by Tom Wolfe (76 year old notable figure of the hippie decade, now gravely conservative!) one of the founders of the new journalism.
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Satirical novel (676 pages): “Entomology” of college life; social Darwinism: under-educated Jocks, drunken frat boys, pretentious geeks, misguided activists, shameless sorority girls, and Charlotte: a beautiful child prodigy and innocent country girl discovering a world she was not prepared for, where sex, alcohol, cool and peer pressure trump academic achievement. Rarely has a more engaging, and sympathetic character been portrayed in modern fiction. Beauty, goodness and brain prevailing and irradiating over stupidity. |
With meticulous research on dialogue and subcultures, it’s like being inside the head of the characters (quite amazing especially if you consider the writter’s age/generation). Humour and intelligence; this book is hilarious, deep, cruel but somehow positive; a “tour de force”...
Wolfe gives every character substance (even Jocks!), lifting them above the stereotype category, it’s not just a simple parody; brilliant!