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Educating BJ: Distractions of an Oxbridge Misfit
Do you ever think of yourself as being special? I used to believe that I was … or at least, I thought that someday I could be.
Oxford University … alma mater to the elite, and breeding ground for aristocrats, politicians, and academics. Built on centuries of culture and tradition, and pompously proud of it. Its motto, Dominus illuminatio mea - The Lord is my light. Well, if The Lord was guiding me, perhaps He had shone his torch in the wrong direction.
I was no scholar, nor anything remotely special … even the label they had, articulated as much. In Oxford, I was merely a ‘commoner’ … lacking the intellect, and with neither the wealth nor breeding to walk among ‘the great and the good.’ I was Studens vulgaris, a common-or-garden student … and, occasionally, a rather vulgar one.
Even as a commoner, Oxford promised to open doors; a gateway to opportunity and prosperity, to lifelong friendships and love, and to endless horizontal shenanigans. Frustratingly however, things seldom go according to plan.
Educating BJ is a rose-tinted (or tainted) portrait of undergraduate life; a commoner’s experience of fun, friendships, and frustration. Spun from real-life events, and as factual as any government record, Educating BJ is my story ... and I hope you enjoy it.
Oxford University … alma mater to the elite, and breeding ground for aristocrats, politicians, and academics. Built on centuries of culture and tradition, and pompously proud of it. Its motto, Dominus illuminatio mea - The Lord is my light. Well, if The Lord was guiding me, perhaps He had shone his torch in the wrong direction.
I was no scholar, nor anything remotely special … even the label they had, articulated as much. In Oxford, I was merely a ‘commoner’ … lacking the intellect, and with neither the wealth nor breeding to walk among ‘the great and the good.’ I was Studens vulgaris, a common-or-garden student … and, occasionally, a rather vulgar one.
Even as a commoner, Oxford promised to open doors; a gateway to opportunity and prosperity, to lifelong friendships and love, and to endless horizontal shenanigans. Frustratingly however, things seldom go according to plan.
Educating BJ is a rose-tinted (or tainted) portrait of undergraduate life; a commoner’s experience of fun, friendships, and frustration. Spun from real-life events, and as factual as any government record, Educating BJ is my story ... and I hope you enjoy it.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 11, 2025
About the author
Bruce Spydar
11 books39 followersBruce Spydar used to wear a suit, work in an office, and get paid to lead teams of staff working for international nature conservation. Today he possesses no suit that fits, has no office nor staff, and he doesn’t get paid … although he still volunteers in support of nature.
For the last few years, Bruce has thrown himself into writing. Perhaps it’s a last-ditch attempt to harness his creativity, before his brain turns to mush. On many an afternoon he can be spotted gazing out of an upstairs window of his house near Cambridge, searching for inspiration.
Bruce describes himself as writing with a kind heart and a naughty mind. Personal experience has taught him that everyday life is rather full of struggles, and that happiness and laughter are too often in short supply. It’s why he now chooses to focus his creativity towards sharing his humour and positivity.
Humorous fiction:
Educating BJ
Educating BJ is a rose-tinted (or tainted) portrait of undergraduate life; a commoner’s experience of fun, friendships, and frustration. Spun from real-life events, and as factual as any government record, Educating BJ is my story … and I hope you enjoy it.
The Shy Backpacker series
Diary of a Shy Backpacker is a naughty travel romcom; a series of the adventures of a young man trying to make some sense of his life during his gap year travels. It is life-based fiction expanding from some of the author’s own adventures decades ago. Part 1: Awakening Down Under is set in Australia, Part 2: Eye on the Prize moves to New Zealand, and in Part 3: No Looking Back, BJ, the main character is crossing Canada.
Refining My Dining is a deliciously s3xy romcom, in which the world is seen through the eyes of Megan Turner. It’s a standalone tale, but if you’ve read Diary of a Shy Backpacker, you’ll have met her before.
Caution: Adults only - contains tasty language and scenes of a sexual nature.
Non-Fiction: Self-help
Unboxing: The ART of Happiness ... is for anyone seeking to re-boot their positivity. Simple, practical, and positive, the book combines life experience, logic, and basic psychology to show how we can feel happier and more resilient in everyday life. The ART of Happiness is the tool of a positive mind, and Unboxing reveals how to use it.
Spydar’s Web: How to Capture Happiness ... is aimed towards encouragement of positive thinking and improvement of our happiness and well-being. The SPIDER model is a simple visual tool that can be an effective prompt for promoting many of the things we know enhance our own happiness, and discouraging us from falling into bad habits.
Bruce continues to write … and you can follow him on Instagram (@brucespydar).
For the last few years, Bruce has thrown himself into writing. Perhaps it’s a last-ditch attempt to harness his creativity, before his brain turns to mush. On many an afternoon he can be spotted gazing out of an upstairs window of his house near Cambridge, searching for inspiration.
