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Campusland
A tumultuous and often hilarious first novel about one year of insanity at the Ivy-like Devon University, a blissful bubble of elite students and the adults at their mercy.
Eph Russell is an English professor up for tenure. He may look and sound privileged, but Eph is right out of gun-rack, Bible-thumping rural Alabama. His beloved Devon, though, has become a place of warring tribes, and there are landmines waiting for Eph that he is unequipped to see. The cultural rules are changing fast.
Lulu Harris is an entitled freshman—er, firstyear—from Manhattan. Her singular ambition is to be a prominent socialite – an “It Girl.” While most would kill for a place at Devon, to her college is a dreary impediment. She is pleasantly surprised to find some people she can tolerate in the Fellingham Society, a group of self-professed campus monarchists. When things become socially difficult, Lulu is forced to re-channel her ambition in a most unexpected way – as a militant feminist. In the process, she and Eph will find their fates at odds.
Also in the mix is Red Wheeler, who is in his seventh year at Devon, and is carefully managing his credits to stay longer. As the alpha dog atop Devon’s progressive hierarchy, Red is the most “woke” guy on campus. But when his position is threatened, he must take measures.
All paths collide in a riotous climax. Campusland is a timely and gleeful skewering of the modern American campus and its tribal culture.
Eph Russell is an English professor up for tenure. He may look and sound privileged, but Eph is right out of gun-rack, Bible-thumping rural Alabama. His beloved Devon, though, has become a place of warring tribes, and there are landmines waiting for Eph that he is unequipped to see. The cultural rules are changing fast.
Lulu Harris is an entitled freshman—er, firstyear—from Manhattan. Her singular ambition is to be a prominent socialite – an “It Girl.” While most would kill for a place at Devon, to her college is a dreary impediment. She is pleasantly surprised to find some people she can tolerate in the Fellingham Society, a group of self-professed campus monarchists. When things become socially difficult, Lulu is forced to re-channel her ambition in a most unexpected way – as a militant feminist. In the process, she and Eph will find their fates at odds.
Also in the mix is Red Wheeler, who is in his seventh year at Devon, and is carefully managing his credits to stay longer. As the alpha dog atop Devon’s progressive hierarchy, Red is the most “woke” guy on campus. But when his position is threatened, he must take measures.
All paths collide in a riotous climax. Campusland is a timely and gleeful skewering of the modern American campus and its tribal culture.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2019
About the author
Scott Johnston
2 books72 followersAuthor of St. Martin's Press novel Campusland, Johnston grew up in Manhattan and went to Yale. From there, Wall Street (Salomon Brothers of Liar's Poker fame) and a stint in Hong Kong. On the side, he opened a couple of nightclubs in NYC. One, called the Baja, had a great run. After that, he started and ran a quant hedge fund for about a decade, taking some time to teach as an adjunct at Yale. Somewhere in there he penned a fun little book on golf betting games. Growing bored of finance, Johnston shifted gears to tech, co-founding two startups. He lives in Westchester with his wife and three kids.
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August 17, 2019
Campusland is way over the top satirical. It's witty and funny but so over the top, so in your face constant with the satire, that I'd had enough pretty early in the book and this is with me agreeing with a lot of the messages that the author seemed to be conveying. Despite being over the top and too much for me, some of the fictional characters base their actions on real life happenings. The politics in the book are true to life but there's just so much of it, with no relief in sight.
This book has gotten a lot of four and five stars so I suggest checking out some of those reviews before deciding not to read the book. My college years were many decades ago so I couldn't relate to much in the book. I did like the much maligned characters of Eph and is girlfriend, but they were about the only likeable characters for me.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
This book has gotten a lot of four and five stars so I suggest checking out some of those reviews before deciding not to read the book. My college years were many decades ago so I couldn't relate to much in the book. I did like the much maligned characters of Eph and is girlfriend, but they were about the only likeable characters for me.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.
June 10, 2020
Audiobook ... narrated by Casey Turner
***Welcome***......
incoming Freshman, return students and Faculty.
It’s a beautiful September morning here at Devon University, in New Haven....
....where we stand united with African American students and their families against racial injustice and and in pursuit of higher education and inequality in America.
Please join us on Thursday evening, 7pm, for a live Zoom webinar to hear how COVID-19 might impact your on-campus experience.
Here at Devon, ......most rumors are true: supported by rich donors, graduates, businesslike people, and federal grants.
We pride ourselves as being diverse community.
...rich, privileged, elitist, super-smart, preppy, snotty, and jockey.
We are hippie, druggie, and geek....
...from every ethnic and religious background, from across the economic spectrum, from 50 states and 80 countries...
...we come from cities, suburbs, small towns, and farms..... from public, private, and parochial schools.
We’re republicans, democrats, and independents:
asian, white, black, gay, and straight.
We have inferiority complexes,
...are obsessed, depressed, and suppressed.
... we’re competitive, creative, and conniving.....
...narcissistic, politically correct, sex-hungry, and simply hungry.
We have a long standing tradition of many extracurricular activities and athletic opportunities in addition to academics.
Meet Lulu Harris, ( incoming social climbing ’material-girl’, freshman), from Massachusetts.
Her father (wealthy daddy), is an alumni from Devon.
Lulu is not only rich and beautiful....but very funny....
highly attuned to
college life absurdities.
Whatever Lulu wants... Lulu gets 😉
Ephraim ( Eph) Russell, is from a peanut farm in Alabama.
He is a popular, white, good looking English professor. He teaches 19th century literature. He’s soon up for tenure.
D’Arcy is his African American girlfriend.
Ha,.... but Lulu has a crush on Eph.
Trouble starts when Eph teaches Mark Twain.
Meet Red Wheeler... a seven-year - radical - student ( the professional student... who never leaves). He’s not currently enrolled in classes, but leads the progressive students alliance, and Milton Strauss, ( the 17th President of the university).
Sexual accusations, lies, equality for female students, activists, protest groups, gossip, crushes, cynicism,....
‘Campusland’ is a smart-hilarious cautionary tale ...
with a touch of outrage, and creepiness.
Radical and political....the halls of academe wakes up the ‘good-o’ guy & gal like a yummy morning coffee latte!
Satire entertainment.... with a little truth in the shadows!
