Good Grooming and a Healthy Respect for Authority By Mark Paxson

Readers who love to have their own opinions about everything in life and what it has to offer will love this book. Good Grooming and a Healthy Respect for Authority gives you a fun-filled and substance-influenced perspective on life.

You will meet third-year college student Frank and his childhood friend Slord from the pen of author Mark Paxson. You will have a small amount of sympathy with these characters from the story, but mostly, they bring their situations and their effects on themselves.

They should know that an alcohol-drenched mind is not the right way to go against everything the average American believes in. The revolt from the characters of this story can easily be compared with the National Lampoon style of humor and sarcasm.

Spoiler-free Summary

Everything in the story takes place over a weekend of overindulgence and substance misuse in the 1980s. Frank Dunne, who should have been attending college, returned home for the weekend to find some peace and direction.

He met up with Slord, his friend who never moved on with his life and is still living in his hometown. He is selling pot to local teens in Enon, Ohio, and has a makeshift bar where he makes a living.

The story begins with Frank waking up in his bedroom at his parent’s house, where he struggles to return to reality. While waking up in his bed, everything from the previous night’s alcohol consumption and substance use returns in fragments.

Every loud and clear remark about the American system and whatever adults believe in is ringing in his mind. They loudly criticized everything around them with their alcohol and substance-numbed minds and slurring tongues.

Frank hoped this would help to give some direction to his rudderless life and provide perspective to everything. But all they did was drench their minds (and bodies) for a couple of hours every night, leaving them with more doubt and no real answers.

While laying bare the small-town life and hypocritical way of those in charge, they mourn the selling out of their dreams and ideals.

My Take Away on Good Grooming and a Healthy Respect for Authority

The author has a funny, clever way of turning phrases to fit in with the theme of this story. He brings the characters to life in a unique way so you can easily associate with them.

The mind can have a weird effect on those using the substances, and the author cleverly shows this. Mark Paxson cleverly reveals the storyline in a manner that resonates with the disgruntled youth of every era in the history of man.

The book is a refreshing take on how the feelings of those robbed of something come to the surface. It’s especially clear (or, at least, more prominent) when substance misuse is part of the scenario.

In this story, those youths in the form of Frank and his lifelong friend feel their dreams have been stolen from them. What makes it worse is that they could do nothing about it except loudly protest.

Even though the story is mostly a humorous take on life, there’s a fair amount of substance (no pun intended). While maintaining the appearance of the plot, the author gives clever reasoning that fits in with a substance-filled mind.

The author has a lot of experience, providing the reader with a clear image of what he is trying to portray. The story also stays true to the plot and the nuances of the theme, so you can understand the meaning of every phrase and thought.

The story will appeal to younger readers, but adults can also relate to the overall picture of this book. Many readers will find the irony of this funny but somewhat serious banter by the author something to chew on for a while.

Audience:

Teenagers, young adults, and adults

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