Bruce describes himself as writing with a kind heart and a naughty mind. Personal experience has taught him that everyday life is rather full of struggles, and that happiness and laughter are too often in short supply. It’s why he now chooses to focus his creativity towards sharing his humour and positivity.
Humorous fiction:
Educating BJ
Educating BJ is a rose-tinted (or tainted) portrait of undergraduate life; a commoner’s experience of fun, friendships, and frustration. Spun from real-life events, and as factual as any government record, Educating BJ is my story … and I hope you enjoy it.
The Shy Backpacker series
Diary of a Shy Backpacker is a naughty travel romcom; a series of the adventures of a young man trying to make some sense of his life during his gap year travels. It is life-based fiction expanding from some of the author’s own adventures decades ago. Part 1: Awakening Down Under is set in Australia, Part 2: Eye on the Prize moves to New Zealand, and in Part 3: No Looking Back, BJ, the main character is crossing Canada.
Refining My Dining is a deliciously s3xy romcom, in which the world is seen through the eyes of Megan Turner. It’s a standalone tale, but if you’ve read Diary of a Shy Backpacker, you’ll have met her before.
Caution: Adults only - contains tasty language and scenes of a sexual nature.
Non-Fiction: Self-help
Unboxing: The ART of Happiness ... is for anyone seeking to re-boot their positivity. Simple, practical, and positive, the book combines life experience, logic, and basic psychology to show how we can feel happier and more resilient in everyday life. The ART of Happiness is the tool of a positive mind, and Unboxing reveals how to use it.
Spydar’s Web: How to Capture Happiness ... is aimed towards encouragement of positive thinking and improvement of our happiness and well-being. The SPIDER model is a simple visual tool that can be an effective prompt for promoting many of the things we know enhance our own happiness, and discouraging us from falling into bad habits.
Bruce continues to write … and you can follow him on Instagram (@brucespydar).
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
June 21, 2025
While I did not attend Oxford, I did go to college during the same era as BJ and look back on those years fondly. This read brought back a flood of memories - both the madness and the mundane - of being on the cliff of adolescence and the cusp of adulthood with The Future looming. BJ’s story is chronicled in a series of humorous journal entries not unlike Bridget Jones, making it easy to pick up and put down, with each short tale a relatable snippet of college life. Having met BJ in Mr. Spydar’s Shy Backpacker series, I really enjoyed this prequel and the glimpse into younger BJ’s origin story.
February 5, 2026
Spydar’s Best Novel Yet!
As a big fan of Bruce Spydar’s books, I was delighted to learn more about his main character B.J.—based on the author, but fictionalized—prior to the adventures he experienced in the Shy Backpacker series, which begins in Australia. Reading Educating BJ: Distractions of an Oxbridge Misfit was like sitting down with a longtime friend and learning more about the past that shaped them into the person you know and love.
What an absolute delight! In just a few chapters, I was pulled into B.J.’s world as he began his pursuit of higher education…and the pleasures of the flesh. BUT don’t be fooled. This isn’t a recap of how notches might’ve appeared on a bedpost. Indeed, it’s quite the opposite! Spydar’s walk through his memories is an invitation to learn more about what goes on in the mind of a nice guy with a dirty mind—with an emphasis on the nice guy part.
Through the chapters, we witness B.J.’s attempt to engage in, and I quote, “horizontal gymnastics.” There are moments when it appears shenanigans are going to ensue, but often, the opportunity slips away. Alongside his interest in campus co-eds, B.J. cracks open books, daydreams through lectures, circus-trains starlings, and travels with his fellow program mates for practical studies in Venezuela. Spydar peppers the pages with (then) present-day culture, with references spanning from ‘Stormin Norman’ Schwarzkopf, to Mike Tyson’s loss to Buster Douglas, to Roxette’s hit tunes. It was neat to revisit—through B.J.’s story—similar memories that shaped the era.
Appearing as a constant source of friendship and support throughout the book is Sally. While this saucy salesgirl doesn’t join B.J. at college, she plays a significant role as a confidante and sympathizer. She also keeps B.J. entertained with stories of her own horizontal gymnastics. Still, Sally is more than the naughty friend with rings of notches on her lipstick case. In a way, she’s the reader, asking questions, cheering B.J. on, and truly wanting the best for her friend—Spydar’s frustrated protagonist.
What I loved about this book is that it’s not simply a tale of a guy looking to get laid. Oh, sure, thoughts of sex, possible sex, delectable co-eds, and meaningless sex musings skip through the pages, but B.J. really isn’t “that guy.” Well, to some extent he is…but it’s not ALL who he is, and it isn’t who he is at his core. B.J. has “high expectations of finding love in Oxford.”
LOVE.
