Follow us on Twitter!America’s Douchiest Colleges, by Peter Littleton and H.L. Rogers
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October 7th, 2011
Like The Hipster Handbook and Food Court Druids, Cherohonkees, and Other Creatures Unique to the Republic's Robert Lanham, Peter Littleton and H.L. Rogers joyfully skewer American subcultures through amusing, short blurbs and lists relayed through a mock sociological tone. It's all about as scientific as competitive thumb-twiddling, but still a light, usually funny and occasionally insightful read just the same.
Both authors freely admit that pretty much everyone "is a little bit douchey in college" (11) and "we're all douchebags" (13) even after graduation, so taking any of their tongue-in-cheek comments about "every eighteen-to-twenty-two-year-old North American with at least $150,000 to blow" (12) is ill-advised. Funny enough, though, America's Douchiest Colleges occasionally hits upon some serious higher education issues, albeit with a gossamer touch and humorous rather than serious, motivational tone. Most of the included schools – which run the gamut from conservative to liberal to majority white to majority mainstream minority to public to private to religious to secular – do, in fact, perpetuate some unfortunate trends. Substance abuse, racism (both the right and the left flavors), misogyny (and even misandry), classism, elitism and other discriminatory behaviors receive poking alongside excessive school spirit, overemphasis on athletics, Greek life and unfortunate wardrobe choices. Everything comes exaggerated for humorous effect, of course, but even literary candy bars like this can still provide an intellectual nutrient for consideration or two.
College kids past and present with thick enough skin to handle having some of their more negative behaviors reflected back will probably find some Littleton and Rogers observations funny and relevant – even if they don't attend any of the included institutions. Maybe it veers into stereotypic territory sometimes, but every student will inevitably know (or know of) at least one person displaying such douchey behaviors and mindsets!
Bibliographic Information
Littleton, Peter and H.L. Rogers. America's Douchiest Colleges. San Francisco: Chronicle, 2011.
If you have any suggestions for future book reviews, feel free to contact me at mnudo (at) oedb (dot) org! I'm emphasizing reads about college and college life, so try to stick with those particular themes. Thanks!
