I’ve always rather liked this book. It’s by a man who grew up in a small town, moved away, did some things, moved back, and joined the fire department while working as a writer. Other than the fire department thing, remind you of anyone you know? New Auburn, Wisconsin, the small town in the book, is a lot smaller than Fort Bragg, but it has a lot in common with my very own small town.

And Michael Perry struggles with a lot of the same things that I do. He wants to avoid being an intellectual elitist, and feels more at home in the laid-back environment on his home town, but at the same time, he wants to resist the excessive “aw shucks” thing. He’s well read and he writes poetry, which differentiates him from a lot of his friends and neighbors, but he wants to emphasize his similarities, to feel a connection, rather than focusing on what sets him apart. He also deals with the us and them divide, the people who grew up in town and the people from the outside who don’t understand it.

I really enjoy reading about his fire calls, both because they are interesting and because they illustrate the lines of connection in his community. It’s not just a structure fire or someone collapsed with a heart attack, it’s a person or a place you know, and you have a history with the people who go out on the call with you. It kind of makes me want to get my ass in shape and join the fire department, to do something concrete and productive for the community.

Perry writes about intense experiences without succumbing to bathos, and I appreciate that. It’s a book which ramble and meanders, but manages to stay pretty tight and together, all at the same time. That’s a bit of a feat, if you ask me.

Demographics:

Population: 485, by Michael Perry. Published 2002, 324 pages. Autobiography.