Pure fun for those readers who have a ‘thing’ for college life drama stories!!
Scott Johnston is a terrific writer. I look forward to reading more by him.
***Welcome***......
incoming Freshman, return students and Faculty.
It’s a beautiful September morning here at Devon University, in New Haven....
....where we stand united with African American students and their families against racial injustice and and in pursuit of higher education and inequality in America.
Please join us on Thursday evening, 7pm, for a live Zoom webinar to hear how COVID-19 might impact your on-campus experience.
Here at Devon, ......most rumors are true: supported by rich donors, graduates, businesslike people, and federal grants.
We pride ourselves as being diverse community.
...rich, privileged, elitist, super-smart, preppy, snotty, and jockey.
We are hippie, druggie, and geek....
...from every ethnic and religious background, from across the economic spectrum, from 50 states and 80 countries...
...we come from cities, suburbs, small towns, and farms..... from public, private, and parochial schools.
We’re republicans, democrats, and independents:
asian, white, black, gay, and straight.
We have inferiority complexes,
...are obsessed, depressed, and suppressed.
... we’re competitive, creative, and conniving.....
...narcissistic, politically correct, sex-hungry, and simply hungry.
We have a long standing tradition of many extracurricular activities and athletic opportunities in addition to academics.
Meet Lulu Harris, ( incoming social climbing ’material-girl’, freshman), from Massachusetts.
Her father (wealthy daddy), is an alumni from Devon.
Lulu is not only rich and beautiful....but very funny....
highly attuned to
college life absurdities.
Whatever Lulu wants... Lulu gets 😉
Ephraim ( Eph) Russell, is from a peanut farm in Alabama.
He is a popular, white, good looking English professor. He teaches 19th century literature. He’s soon up for tenure.
D’Arcy is his African American girlfriend.
Ha,.... but Lulu has a crush on Eph.
Trouble starts when Eph teaches Mark Twain.
Meet Red Wheeler... a seven-year - radical - student ( the professional student... who never leaves). He’s not currently enrolled in classes, but leads the progressive students alliance, and Milton Strauss, ( the 17th President of the university).
Sexual accusations, lies, equality for female students, activists, protest groups, gossip, crushes, cynicism,....
‘Campusland’ is a smart-hilarious cautionary tale ...
with a touch of outrage, and creepiness.
Radical and political....the halls of academe wakes up the ‘good-o’ guy & gal like a yummy morning coffee latte!
Satire entertainment.... with a little truth in the shadows!
Pure fun for those readers who have a ‘thing’ for college life drama stories!!
Scott Johnston is a terrific writer. I look forward to reading more by him.
October 22, 2020
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I selected Campusland, but I ended up loving this brilliant work of satire focused on the over-the-top and often sanctimonious “woke” culture of the elite Ivy-league campuses. Come for the laugh-out-loud moments and stay for the accurate social commentary on these elite institutions, who may at times go a bit too far for the sake of proving how progressive and socially-conscious they are. I loved it!
I’m shocked this book hasn’t received more attention and accolades. I found it brilliant! Having attended an elite private college in the Pacific Northwest with similar “woke” culture, I laughed so many times while reading this. Scott Johnston does a brilliant job of showing how what often starts as well-intentioned movements can be taken (particularly in these sorts of campuses) to the extreme, where the actual purpose of the cause is often lost by the theatrics surrounding the faux-activism.
Centering around English professor Eph Russell who is hoping to achieve tenure in the current academic year, Campusland delves into the question of what happens when campus culture is taken too far, and rational thought is replaced by fear of backlash from cancel culture.
Eph is from rural Alabama, not the norm for the elite professors at Devon University. But Eph also stands out as the most rational, fair, and open-minded character in the novel. He strives to be simply a good professor, and challenge his students to learn from the great writers throughout history. But he is no match for the university administration, who jump at the slightest hint of pushback from cancel culture sweeping the student population.
There is a particularly humorous exchange in a chapter aptly names "I Feel like" between a student and Eph, when the student articulates how she feels upset that the curriculum in in Eph’s course on 19th Century Romanticism and Realism lacks enough minority representation. Eph points out that this is the consensus about the great works from that period in history, and the student responds “Whose consensus? Other people of privilege? I think we all know the answer to that, don’t we?”
Meanwhile the book is peppered with other narrators from the campus, including the President of the University, a privileged white student who fakes a stint of activism to gain a social media following and leads people to falsely believe she was sexually assaulted (a belief she does nothing to correct), a black student activist named Red who spends his time searching for the next cause he can highlight, and the head of the university’s bias response team (a team of one) who pretends to represent a larger team while unilaterally making decisions.
One of the key messages of the book is whether some institutions like the fictional Devon may have gone so far that we are now in a classic case of the lunatics running the asylum. Where the fear of not being progressive enough has now led the administration to act without thought or investigation, often undermining the integrity of the causes they are seeking to support and leading innocent people to be collateral damage. Ironically, the most open and honest character who seeks to learn and be a better ally is Eph, the rural southern white male professor. There is also great contrast to the faux activists who lead many of the problematic scenarios in other students, who show up to support and advocate for real issues that matter, but are drowned out by the spectacle made by the other events of the novel.
A brilliant work of satirical fiction that hits close to home. I loved it!
Thank you to St Martin’s Press for my copy. Opinions are my own.
I’m shocked this book hasn’t received more attention and accolades. I found it brilliant! Having attended an elite private college in the Pacific Northwest with similar “woke” culture, I laughed so many times while reading this. Scott Johnston does a brilliant job of showing how what often starts as well-intentioned movements can be taken (particularly in these sorts of campuses) to the extreme, where the actual purpose of the cause is often lost by the theatrics surrounding the faux-activism.
Centering around English professor Eph Russell who is hoping to achieve tenure in the current academic year, Campusland delves into the question of what happens when campus culture is taken too far, and rational thought is replaced by fear of backlash from cancel culture.
Eph is from rural Alabama, not the norm for the elite professors at Devon University. But Eph also stands out as the most rational, fair, and open-minded character in the novel. He strives to be simply a good professor, and challenge his students to learn from the great writers throughout history. But he is no match for the university administration, who jump at the slightest hint of pushback from cancel culture sweeping the student population.
