Latest news with #RichardRusso
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Book Review: New essays from writer Richard Russo on how his life informs his art
Richard Russo, whose 'Fool' trilogy is beloved for the characters he created to populate a fictional upstate New York town, freely admits he's always pulled from his real life to write his novels. 'I was born in exactly the right place at exactly the right time,' he writes in one of 12 essays that make up his slim new volume 'Life and Art.' Russo scholars — there must be some in American literature departments somewhere, right? — will devour this book. Russo writes lovingly of both his father and mother, draws explicit connections between his characters and people from his real life, takes a road trip back to his hometown Gloversville, and even throws in an homage to the late Paul Newman, whose portrayal of Sully in his 'Nobody's Fool' helped Russo's work find an audience well beyond readers. The 12 essays here are divided into the two parts noted in the title. 'Life' is more memoir, with Russo sharing what he did during the COVID-19 pandemic, among many other things. 'I'd been waiting for more than a decade… for somebody to tell me to go home and stay there, and somebody finally had.' The first half is stuffed with stories about his mother and father, anchored by 'Marriage Story,' which reveals the illnesses they both suffered (gambling and alcoholism for Dad, anxiety for Mom) and how the dream life his mother envisioned after her husband survived World War II never materialized ('She and my father stalled.'). But Russo doesn't write to assign blame. At age 75 and with both parents buried, he takes a more thoughtful approach in these essays. Not yet a teenager when Dad left, he realizes now that Mom was just doing what he does for a living as a storyteller — controlling the narrative. Aspiring writers should appreciate the advice Russo doles out in these pages. He credits his childhood and the people who loved him as his 'greatest strength' — 'Like Faulkner, I'd been gifted the perfect lens through which to view America' — and tells would-be authors, 'No matter how gifted you are, or how hardworking, you're never going to be any good until you know who and what you love, because until then you won't know who you are.' The second half of the collection — 'Art' — is a more acquired taste, with an essay about writing movies and TV shows vs. books, as well as a rather odd one that finds life lessons in the 1969 film 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,' starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford. There's another that heaps praise on the specific word choices contained in the lyrics to the 1972 Townes Van Zandt song 'Pancho and Lefty,' and another that finds echoes of society's reaction to George Floyd's murder in a scene from 'The Maltese Falcon.' Considered all together, readers can judge if the essays, like the collection's title, truly inform each other, or if it's enough to simply enjoy these snippets before Russo graces the world with another novel. ___ AP book reviews:
Skift
12-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
Highgate Expands Viceroy With Sun Valley Launch, Branded Residences — Exclusive
Highgate is pivoting Viceroy away from just creating urban boutique hotels. Viceroy will also now chase the elite at resort destinations. Expect more branded residences, too. Three years after acquiring Viceroy Hotel Group, real estate investment firm Highgate is ramping up its investment in the luxury brand with new developments in new markets. Viceroy plans to open The Harriman in Sun Valley, Idaho, in summer 2026, according to Richard Russo, a principal at Highgate. The property will be the "first true luxury hotel" in the popular ski destination and an announcement is expected later this week. 'Sun Valley has remained extremely exclusive due to its strict development regulations, which have kept new hotels from entering the market," Russo told Skift. "Our job will be to honor the laid-back authenticity while delivering refined, world-class service without over-commercializing what makes Sun Valley special.' The property will include 73 guest rooms, a spa, year-round plunge and thermal pools, and an observatory for guests to view the unusually clear night skies in the area. The project represents a strategic shift for Viceroy, which was acquired by real estate investment firm Highgate in 2023. Once known for urban boutique hotels, Viceroy is now targeting wealthy leisure travelers in outdoor destinations. Last fall, for example, the brand opened a hotel in Portugal's Algarve region, which executives said was its model for future design and development. Since the acquisition, Highgate, which manages over 500 hotels across many brands, has been on a hiring spree at Viceroy, adding new leaders across operations, marketing, distribution, design, and development. Viceroy Brickell Residences in Florida. Source: Related Group Branded Residential Push The Sun Valley hotel will also come with a dozen condo-style units where owners can access hotel-style amenities, from room service to housekeeping, on demand. That's part of Highgate's broader effort to create more residences under the Viceroy brand. 'While pricing can vary based on location, unit size, and view, current listings for Viceroy-branded residences in Florida markets like Miami and Fort Lauderdale typically range from $1.5 million to over $8 million," said Arash Azarbarzin, CEO of Highgate. "These prices are generally 20–25% above comparable non-branded luxury properties." "We anticipate branded residential to represent a growing share of Viceroy's overall business, potentially reaching upwards of 30–40% over the next five years," Azarbarzin said. Viceroy currently operates properties in nine locations across Mexico, Colorado, St. Lucia, Serbia, California, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. Besides adding one in Sun Valley, Idaho, others are in the works. "We look forward to sharing new, brand-defining projects in the coming months,' Russo said. Viceroy Bets on Experiences in Overhaul of Luxury Hotel Brand Viceroy, a collection of hotels and resorts, has rebranded. It now promises to curate luxury experiences that will be consistently top-tier and locally immersive, from Portuguese beekeeping to glassblowing in Los Cabos. Read More
