Madness comes in many forms, some so subtle that they are not noticeable. Then, there is the relentless madness in the novel Your Biggest Fan by Jeremy Rosenholtz. A man sits locked up in an institution, writing obsequious letters to a famous pop star that show a glimpse of his shattered mind. Yet, in the man's mind, everything is logical and makes perfect sense. As he slowly reveals himself through his prose, there are few answers, and more questions arise. Is this a mid-life crisis or something far more sinister? Are we peeking into the psyche of understandable despair or getting a first-hand look at a true lunatic?

Your Biggest Fan by Jeremy Rosenholtz is a very sophisticated, skillful, and daring novel that left me unsure if I wanted to praise it or recommend that the author be locked up in an asylum. The plot and premise of this story focus on a man who (at best) is going through a midlife crisis with catastrophic results for himself. The underlying theme, however, is more subtle as it is a nightmarish ride into the mind of a man who could be anyone who loses control in life. Character development is centered almost exclusively on the main character, and the author does a brilliant job of presenting an antipathetic individual who could be a Woody Allen character on crack. The pace is a non-stop onslaught that filled me with a morbid fascination, and I found it a peculiar mix of cringe coupled with immersion. Written as three letters to someone who would never read them, Your Biggest Fan is a genre-defying read.

Your Biggest Fan by Jeremy Rosenholtz is an incredibly quirky and humorous peek into the world of a man undergoing a unique midlife crisis. The book is essentially composed of three letters written by a fifty-something man to a pop idol who has taken over this English teacher’s mind and very soul. The idol, who his daughters and most of his AP English students fawn over, is known as TS - no prizes for guessing! He spends countless hours poring over her songs, categorizing them into playlists that mirror his literary muses and parallel his life and disenchantment. Ultimately, he agonizes over whether his literary efforts to his idol will ever be answered by her, or indeed if they ever actually reach her, or whether they are intercepted by an uncaring assistant. His obsession with her music and lyrics begins to dominate his very existence. It will cost him his job, marriage, and house but it will never stop him from fulfilling his ambition to meet her and have a meaningful discussion about her lyrics and the inspiration for her songs. It is inevitable, therefore, that he and his daughters will attend her Eras Tour when it comes to their region. Finally, he will have his chance to connect with his idol.

Your Biggest Fan is brilliant, humorous, sad, and yet deeply revealing of a man’s psyche on many different levels. It will undoubtedly bring a knowing, if slightly embarrassed smile to many middle-aged men’s faces as they acknowledge much of the angst our protagonist experiences as he gets caught up in the mystique and myth he has created around his idol, TS. Author Jeremy Rosenholtz has created a character that many readers will readily identify with; the feeling of needing to find something meaningful and hopeful as we approach the final section of our lives is certainly not unique although few of us would probably go to this extreme obsession. I particularly appreciated the literary analogies that pepper the narrative as he attempts to link many of TS’s lyrics to famous literary works or allusions. I loved the reference to the infinite series of bunnies in Goodnight Moon which the protagonist wove into several different scenarios. This story reminds us that perhaps we all want to leave something behind that will be remembered forever. I’m not sure we would want to go down the same self-destructive road he chose; however, he does inspire us all. With depth and layers of meaning, this book is exceptionally well-written, humorous, and darkly ironic. It is an excellent read that I highly recommend.