Ordinary Genius

"Averill, like the best midwestern writers, transcends social commentary to reach into deeper strata. Like Willa Cather and William Stafford, he understands that human habitation of the Great Plains is a small portion of the land''s mythos. His characters speak and act like human beings, but ultimately they unmask and reveal themselves as cosmic elements. This remarkable range in "Ordinary Genius" is the gift of Averill''s writings."--"Bloomsbury Review"--Denise Low"Bloomsbury Review" (07/26/2005)