Tales of the Madman Underground
Jun 2009 · Sold by Penguin
4.8star
13 reviews
Ebook
544
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
About this ebook
Wednesday, September 5, 1973: The first day of Karl Shoemaker's senior year in stifling Lightsburg, Ohio. For years, Karl's been part of what he calls "the Madman Underground" - a group of kids forced (for no apparent reason) to attend group therapy during school hours. Karl has decided that senior year is going to be different. He is going to get out of the Madman Underground for good. He is going to act - and be - Normal. But Normal, of course, is relative. Karl has five after-school jobs, one dead father, one seriously unhinged drunk mother . . . and a huge attitude. Welcome to a gritty, uncensored rollercoaster ride, narrated by the singular Karl Shoemaker.
Ratings and reviews
4.8
13 reviews
A Google user
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February 27, 2011
At first it was kind of corny. And it started out as some type of typical teenage problem book, but then it blossomed into a story about the hardships of unfortunate children who have to take on the role of the adult in the family in one way or another. I loved it :)
Wendy Murphey
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November 14, 2015
It is heartwarming and heartbreaking... an incredibly real story & one that I re-read every few years and love even more each time that I do.
2 people found this review helpful
Kayla Rogers
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October 28, 2018
The book didnt hide or filter anything. It showed different ways of how some people actually live. You also got to follow a tight group of friends and just see how they interact with each other. The book was definitely worth reading.
About the author
This is the acclaimed novelist John Barnes's first book for teenagers.
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