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In the Midst Of

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There are some books destined to define an era, or a sate of mind--well, author C. M. Barons has captured both in an epic statement of the 1970's. His book "In the Midst Of" is an inner exploration of that time, place and states of mind. He approaches the story more like a spiritual explorer seeking meaning and some sort of self-realization from multiple icon events and values from that part of our social history. This book is like no other and I mean that in the absolute best of ways. This is an original!

This book may even answer that old Zen master's question (If the master was an old hippie) about what the sound of one hand clapping might be. The book is a "real trip" to use some 1970's vernacular. This book may not be for everyone, as it blazes across literary borders into the author's own imaginary world. But for those hardy readers who are more intelligently reckless and open to the flow of a more creative and entertaining universe, they will find a satisfaction that is much like digesting a gourmet meal! This book is a rarefied taste treat for the mind and spirit!

C. M. Barons's "In the Midst Of" is a read for those not quite of the Douglas Adams sensibility but who nonetheless like the funky and offbeat. The story follows Brian, a mid-Seventies college sophomore and his mysterious pal Hollis through the at-times labryinthine party-scapes of that era. But, make no mistake, this story far transcends being a Cheech and Chong style headfest. Barons's use of quotations from Carl Jung and Anais Nin, among others, along with mystical and mythological themes and motifs make this something worth not just perusing, but enjoying over and over again to get into each rich layer. Not the least compelling is the shadow that seems to surround Hollis. Barons gives the reader piece by piece a puzzle that when solved adds yet another rich layer. This is a good book with which to lounge by the pool or to sack out in an easy chair..but for heaven's sake, read it!!!! This has the makings of a cult classic. Readers who were of age during that era will readily identify with it, and recognize with a lot of hilarity, that "hey, I was there?!?"

The 1970s marked the end of the psychedelic decade of the '60s and the emergence of a newer and more self-centered popular culture. "In the Midst Of" by C. M. Barons is a deftly written novel set during this unusual time of flux and transition. It follows a young man named Brian as he deals with his equally unusual life through his turbulent times. When he loses touch with mentor discontinues Brian's friendship, and he is left wandering through the strange world of video arcades, encountering a variety of women of various demeanor. Brian decides he must find his mentor to bring rationality to his life. "In the Midst Of" is a nicely crafted work from beginning to end and a highly entertaining read.

(this review originally appeared at OutsiderWriters [dot] org)

David Hollis, "outsider," "consummate anti-hero" (130), and "intellectual machine" (102) explains away life with the humor and wit of a convoluted Dennis Miller monologue, the dirty savant barfly philosophy of Tom Waits, and the Hollywood literateur persona of Bret Easton Ellis. Love him (most do) or hate him (most will eventually), Hollis is an arresting personality, beautifully explored and displayed in C.M Barons's novel, In The Midst Of.

Odds are that a reader's first introduction to In The Midst Of will unfortunately not be a positive one. Published through a vanity press, having a vague, clichéd title, and given a poorly designed circa 1992 website presence, C.M Barons's debut novel has much stacked against it. But I assure you, In The Midst Of is near perfect.

From sentence one ("My neighbor was taken away in an ambulance"), Barons displays an impressive confidence with his writing. Hollis, being such an intelligent character, demands smooth writing and an equally intelligent author to both fully develop his persona as well as put him within a context of comparatively simple characters. Barons delivers both, broad intellect with the vocabulary to support it.

Story wise, In The Midst Of is a straightforward college life story revolving around Brian, a forgettable Nick Carraway to Hollis's Jay Gatsby. In much the same way that the Great Gatsby presents its narrator as a tool for showcasing another, more interesting character, In The Midst Of is all about Hollis. So why tell the story through Brian? As Cindy, Brian's girlfriend describes Hollis, one can image a Hollis story being textbook dense with occasional moments of empathy:

"You know, you can't stand the idea of being human. You're Hollis the intellectual machine. You don't enjoy books; you read literature. You aren't into music; you collect blues albums. You can't lower your guard for a second. You resent life. You pick it apart with philosophy and politics. Do you know why they call modern art, abstract?...because, it doesn't look like anything" (102).

And this overbearing intelligence marks one of the few faults with In The Midst Of. Every ten pages or so Hollis embraces encyclopedic tangents for seemingly no other reason than to announce his intelligence, creating what the reader can only assume is a vehicle to reveal the author's own intelligence. While interesting as standalone explorations, these digressions do not serve the central story.

Hollis, "he's an outsider, because he's doing what everybody wishes they could. He's got no causes; not out to overthrow anything. He's the consummate anti-hero. He has this thing about irony. That's his advantage; he never gets so close he gets taken in by what he's looking at" (130). And this is exactly what makes In The Midst Of work; Hollis is who we want to be, whether we knew it before reading, or whether we care to admit it afterwards.