There is a particularly humorous exchange in a chapter aptly names "I Feel like" between a student and Eph, when the student articulates how she feels upset that the curriculum in in Eph’s course on 19th Century Romanticism and Realism lacks enough minority representation. Eph points out that this is the consensus about the great works from that period in history, and the student responds “Whose consensus? Other people of privilege? I think we all know the answer to that, don’t we?”
Meanwhile the book is peppered with other narrators from the campus, including the President of the University, a privileged white student who fakes a stint of activism to gain a social media following and leads people to falsely believe she was sexually assaulted (a belief she does nothing to correct), a black student activist named Red who spends his time searching for the next cause he can highlight, and the head of the university’s bias response team (a team of one) who pretends to represent a larger team while unilaterally making decisions.
One of the key messages of the book is whether some institutions like the fictional Devon may have gone so far that we are now in a classic case of the lunatics running the asylum. Where the fear of not being progressive enough has now led the administration to act without thought or investigation, often undermining the integrity of the causes they are seeking to support and leading innocent people to be collateral damage. Ironically, the most open and honest character who seeks to learn and be a better ally is Eph, the rural southern white male professor. There is also great contrast to the faux activists who lead many of the problematic scenarios in other students, who show up to support and advocate for real issues that matter, but are drowned out by the spectacle made by the other events of the novel.
A brilliant work of satirical fiction that hits close to home. I loved it!
Thank you to St Martin’s Press for my copy. Opinions are my own.
May 20, 2019
I actually read this book twice, once a couple of months ago with the intention of reviewing it and the second time for the sheer, unmitigated pleasure of it.
If you are looking for a laugh-out-loud summer read that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining then look no further, this is your book. Scott Johnston has a keen ear for not only dialogue but also for the preening psychobabble so prevalent in the hallowed halls of higher education today.
If you have sent a child to college in recent memory and found yourself scratching your head at offerings such as "100 Years of Courting, Dating & Hooking Up on College Campuses" and "Feminist Post-Colonial Theory" (both of which I pulled directly from the sites of institutions to which I have actually paid tuition, cue the chagrin) this book will probably strike a chord. When the higher-ed establishment is overrun with safe spaces, virtue signaling, privilege-checking and the like it is probably long overdue for a skewering of this just sort.
In Scott Johnston's imagined Devon University caricatures and characters abound. From the "pulled from the headlines" undergrad who views college as a 4-year rehearsal for her branding aspirations to the spandex-clad Furie who is Devon's Dean of Diversity and Inclusion memorable personages strut through the pages to great comic effect.
One slightly naive professor gets caught in the crosshairs of a Title IX investigation run completely amok. Protests and counter protests ensue and the whole affair ends in a cinematic final scene that left me helpless with laughter.
Analogy of the day: Scott Johnston is to the Ivy League and beyond as Tom Wolfe is to Wall Street.
If you are looking for a laugh-out-loud summer read that is as thought-provoking as it is entertaining then look no further, this is your book. Scott Johnston has a keen ear for not only dialogue but also for the preening psychobabble so prevalent in the hallowed halls of higher education today.
If you have sent a child to college in recent memory and found yourself scratching your head at offerings such as "100 Years of Courting, Dating & Hooking Up on College Campuses" and "Feminist Post-Colonial Theory" (both of which I pulled directly from the sites of institutions to which I have actually paid tuition, cue the chagrin) this book will probably strike a chord. When the higher-ed establishment is overrun with safe spaces, virtue signaling, privilege-checking and the like it is probably long overdue for a skewering of this just sort.
In Scott Johnston's imagined Devon University caricatures and characters abound. From the "pulled from the headlines" undergrad who views college as a 4-year rehearsal for her branding aspirations to the spandex-clad Furie who is Devon's Dean of Diversity and Inclusion memorable personages strut through the pages to great comic effect.
One slightly naive professor gets caught in the crosshairs of a Title IX investigation run completely amok. Protests and counter protests ensue and the whole affair ends in a cinematic final scene that left me helpless with laughter.
Analogy of the day: Scott Johnston is to the Ivy League and beyond as Tom Wolfe is to Wall Street.
June 10, 2019
I'm such a sucker for books set in schools--this one at Devon University. I'm a sucker for a good satire and as a retired English teacher, I'm also a sucker for references to classic literature--as in this novel when Huck Finn is challenged as being racist with no "content warning" (even as it's taught in a nineteenth century English class)! I laughed so hard while reading this brilliant novel; nothing is sacrosanct here! Johnston examines the elite white socialites, trigger warnings, gender identity issues, personal pronouns, social media, secret societies, fraternities, racial inequality, sexual assault, Title IX, and literally everything relevant to today. The characters--like protagonist Eph and student Lulu--are funny and quirky while still remaining realistic without being stereotypes. I simply loved this novel as it calls attention to so many issues that plague our politically correct tendencies and reminds us to sometimes take a step back and just laugh for a change!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
February 24, 2020
I received this in a Goodreads giveaway. I feel like Scott Johnston owes me money for finishing this.
Do you think racism is solved, and anyone who complains about it is just too sensitive?
Do you think most rape accusations are false?
Have you ever used a black person as a prop to prove that you aren't racist?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, this may be the "satire" you are looking for.
This supposed satire is conservative propaganda filled with implicit racism and sexism. It's hard to say if this is the author's implicit biases showing through in his writing or if it is done on purpose so that people who complain can be told that they are too sensitive.
I was going to write more, but this book isn't worth the effort. Read it if you like David Brooks.
It makes a good coaster. Soaks up spilled coffee really well.
Do you think racism is solved, and anyone who complains about it is just too sensitive?
Do you think most rape accusations are false?
Have you ever used a black person as a prop to prove that you aren't racist?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, this may be the "satire" you are looking for.
This supposed satire is conservative propaganda filled with implicit racism and sexism. It's hard to say if this is the author's implicit biases showing through in his writing or if it is done on purpose so that people who complain can be told that they are too sensitive.
I was going to write more, but this book isn't worth the effort. Read it if you like David Brooks.
It makes a good coaster. Soaks up spilled coffee really well.
June 12, 2019
HEAR YE, HEAR YE, all you who work with or near college students must read this book. Johnston has written a brilliant satire on today’s college politics.
