Tom Wolfe - I Am Charlotte Simmons

Pros: Stupid, garish, overblown novel of modern college sports, decadence and hedonism.
Cons: There's nothing good in this one. Skip it!

Robert Heinlein in his alter-ego, Lazarus Long, used to say that writing was a perfectly fine activity, but to be sure to wash your hands carefully afterwards. Tom Wolfe, author of The Right Stuff and Bonfire of the Vanities just doesn't ...

Pros: Exposes the filth of the college experience that most have ignored post Animal House
Cons: Last 100 pages or so unworthy of the rest. Hard to put down at times.

I was Charlotte Simmons... well, sort of... I don't often read modern fiction, but I had heard a lot about this book and curiosity got the better of me when I saw it at the library, so I decided to give it a try. A few things struck me about it right ...

Pros: Superior depth of character, convincing plot, setting and situations. Completely delightful.
Cons: Wish it didn't have to end.

Tom Wolfe's latest is a portrait of contemporary college life told from the perspective of vastly distinct yet utterly compelling characters. Having completed my first degree 14 years ago, My Name is Charlotte Simmons evoked a rush of memories, ...

Pros: plot is shortened up, without losing much of the plot
Cons: some description that is good is lost

This book is not for people who abhor foul language, explicit sex, alcohol abuse, or deeply detailed writing. That said, it is, from first-hand experience, true to life. Tom Wolfe, the author of books such as A Man in Full, and The Right Stuff, spent ...

Pros: Sociological detail, beautiful writing style, believable characters
Cons: Content may be offensive to some, omits some elements of college life

I had never read Tom Wolfe up until a week ago. I had heard rave reviews of a few of his works, particularly "Bonfire of the Vanities," so I was pleased to receive this book for Christmas. And so my acquaintance with the works of Mr. Wolfe begins with "I ...

Pros: Brilliantly created characters. A nostalgia trip for the under-40 set.
Cons: Somewhat contrived ending.

Tom Wolfe has created quite a page-turner with "I Am Charlotte Simmons," a tale of a young mountain lass who finds her faith, her morals, and her basic concept(s) of self challenged when she wins a scholarship to an upscale East Coast university. Without ...

Pros: Interesting look at contemporary college life, neat plot, dark comedy, colorful characters.
Cons: Serious, heavy-duty profanity, plus a happy but somewhat contrived ending.

Wolfe strikes again, showing us the nasty side of university life--the problem being, there doesn't seem to be a NON-nasty side of this university, the fictional Dupont with its brainless and pampered jocks, its cocky and vulgar fraternity princes, its ...

Pros: Interesting perspective of the contemporary college experience.
Cons: Protagonist not credible; resolution seems contrived.

With the help of Miss Pennington, her devoted mentor and tutor, Charlotte Simmons' is miraculously able to develop her scholarly gift and graduate from her small western North Carolina high school as class valedictorian. In most cases, graduating as ...

Pros: A probing into the mindset of today's universities
Cons: A feeling of dissatisfaction at the way the book concludes.

I like Tom Wolfe -- always have and guess I always will. He is hip and funny and not afraid to tweak the lion's tail. Charlotte Simmons is the product of a poverty-stricken household in the hills of western North Carolina. One of her high school ...

Pros: Totally accurate depiction of Ivy League life, Really engaging - interesting characters, etc.
Cons: None.

A lot of the reviews of Tom Wolfe's newest book, I AM CHARLOTTE SIMMONS--at least those negative reviews in mainstream publications--were written by middle-aged people whose college experiences, while not as long ago as Wolfe's own, were nevertheless quite far away. Nevermind that their kids might have gone to college recently--the reviewers are simply too distant to really "get" youth culture at college. As a recent Yale graduate (Calhoun '02), I can say with absolute certainty that Wolfe's depictions of life at a typical Ivy League university are very accurate. This was a great read, and it took me only a week, because it was impossible to put down! I think Wolfe's chapter on moving in to the freshman yard was absolutely incredible, in that it reminded me of my own move in. Amazing.

Pros: moving plot, accuracy of college depiction
Cons: older refined writing style is not most appropriate for describing college students (especially with dialogue)

This book has its weaknesses like Wolfe's antiquated writing style, but the plot moves well and the characters are very well developed. And the most shocking part, the book is surprisingly true. I am a college student right now so I feel like I am in a place to say so. And I know a lot of people that resemble the characters in I Am Charlotte Simmons. Quite a good read.