Eilene Lyon

“That Old Ace in the Hole” by Annie Proulx

Best known for her multi-award-winning novel, The Shipping News, Proulx digs deep into her quirky psyche to draw a fresh cast of characters tenaciously resolved to live and die in the Texas panhandle. The protagonist is an aimless college graduate from Denver, Bob Dollar, who takes a job for Global Pork Rind to scout out potential hog farm sites in the panhandle.

Dollar’s boss tells him to keep a low profile and create a cover story—people aren’t too keen on hog operations in those parts. He rents a rustic bunkhouse from gossipy local historian La Von Fronk, claims to be seeking development property for high-end homes, and proceeds to learn as much as he can about the local ranch scene.

Fronk regales Dollar with the history of Woolybucket, Texas, and its long-time residents. Through her tales and his volunteer work at a local restaurant, Dollar realizes the citizens’ personal histories interest him far more than pursuing potential hog farm spreads, causing much consternation with his employer.

Much of the book meanders into these local back stories, some dating back a century or more, seemingly at random. Proulx loads them with Dickensian-style characters and their wacky-but-somehow-believable mannerisms. She also includes plenty of genuine panhandle history in the mix.

Throughout, the unique sense of place shines through, which rang true to my (superficial) experience of the area. It is astonishing how Proulx builds her fictional community through its denizens, businesses, social organizations, and annual events.

Even more rewarding than the rich detail is how she pulls all the disparate parts of the story into a neat, unexpected, and thoroughly rewarding conclusion.

17 comments

Leave a comment