Man, I am not even sure how to rate this book. It started out funny, then started getting weirder and weirder by the page progressions. I know Campusland is supposed to be satirical, however, it felt real, like I could see it happening today and have seen it happen living 50 miles away from Cal- Berkley. That touched a nerve. The writing was engaging, maybe too engaging! I wanted to reach through the book and throttle so many people. This is what makes Scott Johnston a good writer.

Lulu's obsession with social media, her need to be accepted by the likes, the comments, the view count of her posts showed a sadness, I felt bad for her. I wanted to reach out and be her friend if only to add depth to her sorry life. However, her #crawlpeace shenanigans was the weirdest of all the causes and I had a hard time getting past it. but plug along I did. I am glad I did if not only to see what happens next but also to finish the book and hope that there was some good to come out of it for Professor Harris.

I guess this book resonated with me because it made me think deeply, it just was how I see what is dangerous in the "virtues" of the social justice warrior students of the day, How does the college administration decide which group is more deserving of more money, how do teachers teach their curriculum without having any given student in the class taking offense and causing problems for the teachers? How do we make it fair for all sides of the agenda's to "feel safe" if we kowtow to the loudest of the student body population and not all of the student population? These are very hard topics to talk about sometimes, if only because someone will get upset and protest the outcomes even if the subject matter is one of high importance. I feel for the adults that are trying to do their best to teach subjects, be good role models and also navigate through the murky waters of the social justices issues of the day at the same time as teach the history to the era of when it happened and not what we see with our modern eyes.
Satire at it's best. Tough issues. Campusland is that book. Well done, Scott!

Campusland was an unexpected favorite from this summer. The story takes place in a fictional Ivy League school and explores just about every hot-button political issue students, professors, and administrators face these days. Everyone can find something to be offended about, and I think that’s the point? I found the point of view refreshing and I will be recommending it to readers who don’t take themselves too seriously.

Very rarely do you get a book that is at the same time thought provoking, laugh out loud funny, and extremely honest. Campusland is that book for me this summer. I like that the political correct nature of today’s society was challenged in this book. Campusland is a book I will read again and again.


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

A thought provoking, satirical novel depicting the pitfalls of modern day college campuses that frankly is both scary and funny as hell. Not only are 58 gender options discussed, the battle of which cultural group is the most oppressed and offended ensues and there are invariable mine fields throughout.
The characters are varied, hilarious, multidimensional and believable. They will have you shaking your head with their antics that stem from boredom and goals of branding.
The plot is rich with multiple strands of events that culminate into a rich poetic justice that will have you laughing out loud.
I loved this book and walked away with my eyes a bit more open to life on campus, and a stronger conviction that a sense of honor, and especially a sense of humor, will get you far in life!

Campusland is a sarcastic view of modern college life based around professor, Ephraim Russell. Eph is reaching for tenure, but gets caught up first in a racial scandal, and then a sexual scandal, without any wrong doing on his part. As he tries to clear his name, we get a behind of the scenes look at interworking of the administration featuring Devon University President, Milton Strauss, along with the various board members and large donors that steer the college. Also in the mix, Lulu Harris, first-year (freshman) striving to be the next Manhattan It-Girl, and willing to do anything it takes to reach her goals. The result is a riot of an ending.

For a debut novel, this was inspiring and humorous. As I was laughing at the antics, it was also thought provoking and jaw-dropping at points in the controversies and scenerios discussed. Current and realistic, the format of mixing the news articles in with the story made it easy to read and entertaining.

I received an advanced copy. All opinions are honest and mine.

Devon is a small New England campus where things run at their unhurried pace as they always have. Eph Russell has been teaching English literature for quite some time and also this winter’s course seems to like him and his way of addressing the 19th century classics. When a minor incident in his classroom occurs – a student claiming trigger warning as Mark Twain uses offensive language in her view – suddenly, Eph’s world crumbles and things fall totally apart. Before the term is over, minority groups have gotten the upper hand on campus accusing staff of racism, sexism and all other kinds of –isms that can be found. Plus, Eph is at the centre of the revolt accused not only of being a white supremacist due to his reading of books written by white men but also of having assaulted and violated one of his students. This student however, Lulu, sees a chance of gaining her fifteen minutes of fame and she is determined not to let this chance pass by.

Scott Johnston’s debut novel surely will not remain without any effect on the reader, in fact, it provokes strong emotions ranging from aversion to frustration, from laughing out loud to total desperation. It is hilarious at times and oftentimes simply infuriates you, most of all because you can imagine all the plot to be totally true. It is a chain of events set in motion, not even intentionally, but unstoppable and the way the characters react to it is more than authentic.