I laughed out loud many times, read portions to colleagues because so much of it touches the truths of campus life and over.zealous political correctness.
I found myself remembering many campus incidents with students who used magic phrases like those echoed in the book to pursue their personal agendas.
It is the story of Eph, a college professor awaiting tenure who begins a bloody descent into public humiliation and persecution following his attempts to teach a classic Mark Twain novel in his American literature seminar.
He soon becomes a political target of a seriously disturbed student and power hungry zealots who use Eph to further their own agendas.
Since I don’t want to include spoilers, let it suffice to say, I highly recommend this to everyone who loves to chuckle and try to understand the vagaries of today’s sexuality and politics.
Thank you Netgalley and Scott Johnston for giving me a really great book to read and review.
I laughed out loud many times, read portions to colleagues because so much of it touches the truths of campus life and over.zealous political correctness.
I found myself remembering many campus incidents with students who used magic phrases like those echoed in the book to pursue their personal agendas.
It is the story of Eph, a college professor awaiting tenure who begins a bloody descent into public humiliation and persecution following his attempts to teach a classic Mark Twain novel in his American literature seminar.
He soon becomes a political target of a seriously disturbed student and power hungry zealots who use Eph to further their own agendas.
Since I don’t want to include spoilers, let it suffice to say, I highly recommend this to everyone who loves to chuckle and try to understand the vagaries of today’s sexuality and politics.
Thank you Netgalley and Scott Johnston for giving me a really great book to read and review.
June 18, 2019
Warning. If you are not the type who enjoys laughing hysterically out loud, then avoid this book. Campusland by Scott Johnston is absolutely hilarious, one of the funniest books I have read in many years. The ARC, courtesy of NetGalley and MacMillan Publishers and in exchange for an honest review is a hoot.. The book follows the adventures of a young, untenured English professor Eph Russell at a beleaguered Ivy League college populated with trust fund brats, campus radicals and would-be radicals, a social climbing wanna be model, militant feminists, a clueless Dean who believes money CAN solve everything and committee upon committee for self righteous and politically correct ideas. No sacred cow is left unmilked or unskewered when Russell's classroom discussions of Mark Twain garners the attention of the various campus factions, ultimately resulting in a riotous climax of epic proportions (including a 12' foot tall penis and matching vagina). Original, funny and highly recommended.
April 17, 2019
As a woman who graduated from a college not unlike Devon (Beat Yale!), Campusland really struck a familiar chord with me. I found it to be hilariously funny in places, scary as all get out in others, and a great read in general. Johnston has a gift for dialogue, and some of my favorite sections involved "The Mound", a monosyllabic frat brother who was absolutely hilarious. I felt sorry for poor, un-woke Eph, the naive professor who finds himself on the receiving end of the lash of PC culture and Title IX. This book was a real eye-opener, and would make a great gift for parents who are sending kids off to college, kids who are sending themselves off to college, and/or anyone concerned about the repression of free speech on college campuses. Lots of timely topics covered by this clear thinking author. Bravo.
July 21, 2019
Oh, wow! What a breath of fresh air! Not since a Mel Brooks movie have we attempted to laugh at ourselves in order to feel better. Scott Johnston must have made a list of all the recent U.S. news that needed to chill, then wrote this book to address every single one of them. As I read, numerous bits of news jumped up in my memory and yes, it’s something that we need to chill and snicker about today. For example, the rich little college gentleman who was on a “hunger strike” (oh, please), the students clicking their fingers because clapping may upset someone (oops, forgot to say “trigger warning”), the image of the young lady screaming to the skies in sheer agonizing pain (I did this when I gave birth ;), the knee-jerk reactions of college campuses to throw money at issues, then they quietly slink away. He even jabs at himself on the cover of his book, social media-style.
I noticed that a minimal few readers were deeply offended by the attempt at humor Mr. Johnston offers here. My advice to you: read this again in five years. Maybe by then, you’ll get it.
Also, after reading the author’s note, I plan to read “Unwanted Advances” by Laura Kipnis. This is one area of the book that Scott makes clear, he’s somewhat joking about the matter but it’s far from funny.
A nice refreshing change whose time is due, from an author who is eloquent and well educated, I only hope others will be as brave as Scott Johnston was and display some past events for what they are.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for making it available.)
I noticed that a minimal few readers were deeply offended by the attempt at humor Mr. Johnston offers here. My advice to you: read this again in five years. Maybe by then, you’ll get it.
Also, after reading the author’s note, I plan to read “Unwanted Advances” by Laura Kipnis. This is one area of the book that Scott makes clear, he’s somewhat joking about the matter but it’s far from funny.
A nice refreshing change whose time is due, from an author who is eloquent and well educated, I only hope others will be as brave as Scott Johnston was and display some past events for what they are.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks so much to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for making it available.)
June 14, 2019
Just finished this tonight! While it is a work of fiction and meant to be satire, there is also so much truth behind the storylines & characters! This book is narrated by multiple voices: a professor at a prestigious private university, a bright and very privileged freshman girl recently beginning her studies there, a jaded frat brother, the President of the university, a revolutionary who can’t figure out what to fight for, and more.
The basic premise is to give us a taste of what higher education is today, particularly in a climate of social progress, where everyone feels marginalized and wants to be heard. The race to see who is “most woke” is real.
In Campusland, an enterprising young woman who wants to be the new “It Girl” begins a snowball chain of events that takes everyone down with her like dominos! A Title IX investigation of misconduct takes a hapless professor from popularity and security to that of a campus pariah. This sets in motion a desire for everyone on Devon campus and eventually around the world to take a side.
Despite its serious moments and thought provoking content, this book had MANY hilariously funny moments that had me laughing out loud!! I either LOVED or loved-to-hate each character. Also, the dialogue is perfection!!
I highly recommend this book, especially if you ever attended college, have kids in college or work on a college campus!!! The ending could not have been better and I’m so so so glad I read this book!
5 Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you, #Netgalley!
#Campusland
The basic premise is to give us a taste of what higher education is today, particularly in a climate of social progress, where everyone feels marginalized and wants to be heard. The race to see who is “most woke” is real.
