Book Review: "Palo Alto: Stories" by James Franco

Title: Palo Alto: Stories

Author: James Franco

Publisher: Scribner

ISBN, PUB Date: 978-1439163146, October 19, 2010

Reviewed by: Shawn Edwards for Author Exposure

Palo Alto is a dark but intriguing collection of short stories by actor and, now author, James Franco. It centers on teenagers living in his hometown of Palo Alto, California. Many will recognize Franco from his roles in Freaks & Geeks, the Spider-Man trilogy, and 127 Hours. In his authorial debut, Franco demonstrates skilled storytelling mixed with a constant but unstated theme: how the same event can have vastly different impacts and importance to different people.

Readers will enjoy Palo Alto for its style. The stories are told in first-person and the language is honest and descriptive. Franco does not waste words or pages; with the exception of one story, these eleven stories are digestible in a quick sitting. The youth portrayed, fictional though they may be, ring true to life and readers are led to trust that Franco describes a world he knows. Adding to the realism is Franco's skill of dipping into and back out of the story, never forcing continuous narration. The result is reminiscent of memories recollected rather than a monologue.

As in life, some of the conflicts in Palo Alto remain unresolved. Franco does not overuse this ploy, but some readers might feel left hanging. The content and dialogue, as one would expect of a group of teens, can be obscene or vulgar. Parents would not let their children read some of the stories, so it is likely there are readers who would not enjoy them either.

Franco is surprisingly impressive in his debut. Palo Alto is a direct and interesting collection of first-person narratives that many readers will enjoy. Let's hope he can find time in his busy schedule to continue writing. Any skeptics afraid of a sub-standard collection pushed out only by a celebrity name can turn back around and come in closer to the fire.