There are many noteworthy and controversial aspects in this highly entertaining novel. First of all, the debate of “trigger warnings” in university that has been going on for some time. Wrapping students up in cotton wool in order not to confront them with reality has been an attitude that I always struggled with. Especially when it comes to literature which reflects the time of its origin, this is hard to understand. Therefore, the beginning of the novel when Eph Russell is accused of only reading white men – who else was there to be published in this period? – this is merely funny and can be dismissed as stupid somehow. The next step is the discussion of which gender somebody identifies himself/herself – or as in the novel: themselves. It goes without saying that LGBTI rights are a great achievement and that minorities should be respected in the same way as majorities. Yet, accusing somebody of misogyny because he is holding the door open definitely ridicules the earnest cause – unfortunately, this is all too real in a strange understanding of feminism and the like and something one sees quite often.

The most striking point is surely Russell’s accusation of sexual assault. Without any doubt, the way the female characters in the novel act is not only convincing, but seems totally authentic. Putting unrelated aspects in a certain context, interpreting them along one single line of interpretation and thus narrating a coherent story that fits well in the world view one has – this can destroy a perfectly innocent life. When you read what happens to the professor, you cannot believe it, yet, you see how the mechanisms work and how Russell cannot do anything about it.

I am sure some reader might find “Campusland” offensive, yet, in my opinion, the way the author satirizes and exaggerates is necessary to put straight some positions that somehow went a bit too far or have taken questionable developments. For me, it was a fantastic read and I would surely say that this is one of the most relevant literary contributions to a lot of current discussions – and, on top, it is wonderfully narrated.

Campusland by Scott Johnston. Even colleges deal with racial biased students and teachers. The college tries to find ways to deal with major issues being faced in the world today.

If the insanity of political correctness, social justice battles, and sexual politics on colleges campuses today weren't so consequential, it would be laughable. Oh wait, it is laughable! Absurd! And Scott Johnston describes and personalizes campus culture in Campusland: A Novel. Set on an elite northeastern campus suspiciously similar to Yale, where Johnston attended and later taught, Campusland skewers the current atmosphere of higher education. It's a novel, but oh so real.

English prof Eph Russell is up for tenure, but that's in peril after he becomes a target of the campus social justice warriors. They are unhappy that his course on 19th century American literature doesn't feature authors of color, but does feature a book full of racist language (The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn). If the campus activists accusing him of racism isn't enough, one of his students makes a pass at him, which he rebuffs, then accuses him of sexual assault. Meanwhile, the president of the university is trying to balance his appeasement of the aggrieved minority groups and his traditional donor base while protecting the university's vaunted reputation.

This is the story of Eph, but it's also the story of Title IX, of the hashtag culture, of social media. It's a story of much that is wrong with colleges today. So check it out, get a good laugh, but then pay more attention to what's going on around the country. Johnston mashes it all together on one campus in one academic year, so the absurdity of it all comes to a uber-absurd head. But the elements of the story are taken from real-life stories from a campus near you.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!

Scott Johnston's Campusland is a satirical look at a prestigious university (just under Harvard) over the the course of one year. Readers are following a few different storylines that weave in and out together before all coming together for the climax.

At it's core, Campusland is looking to how colleges deal with students today—more like how students deal with colleges. These students are dictating how a university is being run through the use of social media and "PC" culture: triggering “content” warnings, lack of inclusivity and diversity. Baby boomers that are in positions of power at the school whether it being a dean, chairperson, or an investor, are being told how to run their school by millennials and Generation Z. And because it's all being done using satire, everything is so incredibly exaggerated and hilarious. However, when you look at Twitter or other social media sites, this is exactly what's happening. 

My favorite scene was when all of the different groups—LGBTQ, Asian, Feminist, Latinx, ect.—all came together wanting to take a scheduled scandal and try to turn it around on themselves. It was all so ridiculous, but true in a very heightened way. 

I really did enjoy this. It's definitely not for everybody, but very entertaining. There were very short chapters that made the book fly by very quickly. My one critique probably would be that I wish we had a perspective from  D'arcy, Professor Eph Russell's girlfriend. She was kind of just forgotten at the end of the novel and I think her point-of-view would have been a great addition—her thoughts and feelings as being a black women, the girlfriend of an accused predator, and the dean's assistant. 

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

In CAMPUSLAND, by Scott Johnston, a professor looking for tenure and stability, the president of Devon college, and a new student who thrives on attention wherever she can get it, along with so many other colorful characters, trudge through the ups and downs of a year at Devon College(an almost Ivy League school dripping with money and privilege). College life of yesteryear clashes with the digital/social media age where acknowledgement and recognition can often conquer rational thought.
As I read the book, I really enjoyed laughing along with the conventions and situations that Johnston put the characters in. As if a spell was cast that the reader doesn't see coming, the book transitions into challenging the old and new collegiate educational conventions and creates several scenarios that walk the line of right and wrong, which leaves the reader to create their own perception. Johnston makes it clear the truth of the events by writing them with special attention and with care for all of the details. Then when of the factions of righteousness become involved the real fun begins by watching how much those groups try to change the motives and perceptions of each event. The most rewarding part of the book though is seeing how everyone ended up and how this year at Devon for some many people made them grow and become better people.
Full of laughter, both outright and subtle, and a constant challenging of what college life was, is, and maybe should be, CAMPUSLAND left me smiling and inspired to take a deeper look at perception vs reality and how it affects my daily life.

