Dupont University--the Olympian halls of learning housing the cream of America's youth, the roseate Gothic spires and manicured lawns suffused with tradition ... Or so it appears to beautiful, brilliant Charlotte Simmons, a sheltered freshman from North Carolina, who has come here on full scholarship. But Charlotte soon learns, to her mounting dismay, that for the uppercrust coeds of Dupont, sex, cool, and kegs trump academic achievement every time. With his signature eye for detail, Tom Wolfe draws on extensive observation ...
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Dupont University--the Olympian halls of learning housing the cream of America's youth, the roseate Gothic spires and manicured lawns suffused with tradition ... Or so it appears to beautiful, brilliant Charlotte Simmons, a sheltered freshman from North Carolina, who has come here on full scholarship. But Charlotte soon learns, to her mounting dismay, that for the uppercrust coeds of Dupont, sex, cool, and kegs trump academic achievement every time. With his signature eye for detail, Tom Wolfe draws on extensive observation of campuses across the country to immortalize college life in the '00s. I Am Charlotte Simmons is the much-anticipated triumph of America's master chronicler.
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My daughter needed this book for her literature class. She is not an avid reader so the size of this novel was bit daunting for her. She said she felt it started out kind of slow but by the end of the book, she had enjoyed it even though some of the story line seemed implausible. She is 18 and getting ready to start college so the story hit a note with her.
MiscMayzee
Aug 20, 2008
A Hard Book to Put Down
I thought this book quite accurately depicted the continual decline of American culture. Of course, one must believe American culture is declining to appreciate the books non-judgmental view of it. The book shows college life the way it is on most campuses, it leaves the opinions to the reader. The plot actively follows several characters whose stories are interwoven but who really only have a couple of similarities, namely vanity and a need to be accepted, even if it means sacrificing some of their principles to get it. The male characters seem to be able to stomach it, but Charlotte struggles with it and we find ourselves wondering exactly is going to happen to 'our girl.'
