A quiet novel, lovingly set in a fictitious Maine mill town, which Russo has wryly called Empire Falls. Those who have read Russo's earlier books set in upstate New York will recognize the familiar themes of blue-collar struggle for economic survival; the frustrations of love and loss; and subtle nuances of class. Russo has composed an entertaining and poignant portrait of what lies beneath the facade of small-town New England life. Winner of the 2002 Pulitzer Prize  (USE220, $15.00)