Title: The Second Step, Lo’ Steppin’: The Isometrics of Welfare and Power of Losing
Author: Al Lucas
Publisher: Lime Press LLC
ISBN: 978-1954304598
Pages: 136
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza
Pacific Book Review
It is safe to say that most, if not all, people have many different thoughts running through their heads at any given time. Thoughts open our minds to endless possibilities in life, and give us a glimpse into who we could be if we were to entertain any of the thoughts that run through our minds. Yet it is up to us whether to vocalize or accept any of these thoughts. As Aristotle once said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”
In author Al Lucas’s The Second Step, Lo’ Steppin’: The Isometrics of Welfare and Power of Losing, the author returns to the humorous, witty, and chilling life of recovering addict Paul Undres. After his first book ended with what he thought was “retribution” from the Black Community for his own addiction, he finds himself stumbling into one situation after another, until a run-in with an underage girl finds him spending time in prison. The author examines a man who’s battling his past addictions, and in the process fights his inner demons as he finds himself at the end of his rope, and unable to process his own role in his current battles.
This Is yet another engaging and heartfelt read. The author uses their own past experiences and the character’s more outrageous and at times unstable incidents to not only highlight addiction and the painful process of recovery once more, but showcases the evolving mindset of the antihero Paul as he straddles the line between his addict mind and his recovery mind. The humor with which the protagonist approaches the more serious aspects of this narrative both highlight the severity of the subject and the need for coping skills from those in the thick of it. It was refreshing to see some of Paul’s mindsets and thoughts from the first book evolve as the story went on, such as his back and forth on whether he was an independent or democrat based on his love for the 2012 election but disappointment and shock at the 2016 election, and yet his resistance to fully embrace recovery themes in his AA really highlight the lifelong struggle so many addicts must face.
This Is the perfect read for those who enjoy drama, especially those who enjoy drama narratives that highlight the road to recovery with addiction, thoughtful discussions on society, and humor. The narrative proved to be a painful look into an addict’s life of abuse, neglect, and poor decisions, leading to life-altering consequences.
A chilling, thought-provoking, and memorable read, author Al Lucas’s The Second Step, Lo’ Steppin’: The Isometrics of Welfare and Power of Losing is a must-read novel and the perfect next chapter in this ongoing saga of Paul Undres. The evolution of the character balanced with his harmful past and future bad decisions really helped elevate this narrative to new heights, and ends on a cliffhanger that will leave fans eager to find out what happens next.
