Reviews of River Street

Booklist December 15, 1994 Reviewed by Mary Carroll
Lost souls searching for shelter, often in all the wrong places, Condon's characters are vivid, troubled human beings with whom readers will identify, sometimes inspite of themselves...
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The Charlotte Weekly March 25, 1995 Reviewed by Glen Hirshberg
River Street is not a gentle book, not easy to take. But just as you begin to believe it's the ugliness that's compelling you onward - that a good episode of "Cops" has the same scuz-value without the irritating redeeming features - one of those lightning bursts of compassion explodes over these all-but-empty lives. At such moments, Phil Condon's stories burn so bright you could light your own life with them...
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Houston Post December 25, 1994 Reviewed by Campbell Geeslin
These are the divorced, the alcoholics, the bums and about to be bums. Condon's Middle America in the age of Reagan suggests that his people are almost paralyzed by fear, especially fear of what is happening in their senseless lives. Condon digs deeply and, again and again, comes up with original, powerful stuff...
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Missoula Magazine February, 1995 Reviewed by Tim Laskowski
Condon's stories are gritty, from the other side of the tracks. But the characters have universal dreams of wanting to settle and to love...
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San Antonio Express News January 15, 1995 Reviewed by Paul Scott-Malone
"River Street" is a kind of real life horror story written with care and moral feeling, and Phil Condon, who reveals a wisdom and experience far beyond most literary newcomers, has shown in startling ways that even losers deserve our attention...
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The Washington Times January 15, 1995 Reviewed by Mark Bautz
River Street is an impressive first collection by Phil Condon, who is described in the author's note as a journeyman bricklayer who started writing at age 38....
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