of the worst, the kind of people that could make anyone lose faith in humanity.
“Knockemstiff takes place over 30 years ago, and is a collection of short stories all revolving around the town. The characters are raw, disgusting, sad, and hilarious all at the same time, and often you don’t know whether you are laughing or crying at their fates. Pollock proudly parades his fictional reprobates for everyone to see. Whether the story is about two men in a forbidden relationship at a fisherman’s camp, or a father reliving his glory days as a wrestler while pumping up his son full steroids, it’s a hard book to keep reading. But as soon as you put it down, you want to pick it back up again and give it another go. I’ve read it three times and it doesn’t get any easier to digest, but it’s worth every cringe.“