While I have always enjoyed stories of campus life - maybe I've aged out? Campusland, while funny and a good story - left me bored. It felt too...on the nose and maybe I watch the news too much.

I'm sure it will be enjoyable for some people, just not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Super fun and Tom Wolfe-esqe. Definitely a great read for this time of year. Would be neat for parents to read before kids go to college to add a little brevity in what they are going through emotionally. I liked this a lot. This book could have such a large audience especially considering the subject matter and reinventing yourself.

I wanted to like this book. The author's pure scorn for his characters and the academic institutions where they live and work became tedious. I share his distaste for privileged Instagram stars, cheating students, and pompous professors, but I was hoping for more nuance and less sarcasm.

I gave up on this at the halfway mark. I have too many other great books to read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

When this book arrived in my mailbox I was thrilled. Campusland promised to be my favourite genre of novel: navel gazing academics behaving badly.

I wound up bailing on the book, however, because I just didn’t care about the white middle-aged male main character. Right off the bat, there was a tone that I knew would fight me the whole way through.

I was interested to learn that the author has written a number of other novels and I will, when I have time, try to check him out to see if this novel was just a blip.

College has changed a lot since I graduated. Johnston has written a genuinely funny novel about a university in this time of political correctness and political conflict. Devon University is a hotbed of all things college. There are sharply written characters representing all of the worst impulses of this environment and a topical Me-too incident that pulls it all together. Eph, a professor hoping for tenure, and Lulu, a young woman who wants to be popular and well known, are on a collision course - you will see the train wreck coming- but there are a few surprises. Red, who leads the agitators and Milton, the President of the University sort of deserve one another. So much about this will have you either nodding in recognition or shaking your head and tut-tutting but it will also make you laugh. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Highly entertaining.

Campusland left me wondering about the use of satire. I personally think that making fun of things even things that need to be taken seriously is fine but that they also need to be giving the reverence they deserve. This book took aim at how politically correct campus’ have become and while there were a few funny points made as the book progressed the satire is so ridiculous it seemed to turn into something closer to hate.

I don’t think it helps that the victim is a white male. Sure what happened to him was unfair but not sure I appreciated that happening at the expense of what happens to true victims of rape on campus and to members of the LQBTQIA community, people of color and to women each and every day. In the end Mr. Johnston wasn’t able to show compassion to the subjects of his ridicule which just made me feel like he might be an angry white man worried about his privilege being eroded away. This is unfortunate because I think his writing and the subject had merit and may have made for a good book if handled better.

This a smart and interesting look at a year in the life at Devon, a prestigious university. There's the President, Milton, a professor, Elph, and a trust fund Manhattan socialite, Lulu. Their lives intersect in this humorous story. I love reading books about college life and how the stories differ from my own experience. I think this book will appeal to many different types of readers.

I was extremely disappointed in this book. In no way did I feel it lived up to the synopsis of "joyous, fast and funny" nor did I feel it deserved the Kirkus review: "This high-spirited, richly imagined, and brave novel is a delight to read... Smart and hilarious."

There were one or two slightly humorous parts, but in no way did I find this joyous or fast. I DNF'd at about 40% because I just could not take it any longer. There wasn't one character that I felt had any redeeming qualities. Self-centered is my description of most of them.

I will say that the sections about the group of protesters rang true to me. It does seem that many people these days are ready to protest anything at the drop of a hat without finding out facts and doing research about the subject beforehand. I did feel this was part mostly factually written.

I wish I felt differently about this book and from reading reviews, it appears I'm in the minority, but this just didn't do it for me at all. Obviously not every book works for every person so if you're considering it, maybe read the sample on Amazon.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for approving my request for an ARC.

“Campusland” was not what I expected at all, and when reading the summary again once I finished reading it, I can see how I was mid-led, or how I misunderstood, or even misinterpreted. Though it was funny, it was definitely more of an intellectual satirical type of humor, and one that I was not expecting.

I can’t help but describe this book as something you would expect from a Saturday Night Live (long) episode; spot-on yet humorous jabs at current controversial topics; causing cringes, chuckles and critique. I am impressed with the language, the style, the satire, and, of course, the unforgettable quirky characters.

I struggled with the rating to give, and still question my final decision. There is so much I appreciate and applaud, but still falls short for me to give a higher rating. Yet it was a memorable read, and is a book I think I will discuss with others, so maybe that alone should bump it higher?

This was a quick but laborious read. While there were a few funny moments I found most of the book to be boring. The main character Lulu’s only ambition is to be a “star”. The characters were generally unlikeable. The book was well written but much of the behavior was just not acceptable to me – too much racism and sexism. The one positive aspect I found was the satiric outing of hypocritical protests over subjects they have no depth of knowledge about, and elitist students who have no recognition of (or care about) the people whose livelihood is destroyed by their false accusations.