Corporate-action

Okay, so with its loose, fable-like structure and pretty clear moral cant, it shouldn't be read as a standard novel. But Easterbrook doesn't exactly give us much else to hang on to: with overcooked metaphors and undercooked characters, this doesn't read like anything other than bad fiction from someone convinced he's writing something brilliant. The "dude, what if..." premise--cribbed in equal parts from b-grade sci-fi and "It's A Wonderful Life"--is almost cringe-inducing. And the point he's making--that modern society is, like, bad or something, because people, like, sell out--is embarrassing to hear. Not because it's necessarily untrue (in many cases) but because everything Easterbrook presents is so without nuance, subtlety, or grace.

I was intrigued by this book's premise of an umarried, cynical, fortysomething corporate lawyer's trying to recapture the idealism and romance of his youth. But I was disappointed at the specific form his efforts took--politically correct fantasizing about his hippie antiwar protest days in the 60's, debating whether to give up his millions of dollars in profits from a class-action settlement obtained by his law firm. The flashback/psychosis episodes every other chapter were also a rather cheesy device to bring us back in time to see his past perspective. Perhaps this will appeal to nostalgic, liberal baby boomers; but not necessarily to those with other worldviews, or other experiences of youthful idealism besides tossing out dandelions and flashing peace signs in public squares.

In some respects, Mr. Easterbrook's novel, The Here And Now, is more akin to a series of essays, interconnected and made more readable under the rubric of a novel. This is not a plot-driven novel; rather, the novel simply follows the development of its main character, over both a short period of time in "crisis," and over the protagonist's lifespan.

That said, The Here And Now is an excellent book. The primary characters are well developed, for whom the reader develops a sincere empathy. Minor characters are often walking indictments of a particular trend, industry, or the like, such as the therapist who has authored such notable psychological works as "Day Care For The Inner Child" and "When Mom & Dad Countersue," and the real estate magnate developing the "Gates of Hell" theme park (family friendly, despite its name, because it shows "little skin"). The dialogue is witty and insightful.

Best of all, the novel is thought provoking. Moreover, notwithstanding considerable cynicism throughout, its ultimate message is clearly one of hope and optimism. I highly recommend Mr. Easterbrook's novel.