Tales of the Madman Underground: A Historical Romance 1973 by John Barnes

Pub Date: June 2009

Fiction (Young Adult)

544 pgs.

Karl Shoemaker is starting his senior year of high school in the small town of Lightsburg, Ohio.  In many ways the town and its people are hurting. There seem to be more empty, boarded-up stores than open stores. Like other families in town, Karl’s family struggles with alcohol, drugs, relationships, and anger.  Karl’s story is told over the course of six days in 1973.

Karl’s dad died of alcoholism a few years before Karl and his mom become alcoholic wrecks.  His mother loves him, but she is Karl’s companion and provider when it comes to the alcohol. Finally, Karl decides to put down the bottle of booze and go to AA.  I know the story sounds bleak, but in fact, the book shines with wisdom and in a way I see Karl as a teenage philosopher.

At school Karl along with the other kids with “screwed-up families” are required to attend therapy sessions.  This small group of kids has nicknamed themselves the Madman Underground.  Even though the members of the group provide Karl with his own alternative family, he just wants to be “normal”– which to him means out of therapy and out of Lightsburg.

While the story is tragic and sometimes borders on disturbing, the writing is sharp and funny.  Karl’s story gives a great perspective on what it was like to grow up as a teenager in seventies. And while this story does take place in 1973 and life may have been different back then, after reading this book it seems as though most of life has stayed the same.

Although the book is a coming of age story, it is really about survival and determination and how the friendships we make with one another can help us overcome anything–alcohol and messed up families included. Karl and his buddies in the Madman Underground are truly struggling to survive.  There are other Shoemakers out there and if they are lucky, they have their own madman underground.

-Noelle

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