Title: The Bronx and Beyond
Author: Milton Turoff
Publisher: PageTurner Press and Media
ISBN: 978-1-64908-813-0
Pages: 72
Genre: Fiction
Reviewed by: Jason Lulos

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Everyone has a story – a unique set of circumstances, life history, and how they see the world. In The Bronx and Beyond, we have the story of Morty Tavann, a preternaturally intelligent young man growing up in the Bronx during World War II. So intelligent that he’s become bored, Morty spends his time at the zoo studying animals, looking up women’s skirts, and ruminating about life’s trivialities and big questions. As a young man, he is part Holden Caulfield, part Walter Mitty: questioning and imaginative. This fast-paced story is packed with humor, narrative creativity, and surprising plot twists. What starts out as a typical coming-of-age story continuously evolves into something more adventurous and imaginative.

Morty’s boredom, combined with an ailing mother and alcoholic father, implore him to spread his wings. After a stint in college, he signs up to fight in the Korean War. Following a serious injury, Morty returns home and his life story shifts into a kind of existential, noir-fiction. Much like the noir detectives of the genre, Morty remains infatuated with women and life’s big questions. He is a deep thinker but with a naivety that sometimes leads to poor choices. Thus, hijinks ensue. While working as a driver and caring for his Aunt Annie, his life becomes more and more surreal. It is a classic case of continually being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

But Morty is ever hopeful. His three goals are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. While chasing his dreams, Morty has the feeling of being watched – the subject of a grand conspiracy or a man subjected to paranoia and the prolific imaginings of his own mind. This was the hook for me, adding to the mystery of the story itself. Looking for answers, Morty seeks counseling from a psychiatrist named I. M. “Mentyll.” Later, after being duped by an international spy named Pegleg, Morty consults the FBI Agents Sharp and “Succubus.” These comedic yet serious twists blend a Kafkaesque sense mixed with a classic detective story. Dramatic developments, narrative asides, and an inexplicable shift in time heighten the enigma: is Morty the victim of circumstance, conspiracy, or something more psychological?

This is a very intriguing novella in terms of plot and narration. The author sporadically breaks the fourth wall, blending his own musings on life with Morty’s. The mental asides between the two of them create a dual stream of consciousness, a strange chorus informing the story – covering everything from sexual politics to conversations with God. This story is truly imaginative: a captivating plot floating on whimsical asides from the author and the protagonist. Head scratching at times, (perhaps fittingly) I definitely recommend this as an intriguing story: a real page turner with interesting experiments in narration.