Around Harvard Square

(Paperback)

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*NAACP Image AwardNominee forOutstanding Literary Work Youth/Teens category*

Race, class, and hormones combine and combust when a Harvard freshman and his two friends attempt to join the staff of the Harpoon, the school's iconic humor magazine.

It's the nineties, and Tosh Livingston, straight-A student and superstar athlete, is living the dream he's made it out of upstate New York and into the incoming freshman class at Harvard University. But after an accident blows up his basketball playing hopes, he discovers a new purpose in life to win the frenzied competition for a spot on the staff of the Harvard Harpoon, the school's legendary humor magazine.

Along with Lao, his pot-smoking roommate from China, their friend Meera, a passive-aggressive science major from India, and Zippa, a Jamaican student-activist with a flair for cartooning, Tosh finds that becoming a member of the Harpoon is weirder and more dangerous than anyone could have imagined. Success requires pushing themselves to their limits and unearthing long-buried secrets that will rock their school and change all of their lives forever.

With its whip-smart humor and fast-paced narrative, Around Harvard Square will appeal to readers of all ages interested in exploring the complicated roles that race and class play in higher education.

'Farley plays the nineties American Zeitgeist like a violin. But don't let the laughs deceive you. He hits some literary home runs about a whole bunch of issues: politics, race, and sex.' Ishmael Reed

'Wry, sly, and ferociously funny, Around Harvard Squareis not just the satire Ivy League college life deserves, but the one it's been waiting for' Marlon James, Man Booker Prize-winning author of A Brief History of Seven Killings

'Brimming with humor and heart, Around Harvard Squareis a delight' Andy Borowitz, creator of the New Yorker's The Borowitz Report

'In this sharp and imaginative satirical fantasy, C.J. Farley explores the complex realms of race and privilege at college with humor, insight and edge' Gish Jen, author of Typical American

Reviews

"This coming-of-age novel, set in the '90s, follows Jamaican-American Tosh Livingston and his group of friends--Lao, Meera, and Zippa--on their quest to land coveted spots on the staff of the Harvard Harpoon, Harvard's humor magazine...The characters' clever dialogue challenges privileged and stereotypical thinking."
--Publishers Weekly

"In this throwback coming-of-age novel, an ensemble of freshmen on the margins struggle for self-definition amid the race and class complexities of Harvard...Through the whirlwind of their journey, they begin to question the purpose of jokes and the consequences of laughter--when it's not just about the joke, but also about who's making it and why (a significant, timely exploration as comedy culture today struggles to demarcate ethical boundaries)...The diverse ensemble of core characters defy and refuse reductive stereotypes...For those who would like to take a trip through the hallowed Harvard halls of the past, this goes out to you..."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Farley, a Harvard alumnus himself, pulls no punches in lampooning the elitist, entitled culture that pervades the campuses of schools like Harvard. Many of his jabs are painfully spot on, and I applaud his efforts to address the experiences of the non-white, non-wealthy, and incredibly smart students who find themselves dropped into that kind of toxic atmosphere every fall."
--MuggleNet

"A well-timed novel about race, class, privilege and admissions in the Ivy League."
--Jeff Pearlman

"Farley explores privilege and race in a way that is not subtle but also not in your face...Farley not only explores the topics of racism, he also explores sexism as well. This story takes place in the 90s but it is so similar to what is currently going on today."
--Reader Then Blogger

"Wry, sly, and ferociously funny, Around Harvard Square is not just the satire Ivy League college life deserves, but the one it's been waiting for."
--Marlon James, Man Booker Prize-winning author of A Brief History of Seven Killings

"Brimming with humor and heart, Around Harvard Square is a delight."
--Andy Borowitz, creator of the New Yorker's "The Borowitz Report"

"The first year of college can feel as dramatic as the first moon landing and somehow C.J. Farley also turns it into a painfully funny adventure. Around Harvard Square is a coming-of-age tale that blends J.D. Salinger's rueful tones with Paul Beatty's biting humor and becomes something entirely its own. I had so much fun running around with these kids, it felt like seeing old friends: laughing and crying and laughing some more."
--Victor LaValle, author of The Changeling

"A hysterical romp through one memorable freshman year. At Farley's Hahvahd, it's survival of the funniest, comedy means never having to say you're sorry, and growing up is hard to do. A provocative pleasure."
--Gish Jen, author of Typical American

"In this sharp and imaginative satirical fantasy, C.J. Farley explores the complex realms of race and privilege at college with humor, insight, and edge."
--Walter Isaacson, author of Leonardo da Vinci

"Finally a young brother with a powerful voice, not afraid to say it loud and proud. I welcome him!"
--Terry McMillan

"Farley plays the nineties American Zeitgeist like a violin. But don't let the laughs deceive you. He hits some literary home runs about a whole bunch of issues: politics, race, and sex."
--Ishmael Reed

Author Bio

C.J. Farley has worked as a senior editor for the Wall Street Journal and Time magazine, and is the author of such novels as Game World, Kingston by Starlight, and My Favorite War. Farley served as consulting producer on the Peabody-winning HBO documentary Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown and wrote the best-selling biographies Aaliyah: More Than a Woman and Before the Legend: The Rise of Bob Marley. Farley, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, is a graduate of Harvard and a former editor of the Harvard Lampoon. He is currently an executive editor at Audible.