More on 'American Rust'

 Critics offering their interpretations of Philipp Meyer and his new novel, "American Rust," threw around the usual stale literary references like Hemingway, blah, blah (see Ron Charles' Washpost attempt), but we all missed the most obvious influence -- William Kennedy and "Ironweed."

Meyer confirmed it in a message after I pointed him toward SUNY Albany's New York Writers Institute, not far from his new Upstate New York home. Co-directors are Pittsburgh's own Don Faulkner and -- wait for it -- William Kennedy.

Why didn't I think of it? Remember why Francis Phelan goes into hiding? He nails a strikebreaker with a rock and kills him. Phelan was a great ballplayer. In "American Rust," deceptively skinny Isaac fires a rock at a guy tormenting his friend, Poe, hits him on the noggin and, he's dead.

"I definitely learned/borrowed some things from 'Ironweed,' " he wrote.

Take that, Ernie!