The Topeka School

I don't know if I fully get this story. There seems to be no shortage of threads you could tug at to reveal something deeper. There is the repeated theme of language pushed past the point of understanding, dissolving into near gibberish, incapable of imparting any sort of understanding. Is that a reflection of our current political discourse or the acceleration of information through social media dissolving into noise? How about testosterone filled teenaged boys living in the white affluence of the 90's affecting gangster poses while singing along to hardcore hiphop, the simmering anger lying just underneath the surface. Maybe it's just auto-fiction, the story of a Kansas poet being raised by two psychologist parents, Lerner's mother notably famous in her field.

What I do know is that I'd read Lerner writing about his experience walking to the local CVS. Citing these diverse themes makes it seem like it's heavy literary fiction that needs deep analysis to understand when it's just an incredibly good read. Lerner's got a poet's ear for language and an assured sense of his subjects. Can't wait to check out more from him.