In Campusland, an enterprising young woman who wants to be the new “It Girl” begins a snowball chain of events that takes everyone down with her like dominos! A Title IX investigation of misconduct takes a hapless professor from popularity and security to that of a campus pariah. This sets in motion a desire for everyone on Devon campus and eventually around the world to take a side.
Despite its serious moments and thought provoking content, this book had MANY hilariously funny moments that had me laughing out loud!! I either LOVED or loved-to-hate each character. Also, the dialogue is perfection!!
I highly recommend this book, especially if you ever attended college, have kids in college or work on a college campus!!! The ending could not have been better and I’m so so so glad I read this book!
5 Stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you, #Netgalley!
#Campusland
March 16, 2021
From my review at motherbookerblog.com:
Campusland promises to be a hilarious and brutal look at an Ivy League style college. It is set in the fictional college of Devon University over the space of a school year. We see how the time passes for a small group of students and faculty. The book is narrated from the point of view of the well-meaning old Dean, a passionate English professor, a bored freshman social media star, a group of fraternity bros, and a political activist wanting to shake everything up. It discusses all of the major social topics of the day in a way that the author is keen to remind us is both realistic and really funny. And he really means it. It's just ufortnuate that it's not actually true. Well, at least the funny bit. I can't really speak for the state of American higher education establishments. But, still, I have my suspicions that a lot of this is hyperbole coming from a place of bitterness.
The narrative to Campusland is what I would describe as very thin. It plays out more like a television series than a book. We experience lots of little episodes that all culminate in one big finale. There are lot of jumps in time and not a lot of development. And, crucially, not as many jokes as Scott Johnson would have you believe. Devon is presented as one of those politically correct and "woke" colleges where they are worried about offending everyone and teach their first year boys about consent on their first day. All the students are the kind of people that journalists over the age of 40 would describe as "snowflakes" because they hate racism, sexual assault, and sexism. There is a lot of student protesting throughout this book but there is never a point when it is presented as anything other than ridiculous. The students are ridiculous for protesting and the school is shown to be ridiculous for listening to them. Then there's the over-exaggerated committee that ensures student welfare and equality. Rather than being a necessary thing it is written as a joke. A group of people out to cause problems over the smallest of matters.
But, the biggest problem I have with this book is the central storyline. A storyline that has an impact on every character we meet. Freshman student and socialite, Lulu Harris, isn't sure why she went to university when she simply plans to become a star. Still, it looks good and she can sleep her way around campus at least. Until, after a one-night stand, she bashes her eye on a table and finds herself labelled as a victim of sexual assault. What happens next is a story in which Lulu, the slutty New York It Girl, makes a false rape claim against her Literature Professor, Eph Russell. A claim that is taken seriously by everyone but Lulu. It sees the new Dean for Equality set her sights on getting the innocent and sweet Eph sacked even once Lulu reveals the truth.
Again, this is supposed to be a funny story. A young girl trying to get media attention though a silent protest that gains a lot of traction. A professor who did nothing wrong but keeps saying the wrong thing. A woman who lets the power get to her head for wanting acclaim amongst her peers. Natural sources of comedy. What the book actually does is give credence to the idea that girls simply cry rape when they regret having sex with someone. I don't think the idea of sexual assault or fake claims of sexual assault are grounds for comedy but, if they were, this certainly wasn't the way to do it. This is a vicious and toxic book that isn't even funny enough to justify what it's doing.
When you're being insulting in a comedic sense there is a fine line between being funny and being plain mean. There is never a point in Campusland when Scott Johnson ever goes into being funny. This is the kind of awful frat boy humour that just misunderstands the people it's making fun of. We hear feminists say things like "consent doesn't matter if you're a man" and push young girls into making rape allegations. This is the same kind of exaggerated bullshit that is being pushed in the media about millennials. When in actual fact, they're a lot more tuned in and sensible. It just makes Johnson seem like a bitter old man who has decided younger generations aren't worth listening to. It's pathetic and I had a hard time finishing this book. And I say that not just because I found it offensive. It was also not very well-written and the characters were massively under-developed. They all had one trait and that was it. And they were all such lazy stereotypes. There was not one original or interesting idea in this entire book.
Campusland promises to be a hilarious and brutal look at an Ivy League style college. It is set in the fictional college of Devon University over the space of a school year. We see how the time passes for a small group of students and faculty. The book is narrated from the point of view of the well-meaning old Dean, a passionate English professor, a bored freshman social media star, a group of fraternity bros, and a political activist wanting to shake everything up. It discusses all of the major social topics of the day in a way that the author is keen to remind us is both realistic and really funny. And he really means it. It's just ufortnuate that it's not actually true. Well, at least the funny bit. I can't really speak for the state of American higher education establishments. But, still, I have my suspicions that a lot of this is hyperbole coming from a place of bitterness.
The narrative to Campusland is what I would describe as very thin. It plays out more like a television series than a book. We experience lots of little episodes that all culminate in one big finale. There are lot of jumps in time and not a lot of development. And, crucially, not as many jokes as Scott Johnson would have you believe. Devon is presented as one of those politically correct and "woke" colleges where they are worried about offending everyone and teach their first year boys about consent on their first day. All the students are the kind of people that journalists over the age of 40 would describe as "snowflakes" because they hate racism, sexual assault, and sexism. There is a lot of student protesting throughout this book but there is never a point when it is presented as anything other than ridiculous. The students are ridiculous for protesting and the school is shown to be ridiculous for listening to them. Then there's the over-exaggerated committee that ensures student welfare and equality. Rather than being a necessary thing it is written as a joke. A group of people out to cause problems over the smallest of matters.
But, the biggest problem I have with this book is the central storyline. A storyline that has an impact on every character we meet. Freshman student and socialite, Lulu Harris, isn't sure why she went to university when she simply plans to become a star. Still, it looks good and she can sleep her way around campus at least. Until, after a one-night stand, she bashes her eye on a table and finds herself labelled as a victim of sexual assault. What happens next is a story in which Lulu, the slutty New York It Girl, makes a false rape claim against her Literature Professor, Eph Russell. A claim that is taken seriously by everyone but Lulu. It sees the new Dean for Equality set her sights on getting the innocent and sweet Eph sacked even once Lulu reveals the truth.
