The book Everything Matters by Ron Currie Jr. reminds me of Mike Tyson in his prime– if you don't pay close attention it will bite your ear off. Currie depicts the action so gracefully that Michelle Kwan would be jealous. Junior, the dynamic character Currie introduces to a curious audience, fights through trials in life that we can actually somewhat relate to, instead of the problems in a mental ward or an aristocratic society in England. Relationship problems, over-intelligence, and alcoholism pretty much sum up the daily concerns of both Junior Thibodeau and an AP English 12 student. In most books, I am able to group together a section of about forty pages that could use a nice ripping/shredding; however, I am able to honestly state each and every page held my upmost attention. Humor emerges from unexpected places like when Reggie attempts to suck his drink with "swizzle sticks" and Junior responds with a simple declarative: "You stir with them" (107). It reminds me of when Ms. Serensky simply states "be smart," which seems like the most blatantly obvious statement ever, yet it always seems to snap me out of a daze full of stupidity. Furthermore, Currie preforms the impossible task of making me feel close to the characters in a book. I feel as if I grew up with Rodney: from his days in the "Adolescent Recovery Unit" to the big leagues, I stuck with him (52). Lastly, the situational irony created at the conclusion of the novel when the family lies "huddled together, silent and relaxed" almost brought a tear to my eye, and Currie, assuredly, attempts to utilize pathos in order to draw content out of a skeptical reading faction (302). An excellent piece with a fantastic ending is rare in the literary world today and we must, as a society, cherish rarities such as Everything Matters.
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