Lawrence Aguirre

Leapfrog Lawrence Aguirre

Leapfrog is a novel set against the backdrop of the sixties. In it, we see what the young people of this generation brought with them, as they leapfrogged from wherever they were from to San Francisco. The generation of the sixties took a hint from Horace Greeley, when he said, "Go West, young man." And from the four corners of the country, young folks made their way to San Francisco, specifically to the Haight-Ashbury. Here, in the Haight, the young people of the sixties generation did the walk, did the talk, moved along, strolling like citizens, as though the big bad wolf was not behind them. In thetheme and in the plot, the backbone of the book is levels of existence and the human condition, as seen through a diverse cast of characters. On one level, the young generation rocked out withthe best, but their hearts and souls were tainted by disillusionment and despair. Nevertheless, rock 'n' roll and all the drugs gave impetus and heart. In this book, we see how each of the characters' lives unfolds. It is a book filled with humor, pathos, struggle, and romance, written with a little magical realism, giving the story a surprise ending.