Again, this is supposed to be a funny story. A young girl trying to get media attention though a silent protest that gains a lot of traction. A professor who did nothing wrong but keeps saying the wrong thing. A woman who lets the power get to her head for wanting acclaim amongst her peers. Natural sources of comedy. What the book actually does is give credence to the idea that girls simply cry rape when they regret having sex with someone. I don't think the idea of sexual assault or fake claims of sexual assault are grounds for comedy but, if they were, this certainly wasn't the way to do it. This is a vicious and toxic book that isn't even funny enough to justify what it's doing.
When you're being insulting in a comedic sense there is a fine line between being funny and being plain mean. There is never a point in Campusland when Scott Johnson ever goes into being funny. This is the kind of awful frat boy humour that just misunderstands the people it's making fun of. We hear feminists say things like "consent doesn't matter if you're a man" and push young girls into making rape allegations. This is the same kind of exaggerated bullshit that is being pushed in the media about millennials. When in actual fact, they're a lot more tuned in and sensible. It just makes Johnson seem like a bitter old man who has decided younger generations aren't worth listening to. It's pathetic and I had a hard time finishing this book. And I say that not just because I found it offensive. It was also not very well-written and the characters were massively under-developed. They all had one trait and that was it. And they were all such lazy stereotypes. There was not one original or interesting idea in this entire book.
February 5, 2019
A book that will make you laugh, cringe then laugh some more. The funniest situations are the ones that start with truth and are then amplified with humor. The Campusland narrative winds through events that would have been farcical 10 years ago, but today have become comically (or sadly) true. The book shows how out of whack our world has become without becoming preachy. Johnston has a keen eye for social commentary and humor - everyone will laugh when they read this book. Campusland is a great story that shows the results of self-righteousness run amok.
June 6, 2019
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review of the book.
I don't know exactly what I was expecting when I sat down to read this book, but it definitely wasn't this wildly witty, sassy satirical look at modern campus life.
The story is set at Devon University, an elite college located in New England. The story revolves around four main characters and their exploits through one school year. Lulu is a New York Socialite who doesn't really want to go to college, but she figures that college will help to expand her brand. Red runs a loosely organized group of social agitators who are trying to bring about some element of change to Devon. Eph is a professor of 19th century English Literature. And Milton is the President of Devon who enjoys his interactions with the students as well as the social media account that the students have set up about him entitled "Fake Uncle Miltie".
As the story begins, Eph is in hot pursuit of tenure. He is determined not to do anything that could jeopardize his chances. Until the one day when someone is his class questions why there are no authors of color in his 19th Century English class. When Eph responds that there were very few authors of any color other than white due to very low literacy rates among that population during that time period... chaos begins. Red finds the mission and purpose he has needed for a while now. He and his cohorts begin protesting in Eph's English class and posting on social media about the racist teacher and university.
As the story continues to unfurl, the characters are swept up into one drama after another - and each drama is a biting commentary on today's society. The author does not hesitate to pick at the questions being raised in the current political climate. He does not dance around political correctness, he plows right through everything with biting wit that leaves you questioning current societal norms as well as how you view these norms through your own filters. There were a few times when I found myself questioning the portrayal of these norms in the book and my own personal biases and ended up sighing in exasperation as the author made me take a hard look at myself.
This fast paced book is an excellent read for those who enjoy biting social commentary.
I don't know exactly what I was expecting when I sat down to read this book, but it definitely wasn't this wildly witty, sassy satirical look at modern campus life.
The story is set at Devon University, an elite college located in New England. The story revolves around four main characters and their exploits through one school year. Lulu is a New York Socialite who doesn't really want to go to college, but she figures that college will help to expand her brand. Red runs a loosely organized group of social agitators who are trying to bring about some element of change to Devon. Eph is a professor of 19th century English Literature. And Milton is the President of Devon who enjoys his interactions with the students as well as the social media account that the students have set up about him entitled "Fake Uncle Miltie".
As the story begins, Eph is in hot pursuit of tenure. He is determined not to do anything that could jeopardize his chances. Until the one day when someone is his class questions why there are no authors of color in his 19th Century English class. When Eph responds that there were very few authors of any color other than white due to very low literacy rates among that population during that time period... chaos begins. Red finds the mission and purpose he has needed for a while now. He and his cohorts begin protesting in Eph's English class and posting on social media about the racist teacher and university.
As the story continues to unfurl, the characters are swept up into one drama after another - and each drama is a biting commentary on today's society. The author does not hesitate to pick at the questions being raised in the current political climate. He does not dance around political correctness, he plows right through everything with biting wit that leaves you questioning current societal norms as well as how you view these norms through your own filters. There were a few times when I found myself questioning the portrayal of these norms in the book and my own personal biases and ended up sighing in exasperation as the author made me take a hard look at myself.
This fast paced book is an excellent read for those who enjoy biting social commentary.
February 12, 2019
Scott Johnston's first novel is special. From the first page, we know that we are in sure hands as Johnston serves up crackling dialog and a succession of closely-observed, comic situations. Characters drive the story; every one of them has a strategy; and very few of them actually are as they might wish to be seen. Lulu Harris, amoral Manhattan debutante, deserves her own novel, and poor fish-out-of-water Professor Ephraim Russell plays the bewildered straight man in a madhouse Ivy League world of trust fund agitators, permanently aggrieved protestors, undergraduate twits with phony English accents, professionally jealous academics, and scheming administrators. Campusland is great fun all the way to its surprising conclusion.
April 3, 2019
If you find yourself shaking your head over the weird and exasperating directions society has been moving recently, this is the book for you. It deals with the some of the ridiculous ways that racial and
sexual injustices are being exploited in a satirical, lighthearted way that conveys the thought that extremism must be curtailed. It is has great characters, snappy dialogue and a thought-provoking message. I especially like the way it recognizes that real problems exist but also manages to lampoon those who are utilizing them for their own agenda. The author does a good job in walking that fine line in this entertaining book.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
sexual injustices are being exploited in a satirical, lighthearted way that conveys the thought that extremism must be curtailed. It is has great characters, snappy dialogue and a thought-provoking message. I especially like the way it recognizes that real problems exist but also manages to lampoon those who are utilizing them for their own agenda. The author does a good job in walking that fine line in this entertaining book.
I won a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway for this honest review.
