Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance 1973
Tales of the Madman Underground: An Historical Romance 1973
John Barnes
For his senior year of high school, Karl has a plan. That plan involves staying out of trouble, not calling attention to himself, and not getting sent out of class for a weekly therapy group that he has been going to for years. He just wants to be nice and normal. But this is going to be tougher than he hoped. His alcoholic mom is driving him crazy, their house is full of cats that poop everywhere, and his five part time jobs are leaving him ragged. On top of that, the Madman Underground, his therapy buddies and secret friends are not happy that he is avoiding them. But how else can he survive one more year in this small town where his dead father was once mayor, everyone seems to have impossible expectations for him, and his friends live lives full of lies just to hold their families together?
Strong language, sexuality, violence and drug use make this a totally realistic portrayal of a struggling high school student trying to hold everything together when his parents have let him down. Packed full of emotion and bravery, and sprinkled with enough human goodness and hope to keep it from being a total bummer. Highly recommended for mature teens and adults who work with struggling youth.
John Barnes
For his senior year of high school, Karl has a plan. That plan involves staying out of trouble, not calling attention to himself, and not getting sent out of class for a weekly therapy group that he has been going to for years. He just wants to be nice and normal. But this is going to be tougher than he hoped. His alcoholic mom is driving him crazy, their house is full of cats that poop everywhere, and his five part time jobs are leaving him ragged. On top of that, the Madman Underground, his therapy buddies and secret friends are not happy that he is avoiding them. But how else can he survive one more year in this small town where his dead father was once mayor, everyone seems to have impossible expectations for him, and his friends live lives full of lies just to hold their families together?
Strong language, sexuality, violence and drug use make this a totally realistic portrayal of a struggling high school student trying to hold everything together when his parents have let him down. Packed full of emotion and bravery, and sprinkled with enough human goodness and hope to keep it from being a total bummer. Highly recommended for mature teens and adults who work with struggling youth.