The Shakespeare Requirement
A Novel
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
A WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR • The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune keep hitting beleaguered English professor Jason Fitger right between the eyes in this hilarious and eagerly awaited sequel to the cult classic of anhedonic academe, the Thurber Prize-winning Dear Committee Members.
Once more into the breach...
Now is the fall of his discontent, as Jason Fitger, newly appointed chair of the English Department of Payne University, takes arms against a sea of troubles, personal and institutional. His ex-wife is sleeping with the dean who must approve whatever modest initiatives he undertakes. The fearsome department secretary Fran clearly runs the show (when not taking in rescue parrots and dogs) and holds plenty of secrets she's not sharing. The lavishly funded Econ Department keeps siphoning off English's meager resources and has taken aim at its remaining office space. And Fitger's attempt to get a mossbacked and antediluvian Shakespeare scholar to retire backfires spectacularly when the press concludes that the Bard is being kicked to the curricular curb.
Lord, what fools these mortals be! Julie Schumacher proves the point and makes the most of it in this delicious romp of satire.
Don’t miss Julie Schumacher's new novel, The English Experience, coming soon.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Schumacher's hilarious latest (after the Thurber Prize winning Dear Committee Members) follows bumbling, dentally challenged Jason Fitger, the reluctant head of the English department at Payne University. Life just isn't kind to Fitger, who suffers indignities that include a cramped, wasp-infested office, an acerbic assistant, and having to observe his ex-wife's relationship with the hapless dean. Even worse, Fitger must create an unlikely alliance among his eccentric group of teachers to unite against Roland Gladwell, an economics professor who has his sights set on eliminating the English department altogether. Fitger attempts to placate the intractable teachers, going as far as allowing one to recover from surgery at his home, while Gladwell continues his march against the humanities. Meanwhile, Fitger's teachers join together to support Angela, one of the top freshmen who truly cares about learning, yet gets caught in a mess and needs their assistance. Shumacher's satisfying and fun novel is bolstered by its memorable campus setting and its quirky cast.