May 13, 2019
Thank you so much Scott Johnson and St. Martin’s Press for giving me the opportunity to read this irreverent, hysterically funny and controversial parody on college life. Boy did it bring back memories. The characters are well developed and the dialog sharp and witty. Loved this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who can laugh at themselves and at the bureaucratic red tape that makes up the university system. Campusland is right on point! Thank you St. Martin’s Press for sponsoring a wonderful Goodreads giveaway!
August 11, 2019
I finished this book in July and can't stop thinking about it. It has captured the spirit and ambience of most colleges and, in my opinion, portrays the holy grail of academia. I am no stranger to academia. I have two master's degrees, have been an adjunct professor, a summer sessions professor, a guest lecturer, an associate director of counseling at a university student health center and am married to a man who taught at a university for 36 years. This novel, believe it or not, knows from whence it speaks.
Eph Russell, a professor of English, is beyond thrilled to be on a tenure track position in the English Department of Devon College, a near Ivy in New England. He loves everything about Devon including teaching, the quality of the students, and likes most of his colleagues. It has been hinted to him that he will get tenure next year. As the semester starts, he tells his class they will be reading Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Chaos ensues and Eph is called a racist because of some of the book's content. There are protests, sit-downs, demonstrations and he goes from being a respected member of the Devon society to being ostracized by everyone except his girlfriend and a very few students.
One of the students who doesn't ostracize Eph is Lulu, a rich material girl who gets anything she wants from her rich daddy. She is about as intellectually and emotionally deep as a goldfish bowl. However, she is clever. She has a crush on Eph and, even as he spurns her advances, she manages to involve him in allegations of sexual inappropriateness.
The book catches the characters wonderfully. There is Milton Strauss, the College's President, who likes to think he walks the students' walk but basically walks whatever walk is easiest and brings more money to Devon. There is Red Wheeler. Every college has a Red Wheeler, a radical troublemaker who has been taking classes on and off for over 7 years in this and that but still has no major and no degree. What he wants is to brew up a crisis with himself at the center. Any cause is good enough for Red. Then there's Malika Malik-Adams, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. No matter what you do, she'll find something to nail you with. And of course, looming over all of this is Title IX, a federal law originally developed to provide equality for female students. Somehow or other this law has turned into a Godzilla with a life of its own, knocking down any 'offender' in its path and no one is quite sure anymore what it does.
As Eph tries to navigate this year at Devon, he comes to some important self-realizations. The reader learns more than they probably ever wanted to about academia. I'm not a bitter person. My career and my husband's have been successful at the universities where we worked. However, I think, in a way, we were lucky. The Political Correctness sword of Damocles can fall on anyone at any time on a college campus. Read this book. You will laugh, shake your head and be in for a great read.
Eph Russell, a professor of English, is beyond thrilled to be on a tenure track position in the English Department of Devon College, a near Ivy in New England. He loves everything about Devon including teaching, the quality of the students, and likes most of his colleagues. It has been hinted to him that he will get tenure next year. As the semester starts, he tells his class they will be reading Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Chaos ensues and Eph is called a racist because of some of the book's content. There are protests, sit-downs, demonstrations and he goes from being a respected member of the Devon society to being ostracized by everyone except his girlfriend and a very few students.
One of the students who doesn't ostracize Eph is Lulu, a rich material girl who gets anything she wants from her rich daddy. She is about as intellectually and emotionally deep as a goldfish bowl. However, she is clever. She has a crush on Eph and, even as he spurns her advances, she manages to involve him in allegations of sexual inappropriateness.
The book catches the characters wonderfully. There is Milton Strauss, the College's President, who likes to think he walks the students' walk but basically walks whatever walk is easiest and brings more money to Devon. There is Red Wheeler. Every college has a Red Wheeler, a radical troublemaker who has been taking classes on and off for over 7 years in this and that but still has no major and no degree. What he wants is to brew up a crisis with himself at the center. Any cause is good enough for Red. Then there's Malika Malik-Adams, Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion. No matter what you do, she'll find something to nail you with. And of course, looming over all of this is Title IX, a federal law originally developed to provide equality for female students. Somehow or other this law has turned into a Godzilla with a life of its own, knocking down any 'offender' in its path and no one is quite sure anymore what it does.
As Eph tries to navigate this year at Devon, he comes to some important self-realizations. The reader learns more than they probably ever wanted to about academia. I'm not a bitter person. My career and my husband's have been successful at the universities where we worked. However, I think, in a way, we were lucky. The Political Correctness sword of Damocles can fall on anyone at any time on a college campus. Read this book. You will laugh, shake your head and be in for a great read.
January 20, 2020
I loved this book. It is satire at its best, and the author Scott Johnston masterfully weaves a story about a fictional University, Devon, and takes on a subject matter that many people would be afraid to touch, especially in this age of sensitivity, and that is progressive policies on the campuses of universities that have gone overboard and instead of enhancing the learning experience have managed to stifle that very experience.
Devon, a fictional Ivy league school, is a university with a long history dating back nearly 3oo years. It is supported largely by rich donors who graduated from the university, successful business people, and by federal grants.
The student body is more diverse than ever before, meeting racial, gender (58 genders in all), income standards and disregarding SAT scores... All to meet the requirements of Title IX, which on the face of it seems fair and logical but in reality has created less creativity, diversity, and has seriously limited the teaching abilities of so many Professors and educators.
"Campusland" is full of wonderful characters, but to me none more well developed, funny, and realistic as LuLu Harris, a rich Manhattanite, whose father went to Devon and has in a sense forced this 'hell' of a place on her. She is the most unlikely of heroines... Rich, entitled, uses her looks and beauty to her advantage, and yet she sees right through the 'bull' and insanity that has come about because of all these regulations and plays it for what it's worth. She is an amazing character that some might describe as a cliche, but I describe as a colorful and true representation of today's youth on many of the campuses of our colleges and universities. I strongly recommend this book.
Devon, a fictional Ivy league school, is a university with a long history dating back nearly 3oo years. It is supported largely by rich donors who graduated from the university, successful business people, and by federal grants.
The student body is more diverse than ever before, meeting racial, gender (58 genders in all), income standards and disregarding SAT scores... All to meet the requirements of Title IX, which on the face of it seems fair and logical but in reality has created less creativity, diversity, and has seriously limited the teaching abilities of so many Professors and educators.
