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Adjunctivitis
A witty and touching novella about life on the periphery of academia and Hollywood. Robert is an adjunct, a university lecturer commuting between two-far flung Los Angeles colleges. He doesn't have health insurance - a serious problem when he develops a violent allergy to student writing. Meanwhile he's trying to keep his car, and his relationship with a successful but skittish TV writer, from falling apart.
- GenresFiction
Audible Audio
First published November 1, 2013
2 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Haber
12 books7 followersGordon Haber's short fiction has appeared, among other places, in The Rumpus and The Normal School, and as three best-selling Kindle Singles. His story collection, UGGS FOR GAZA, will be published Summer 2017. His nonfiction on the nexus of religion and culture can be seen in The Forward, Religion and Politics and Religion Dispatches. His awards include a Fulbright Fellowship, a Queens Community Arts Fund grant and a MacDowell Colony residence. In addition to writing, Gordon founded the e-book publishing company, Dutch Kills Press. He does not live in Brooklyn.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 12, 2017
Short and sweet; I found this on Amazon Prime for free. It was a humorous short novella (60 pgs) about a struggling adjunct writing professor living in LA who starts vomiting whenever he has to read his students' essays. I liked it because I'm obsessed with LA as well as writing/literature academia. Read in less than an hour - fun story!
July 22, 2017
There were moments where this book felt too real as a fellow broke af adjunct professor. I appreciate this being a shorter read, but honestly think I could have stood to see this expanded. It was enjoyable in that sort of way that makes you think about your own struggles and commiserate.
October 30, 2014
I am still trying to get the most out of my Kindle Unlimited trial, which resulted in this read. I have always wondered what the big deal was around the Kindle Singles, so I decided to find one that sounded interesting and read it.
This short read is a work of fiction. It is about an ex-journalist, adjunct (temporary, often part time) Writing instructor who is shuffling between two colleges, and who starts vomiting every time that he tries to grade his student’s essays. Robert also has a girlfriend who works in Hollywood as a writer. In the story, Robert is determined to learn why he is having the vomiting issue, try to get health care, survive on a meager salary, obtain a full time, permanent position, move to the next level with his girlfriend, and figure out what to do with his life.
When I first started reading this story, there were some laugh out loud moments for me. Having been an adjunct for more than a decade, in California no less, I can directly relate to many of Robert’s situations. Unlike Robert, though, I never shuffled between colleges like many adjuncts do. I have almost always had a full-time job with benefits in addition to my teaching job. Still, I could relate to Robert’s frustration and quest for health care, since I have had some periods without it.
Despite the humorous tone at the beginning of the story, it does get depressing midway into it. The story ends well, although it never gets back to that lighthearted funny from the beginning. The mix of the Hollywood life that Robert is subject to as a result of his girlfriend is interesting and provides a nice comparison to Robert’s own life.
The story is written well enough, and Robert is an interesting character. Remember that this is a short story, though, so character development is limited.
Overall, I enjoyed this read, but, at $2.99 for 62 pages, it is pretty pricey. It is a good thing that I was able to read it for free with the Kindle Unlimited trial. I am not sure that I would have enjoyed this read as much, though, if I was not able to personally connect to it as I did. Most people will not have that connection, so readers will have to decide if the topic is interesting enough on its own.
This short read is a work of fiction. It is about an ex-journalist, adjunct (temporary, often part time) Writing instructor who is shuffling between two colleges, and who starts vomiting every time that he tries to grade his student’s essays. Robert also has a girlfriend who works in Hollywood as a writer. In the story, Robert is determined to learn why he is having the vomiting issue, try to get health care, survive on a meager salary, obtain a full time, permanent position, move to the next level with his girlfriend, and figure out what to do with his life.
When I first started reading this story, there were some laugh out loud moments for me. Having been an adjunct for more than a decade, in California no less, I can directly relate to many of Robert’s situations. Unlike Robert, though, I never shuffled between colleges like many adjuncts do. I have almost always had a full-time job with benefits in addition to my teaching job. Still, I could relate to Robert’s frustration and quest for health care, since I have had some periods without it.
Despite the humorous tone at the beginning of the story, it does get depressing midway into it. The story ends well, although it never gets back to that lighthearted funny from the beginning. The mix of the Hollywood life that Robert is subject to as a result of his girlfriend is interesting and provides a nice comparison to Robert’s own life.
The story is written well enough, and Robert is an interesting character. Remember that this is a short story, though, so character development is limited.
Overall, I enjoyed this read, but, at $2.99 for 62 pages, it is pretty pricey. It is a good thing that I was able to read it for free with the Kindle Unlimited trial. I am not sure that I would have enjoyed this read as much, though, if I was not able to personally connect to it as I did. Most people will not have that connection, so readers will have to decide if the topic is interesting enough on its own.
January 11, 2014
Laugh out loud humorous, a different style, and a fun read!
February 9, 2014
Highly enjoyable, funny (albeit painfully so) look at academia which the author has dead-on here.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews