Questions for your book club

1. Do you think the author makes any serious points about his criticism of universities? Or is it all just for laughs?

2. On a scale of sexism from 1 to 10, with 10 being Donald Trump, how would you rate Mike Woodsen? Why?

3. Has Woodsen made an open-and-shut case regarding the cause of death of Jeremy Ronson? Why or why not?

4. Do you think the Faculty Dissident is right in his criticism of President Yarmouth’s initiatives?

5. If the book had not been advertised as a satire, would you have had any trouble determining that the author was poking fun at some things through exaggeration?

6. Given the situation Woodsen found himself in near the end of the story, what would you have done in his place?

7. Do you think universities should have public relations offices, or are they in inherent conflict with the loftiest university ideals?

8. How involved in the Ronson incident do you think President Yarmouth was? What leads you to this point of view?

9. Is the university bureaucracy substantially different from other bureaucracies with which you are familiar?

10. If Jeremy Ronson were alive today, for what job do you think he would be most suited?

Note: I’d love to speak to your book club, either in person or by Skype.