"Campusland" is full of wonderful characters, but to me none more well developed, funny, and realistic as LuLu Harris, a rich Manhattanite, whose father went to Devon and has in a sense forced this 'hell' of a place on her. She is the most unlikely of heroines... Rich, entitled, uses her looks and beauty to her advantage, and yet she sees right through the 'bull' and insanity that has come about because of all these regulations and plays it for what it's worth. She is an amazing character that some might describe as a cliche, but I describe as a colorful and true representation of today's youth on many of the campuses of our colleges and universities. I strongly recommend this book.
May 7, 2019
Campusland is a very entertaining look at the low-hanging fruit of today's "Woke" college campuses.
The book skewers many of the asinine cultural shibboleths of the Academy, such as celebration and admiration of victim-hood, social justice warriors vigorously attacking anyone that dare deviate from the leftist orthodoxy, and the crucially important pecking order of the college's progressive heirarchy.
The author Scott Johnston applies his gimlet eye and wry sense of humor as a much needed take-down of the idiocy that has permeated today's college campuses. It is a must read!!
The book skewers many of the asinine cultural shibboleths of the Academy, such as celebration and admiration of victim-hood, social justice warriors vigorously attacking anyone that dare deviate from the leftist orthodoxy, and the crucially important pecking order of the college's progressive heirarchy.
The author Scott Johnston applies his gimlet eye and wry sense of humor as a much needed take-down of the idiocy that has permeated today's college campuses. It is a must read!!
January 29, 2020
DNF. I read about 30 pages of this terrible novel at the library, deciding whether it would be worth checking out. Although it is a library book, and thus “free,” it’s not worth the price. Certainly not worth carrying around in my backpack.
Nothing funny at all in the “satire” here.
I’ve moved on. Too many other good books out there, with important things to say. And to be truly funny about!
Nothing funny at all in the “satire” here.
I’ve moved on. Too many other good books out there, with important things to say. And to be truly funny about!
April 9, 2019
Well written, funny, and timely satire. Most adults look back on their own college years nostalgically and dismiss as hyperbole the reports about how free speech and thought are under attack by faculty and student social justice warriors. The problem is real and Johnston sheds some welcome light on it.
May 7, 2019
Extremely creative and timely yarn about campus life and the current perverted politically correct culture we live in. Having two daughters who recently graduated from an ivy school, very similar in feel to Devon, the events that unfold are very close to home. And the cataclysmic ending brings one back to the unadulterated humor of the Animal House generation! Have fun reading this one!!
April 4, 2019
Fair warning: I won a free ARC of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
There are several main characters, with focus shifting among them as needed.
Milton Strauss is the president of Devon University, a somewhat prestigious ivy league school. He relates well to the students, and does a fine job of simultaneously keeping both them and Devon’s many alumni donors happy.
Eph teaches English at Devon, and has been dating Milton’s secretary. He enjoys teaching, and the students generally seem to like him. He’ll be up for tenure soon, and is kicking off the semester with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Red is the leader of the Progressive Student Alliance at Devon. He prides himself on being the one to take the lead in any social justice issues on campus.
Lulu is a budding Manhattan socialite, attending Devon as a freshman. She thinks her English prof is kind of hot …
This is one of those novels that builds slowly. Scott Johnston spends his time setting up his dominoes just so. But when they start falling it's just glorious to watch as lines converge on a wonderfully spectacular train wreck of a climax.
This book was a delight to read. Recommended!
There are several main characters, with focus shifting among them as needed.
Milton Strauss is the president of Devon University, a somewhat prestigious ivy league school. He relates well to the students, and does a fine job of simultaneously keeping both them and Devon’s many alumni donors happy.
Eph teaches English at Devon, and has been dating Milton’s secretary. He enjoys teaching, and the students generally seem to like him. He’ll be up for tenure soon, and is kicking off the semester with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Red is the leader of the Progressive Student Alliance at Devon. He prides himself on being the one to take the lead in any social justice issues on campus.
Lulu is a budding Manhattan socialite, attending Devon as a freshman. She thinks her English prof is kind of hot …
This is one of those novels that builds slowly. Scott Johnston spends his time setting up his dominoes just so. But when they start falling it's just glorious to watch as lines converge on a wonderfully spectacular train wreck of a climax.
This book was a delight to read. Recommended!
February 13, 2019
Laugh out loud! Campusland draws you in immediately, and remains a page-turner through it's climactic finale. The characters are wildly entertaining. Johnston's adroit sendup of the absurdity of present day college culture is hilarious. As a parent of soon-to-be college students, I found the book captivating, eye-opening, and perfectly timely. Gave it to my 17 y/o daughter who became engrossed as well (a first!), and it sparked some great conversations. Heady and riveting, but somehow still feels like a light-read. Highly recommend!
February 24, 2019
CAMPUSLAND is a great airplane, beach, anywhere, anytime read. Smart, fast-moving with contentious charismatic characters, it is part BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES, part Animal House, for anyone w/ college memories 1970 forward, this is a must, fun, in the moment read that will not disappoint. God Bless Tom Wolfe who is looking down smiling at CAMPUSLAND
March 18, 2019
I found this to be an amazing read and I easily give it five stars! Regardless if you agree or disagree with Scott’s politics it is still an amazing book. I highly recommend this book!
April 18, 2019
A well written and creative look at modern college life, though with a decidedly partisan tilt. The first time novelist has done an impressive job turning out a page turner, but also accomplishes his apparent goal of turning the spotlight on the tough-to-navigate journey that is life on a university campus today. Humorous, cynical, sometimes uncaring and disrespectful, the author pulls no punches and makes it clear which side he's on. But definitely worth the read regardless of your politics.
November 2, 2019
This was a laugh out loud read on an interesting and timely topic. The college admission scandal has been a very public reminder of how messed up things have become in the college world. Campusland is a wonderful satire that reminds us that there is a lot more dysfunction on college campuses than we realize.
March 15, 2019
I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway and as a current college student found it extremely relevant. Scott Johnston brings the characters to life and manages to create an incredibly complex and fascinating plot. Recommend to all ages!
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