Brian Kimberling's SNAPPER is Midwest Doldrums

The novel SNAPPER is the ho-hum tale of growing up in the Hooser State.  We follow Nathan's childhood and his synposis of growing up there.  "Indiana is the bastard son of the Midwest."  Nathan tells of the bigotry he was all too familiar with, "I found myself in an Indiana forest surrounded by rifle-bearing Klansmen."  Kimberling tries to soften the undisguised hatred with the charm of some eccentric local characters.  But, the "humor" kills any chance of redemption.  "What's the same between a wife, a dog, and a slave?  The more you beat them, the more they behave."  Despite abhoring many of the sentiments expressed, there were several long lasting friendships that gave the novel some warmth.  That, and the career he fell into as a bird researcher.  His dedication to ornithology was commendable, but unlike the heroine who studied butterflies in FLIGHT, Nathan failed to garner lmaturity or wisdom with experience.  He does retain a nostalgic lookback to his upbringing.  "Hoosiers do not make much of their distinctive name, nor generally think much of their native state."  I did not think highly enough of SNAPPER to recommend.