A review by lucyb
The Groves of Academe by Mary McCarthy

4.0

This is an enjoyably brutal romp through the absurdities of academia and academics. McCarthy's prose is deliciously and mercilessly precise as she skewers the foibles of a small liberal arts college community during the heady days of the Red Scare and experimental poetry. Much in the machinations of college administrators, faculty, and students is firmly rooted in this specific cultural context; much, for better and for worse, is instantly recognizable to anyone who has spent time among the groves of academe.