“O Lord, what fools these mortals be” could be the watchword of the genre and of how it provides a typically gentle and ultimately reassuring entertainment for the reasonable reader it presumes. Like much satirical comedy, the underlying assumption is the conservative one of a reasonable social and moral order that eventually, as in Shakespeare’s plays, reasserts itself.

Eccentric figures, often recognizable human types, frequently deformed by their intellectual fashions and passions, play off against a reasonable protagonist. The academic comedy is a venerable genre. 218, $17.95 softcover.įred Baumann is a professor of political science at Kenyon College Nevergreen, Andrew Pessin, Open Books, pp. 'synopsis' may belong to another edition of this title.Campusland: A Novel, Scott Johnston, St. And what to do with Martika Malik-Adams? Isn’t her giant salary as vice-president of Diversity & Inclusion enough?Īll paths converge as privileged, marginalized, and radical students form identity alliances, sacrifice education for outrage, and push varied agendas of political correctness that drags every free thought of higher learning into the lower depths of an entitled underclass.Ĭampusland is a riotous, subversive and fresh read.

Presiding over this ferment is Milton Strauss, Devon’s feckless president, who spends his days managing perpetually aggrieved students, scheming administrators, jealous professors, billionaire donors, and bumptious frat boys. For Lulu to claw her way back to the top, she’ll build a pyre and roast anyone in her way. Shedding her designer clothes, she puts on flannel and a brand-new persona: campus victim. But when his position is challenged, Red is forced to take measures.īefore first term is halfway finished, Lulu bungles her social cache with her clubbable upperclass peers, and is forced to reinvent herself. In his seventh year at Devon, Red Wheeler is the alpha dog on top of Devon’s progressive hierarchy, the most woke guy on campus. If Eph could just get tenure, he could stay forever, but there are landmines everywhere. All day to think and read and linger over a Welsh rarebit at The Faculty Club, not to mention teach English 240 where he gets to discuss all his 19th Century favorites, like Mark Twain. To Eph Russell, who looks and sounds like an avatar of privilege (shh!–he’s anything but) Devon is heaven. If she’s fabulous and no one sees it, what’s the point? To Lulu Harris―It Girl-in-the-Making―her first year at the ultra-competitive Ivy-like Devon University is a dreary impediment. Her closet isn’t big enough for two weeks’-worth of outfits, much less her new Rag & Bone for fall. A wickedly delightful novel that may remind you of Tom Wolfe and David Lodge. Joyous, fast and funny, Scott Johnston’s Campusland is a satiric howl at today’s elite educational institutions―from safe spaces to tribal infighting to the sheer sanctimony. 'This high-spirited, richly imagined, and brave novel is a delight to read.

Campusland by Scott Johnston