Campusland

June 1, 2019
Been to college lately? Here it is in all its glory, from the trigger warnings and the bias response teams to the hookups and the hashtags, served with plenty of kombucha and seasonally correct vegan stew. Johnston's debut skewers life at Devon University in Havenport, a body double for Yale, from the buildings and clubs on campus to the white clam pizza in New Haven, including a nod to the 2015 Halloween-costume dust-up. Our hero is Ephraim Russell, a good-looking young white man and professor of English originally from a peanut farm in Alabama who was born to teach 19th-century literature, who "couldn't imagine a place he'd rather be" than Devon, who has a 4.4 out of 5 on RateMyProfessor.com, rare indeed. He has a beautiful African American girlfriend named D'Arcy, and he is up for tenure this year--life could not be better. But the fall semester will bring Eph low. Among the characters who play a role in his downfall are Lulu, a gorgeous, rich, and utterly cynical Manhattan freshman; Red, a seventh-year student not currently enrolled but leading the Progressive Students Alliance; and Milton Strauss, the popular 17th president of the university. The trouble unfolds in short chapters and articles from the Devon Daily, and, in more ways than one, it all starts with Mark Twain. This high-spirited, richly imagined, and brave novel is a delight to read. Here's a trigger warning, though: Since its relentless mockery of the campus political climate never actually acknowledges the reality of racism and sexual violence, it should not be read by those who lack a sense of humor. Also, the ending seems to suggest that the solution is to go back to the idyllic way things used be. That can't be right. But it's a satire! The whole point is to lighten up. Smart and hilarious.

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June 10, 2019
Johnston’s standout debut successfully skewers the politically correct culture of liberal arts colleges by chronicling how opportunists use it to their advantage at exclusive Devon University in New England. While teaching Mark Twain, earnest English professor Eph Russell gets unfairly branded a racist by a disingenuous group of self-righteous students led by trust-fund baby Red Wheeler. Red thinks of himself as the top progressive in the school, but he soon finds himself usurped by social-climbing freshman Lulu Harris. Having failed to make the cover of an NYC society rag and indignant after Eph rejects her advances, Lulu decides to put on a performance art project that involves her lying about Eph sexually assaulting her. As the lie gains traction and nationwide attention—though Lulu remains vague about the meaning behind her project and even recants her accusation—power-hungry school officials are blinded by their political correctness: they insist that Lulu must be in denial and Eph is trying to intimidate her. The book culminates in a confrontation orchestrated by Red between Lulu and some of her detractors, which transpires in front of the media, that helps decide Eph’s fate. Johnston’s writing is lively and takes his story through a few surprising turns. This strong debut will resonate with readers who enjoy their parody with a side of pathos.

August 23, 2019

DEBUT This novel promises a skewering of the modern American college campus. At the fictional Ivy-ish Devon University, Eph Russell is an English professor without Ivy credentials. From rural Alabama, he avoids mention of his background. He's up for tenure (in an odd competition for one open spot unheard of in real-life academe), suddenly facing hurdles that could torpedo his chances--or worse, his entire career. Elsewhere on campus, Lulu Harris is struggling through her first year at Devon. She's not entirely sure she should even be in college; should she be back in Manhattan making connections and establishing herself? Life takes a turn for the worse when she falls out with the only acceptable social club, the Fellingham Society. Clashes between fraternities and social activists on campus round out the conflict, with tensions on campus escalating into cataclysmic proportions. VERDICT With one-dimensional, highly stereotypical characters and narratives plucked straight from conservatives' talking points or ranting tweets, this reads less as a skewering and more of a meanspirited, right-wing screed. Disappointing at best.--Julie Kane, Washington & Lee Lib., Lexington, VA

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