Dear Committee Members Audiobook By Julie Schumacher cover art

Dear Committee Members

A Novel

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Dear Committee Members

By: Julie Schumacher
Narrated by: Robertson Dean
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Finally a novel that puts the "pissed" back into "epistolary."

Jason Fitger is a beleaguered professor of creative writing and literature at Payne University, a small and not very distinguished liberal arts college in the midwest. His department is facing draconian cuts and squalid quarters, while one floor above them the Economics Department is getting lavishly remodeled offices. His once-promising writing career is in the doldrums, as is his romantic life, in part as the result of his unwise use of his private affairs for his novels. His star (he thinks) student can't catch a break with his brilliant (he thinks) work Accountant in a Bordello, based on Melville's Bartleby.

In short, his life is a tale of woe, and the vehicle this droll and inventive audiobook uses to tell that tale is a series of hilarious letters of recommendation that Fitger is endlessly called upon by his students and colleagues to produce, each one of which is a small masterpiece of high dudgeon, low spirits, and passive-aggressive strategies. We recommend Dear Committee Members to you in the strongest possible terms.

©2014 Julie Schumacher (P)2014 Random House Audio Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Literature & Fiction Satire Funny Witty Fiction Comedy Student Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking Tearjerking

Critic reviews

"[A] very funny epistolary novel composed of recommendation letters... It's an unusual form for comedy, but it works. Truth is stranger than fiction in this acid satire of the academic doldrums." ( Kirkus)
"Schumacher's warm satire of the peculiarities of the Ivory Tower will be recognizable to anyone who has encountered the bureaucracy and internal politics of higher education." ( Booklist)
" Dear Committee Members is a brilliant book that, in my head, sits comfortably on my prized shelf of academic novels, right between Lucky Jim and Pictures from an Institution. But it's funnier than either, and more wrenching in the end. The conceit of a novel told in letters of reference is inspired, and it is killingly funny because it's all so killingly true. Truth walks here in the strangest of costumes, and in part because of its guises, we can face it, frown, laugh, cry. I've never lost an afternoon so happily." (Jay Parini, author of The Last Station and The Passages of H.M.)
Clever Epistolary Format • Wry Academic Humor • Excellent Narration • Complex Protagonist • Poignant Storytelling
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Clever portrayal of a college professor through his writing of numerous recommendation letters. I am amazed that so much of his character, ideals, and personal life could be conveyed in such a way. This book was an absolute treasure.

Fantastically Clever

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Grimly cynical, bloviating main “character”, venting endlessly and missing the obvious “chapter” after chapter. My sympathy quickly waned and I tired of waiting for realization, redemption or even relief from the repetitious whinging. Could not convince myself to keep listening to the doubtless bitter ending.

Disappointing - A Rare DNF

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If you are a high school or university English teacher who has written letters of recommendation, you will appreciate this book!

Funny and entertaining

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You really feel for the characters even though you only ever meet them through Letters of Recommendation and perception, with the exception of Jason Fitger (sp?) our sardonic narrator. The audio book's narrator is top notch... if I didn't know this was fiction, I would believe he really was this jaded professor. Can't wait to listen to the sequel!

Surprisingly Emotional

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From the initial description, I wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Our workplace had a book club to try this out, and so glad I inadvertently went with the audio version. Very reminiscent of similar themes in Netflix's The Chair (albeit the latter has a much more likable protagonist.) The voice acting here is exquisitely well done, an example of a book that is better to hear than to read. At around 4 hours try listening to this driving or doing chores without cracking up. (But gets surprisingly emotional in the latter half for what starts off as more a satire; more poignant themese slowly emerge as the book progresses.) Regardless of whether you care about the plight of liberal arts academia, you will have a blast with this one (although will have to admit for anyone who contemplated a life career at the university, wow am I glad I did *not* try to go down the professorship path in the end after listening to this!) Enjoy.

Hilarious as an audio book

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My father was an English professor in a state university system. His accounts of academic office politics dovetailed perfectly with this story. If you don’t have experience with a similar bureaucracy, you might not find this story as entertainingly satiric as I did. I recommend this novel for fans of David Lodge and Alison Lurie.

My Late Father Would Have Laughed

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Especially humanities. Or if you have family who are academics. This is an entertaining take on the state of many humanities departments, the students and their aspirations, the faculty, including faculty politics. It’s cleverly done and witty. The narration is good.

Perfect if you’ve ever been in the academic world

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Epistolary novel entirely made up of increasingly snarky letters of recommendation from a cynical burned out professor of English whose only creative outlet is these letters. Especially funny for folks who spent substantial time at university.

Hysterically funny and poignant

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Told through sarcastic letters of support written by a professor for his mostly lackluster student to prospective employers, graduate programs and academic colleagues, the premise sounded like a fun read. I was disappointed by how short the book was and also how slim the "plot" was. There is a story that gradually unfolds, but it isn't much. The book is mostly cleverly worded rants and complaints, kind of fun, but I hoped for more substance. If I'd looked more closely and seen it was under 4 hours (most audio books I listen to are 15-30 hours) I wouldn't have used an Audible.com credit for it. Seems like it would have been better as a short story in the New Yorker.

Too short and light to be worth a credit

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If you could sum up Dear Committee Members in three words, what would they be?

Funny, charming and sad.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The professor/narrator. His character is surprisingly complex despite his living up to the Humanities professor stereotype.

Have you listened to any of Robertson Dean’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to anything else he has read, but this was an outstanding performance. He has clear diction, great emotional expression and a lovely speaking voice. Really made the book enjoyable.

Who was the most memorable character of Dear Committee Members and why?

Janet. She comes through even though she doesn't say a word in the entire novel.

Great book

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