Walking the Midway in Purgatory : A Journal

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Summary: How I Spent My Summer Vacation
Review: "How I Spent My Summer Vacation"
by Walter Whitman

I spent my summer vacation reading Nick Masseso's book, "Walking the Midway in Purgatory". Then I reread it to ensure that I hadn't missed any letters or punctuation, and to savor the poignancy of its exquisance, once more while I still had the time in this life. Then, I bought another copy and buried it in an army surplus ammo can atop one of the Berkeley Hills. Masseso's book had convinced me to "do acid", LSD, one more time --- with the result that I saw myself reincarnated as an archaeologist several centuries from now, discovering the precious tome like splendour in the grass.

This book is a tour de force that compels the lucky reader to suspend disbelief long enough to open the doors of perception and enter into a parallel universe. There one becomes immersed in the cosmic consciousness of Master Masesso, who proceeds to initiate your lucky self into the unutterable, ineffable and glorious mysteries of his psychic penultimatums. Upon return to normal consciousness, the rehabilitated reader can choose to lapse into the maudlin memories of lost love in that heavenly haven of happiness; or, one can reread the book. I chose the latter option.

My second reading of this epic tale of truth and its consequences compelled me to forsake the compulsory consumption of aspartame-sweetened foods, to convert to a vegetarian diet, and to abstain from sex for the interim of my summer vacation. Fortunately, perhaps, this occurred during the final week of said hiatus, and I found it so sufficiently sufferable as not to make me regret the experience. Indeed, I maintain that regimen to this fateless day. The superlative pleasure of reliving the revival of my lapsed vivacity more than compensated for the subsequent depletion of precious bodily fluids when wanton women, sensing my manly vim, vigor and virility, availed themselves of my sudden availability!

Diligent dilettantes of the literary venue, and even librarians, would be smart, if not outright wise, to add this neo-classic book to their catalog collections. Verily, this is a true thing...

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Summary: Living in the 60's
Review: His writings are very rivetting. After growing up in that time period, I was able to relate to much of his memories.

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Summary: The Pilgrimage
Review: The author has a very interesting way of grabbing our attention and making us want to read from stem to stern without putting the journal down. Overall, very impressive writing; hope he continues to pursue the art of authorship.

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Summary: the 60's deconstructed
Review: The author takes apart the 1960's and the following decades in a way I had not seen before. Partly, his thesis indicates that the world we are in today is much the product of assasinations of MLK Jr, JFK and RFK. I found the book intrigueing and very well written. Masesso's style is hard hitting. It reminded me of Hemingway, Kerouac, and Hunter Thompson. The guy can write well.

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Summary: Shadowing One's Life
Review: The book has a mystical way of transporting you into the middle of the action. I felt as though I was living these stories with the author. The realism was surreal at times. This is a mist reading for those who enjoy researching and digesting the past.

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Summary: September 11, 2001 looks a lot like December 7, 1941
Review: The premise of Masesso's tome is the fact of this similarity. His theorem is that we can unravel today's confusing world affairs and America's participation by looking to the 1960's, the decade that was murdered in its sleep, for our redemption. The sneak attack on Pearl Harbor looks a lot like the sneak attack on the Twin Towers, the horror of 911. The World War that raged for four years afterwards, the bloodiest and most destructive in history, looks a lot like the open-ended War on Terror. The Second World War influenced the work of Norman Mailer, Jack Kerouac, J.D. Salinger and others, profoundly effecting 20th century literature. Masesso thinks that a new generation of thinkers and writers will emerge to take us in a new direction as a result of our new obscene conflict. With his personal, social and political examination of America both then and now he has staked his claim as one of those voices hoping to lead us out of the wilderness.


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Summary: Kick Writing
Review: This author writes in first person singular arias, composed in fits of soul-bearing frenzy with a jazz like extemporaneousness and pop art freshness.

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Summary: High Praise for WALKING THE MIDWAY IN PURGATORY
Review: This book is a great read. Nick Masesso is skilled at bringing turbulent events together into a fabulous story. He's a talent worth remembering.

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Summary: Perfect for Group Discussion
Review: What a wonderful book this is for discussion by book clubs,
library clubs and certainly College History Classes. Written
by the author that lived it.