Rounding out the college experience, in this book, readers will find: great friendships, guys being silly, angst over the future—plus questions of what to do after graduation, and dorm life. (They don’t seem to call it dorm life at Oxford…but if you’re from the U.S. like me, from what I gather after reading Spydar’s book, it’s pretty much the same. Although the food over there sounds like it’s way better…)
I highlighted so many witticisms and observations while reading Educating B.J., I can’t share them all in one post. But I must say, I loved how he ended almost every chapter with a clever comment—or profound observation:
“All the careers—fair stuff, and the phone-directory-sized tomes of careers opportunities…well, they’re all great if you want to go into law or finance. Not so helpful though, if you want to find a life.”
This is the fifth book I’ve read by author Bruce Spydar. I believe it’s his best novel yet. There’s a certain maturity in the retelling of the past, which is fascinating since this journey with B.J. is the earliest readers will meet him in Spydar’s current body of work. Over the past week, I’ve looked forward to settling in every night and reading several chapters.
If you’ve read ANY of Bruce Spydar’s other books, this one is an absolute must for your bookshelf. It’s a 5-star read and, ultimately, a warm conversation between you-the-reader and B.J.-the-character (aka Bruce-Spydar-the-author). Grab the book and a blanket. Spend the evening with the future Shy Backpacker as he navigates college life before setting off on his adventures “Down Under.” It’s worth every turn of the page!
As a big fan of Bruce Spydar’s books, I was delighted to learn more about his main character B.J.—based on the author, but fictionalized—prior to the adventures he experienced in the Shy Backpacker series, which begins in Australia. Reading Educating BJ: Distractions of an Oxbridge Misfit was like sitting down with a longtime friend and learning more about the past that shaped them into the person you know and love.
What an absolute delight! In just a few chapters, I was pulled into B.J.’s world as he began his pursuit of higher education…and the pleasures of the flesh. BUT don’t be fooled. This isn’t a recap of how notches might’ve appeared on a bedpost. Indeed, it’s quite the opposite! Spydar’s walk through his memories is an invitation to learn more about what goes on in the mind of a nice guy with a dirty mind—with an emphasis on the nice guy part.
Through the chapters, we witness B.J.’s attempt to engage in, and I quote, “horizontal gymnastics.” There are moments when it appears shenanigans are going to ensue, but often, the opportunity slips away. Alongside his interest in campus co-eds, B.J. cracks open books, daydreams through lectures, circus-trains starlings, and travels with his fellow program mates for practical studies in Venezuela. Spydar peppers the pages with (then) present-day culture, with references spanning from ‘Stormin Norman’ Schwarzkopf, to Mike Tyson’s loss to Buster Douglas, to Roxette’s hit tunes. It was neat to revisit—through B.J.’s story—similar memories that shaped the era.
Appearing as a constant source of friendship and support throughout the book is Sally. While this saucy salesgirl doesn’t join B.J. at college, she plays a significant role as a confidante and sympathizer. She also keeps B.J. entertained with stories of her own horizontal gymnastics. Still, Sally is more than the naughty friend with rings of notches on her lipstick case. In a way, she’s the reader, asking questions, cheering B.J. on, and truly wanting the best for her friend—Spydar’s frustrated protagonist.
What I loved about this book is that it’s not simply a tale of a guy looking to get laid. Oh, sure, thoughts of sex, possible sex, delectable co-eds, and meaningless sex musings skip through the pages, but B.J. really isn’t “that guy.” Well, to some extent he is…but it’s not ALL who he is, and it isn’t who he is at his core. B.J. has “high expectations of finding love in Oxford.”
LOVE.
Rounding out the college experience, in this book, readers will find: great friendships, guys being silly, angst over the future—plus questions of what to do after graduation, and dorm life. (They don’t seem to call it dorm life at Oxford…but if you’re from the U.S. like me, from what I gather after reading Spydar’s book, it’s pretty much the same. Although the food over there sounds like it’s way better…)
I highlighted so many witticisms and observations while reading Educating B.J., I can’t share them all in one post. But I must say, I loved how he ended almost every chapter with a clever comment—or profound observation:
“All the careers—fair stuff, and the phone-directory-sized tomes of careers opportunities…well, they’re all great if you want to go into law or finance. Not so helpful though, if you want to find a life.”
This is the fifth book I’ve read by author Bruce Spydar. I believe it’s his best novel yet. There’s a certain maturity in the retelling of the past, which is fascinating since this journey with B.J. is the earliest readers will meet him in Spydar’s current body of work. Over the past week, I’ve looked forward to settling in every night and reading several chapters.
If you’ve read ANY of Bruce Spydar’s other books, this one is an absolute must for your bookshelf. It’s a 5-star read and, ultimately, a warm conversation between you-the-reader and B.J.-the-character (aka Bruce-Spydar-the-author). Grab the book and a blanket. Spend the evening with the future Shy Backpacker as he navigates college life before setting off on his adventures “Down Under.” It’s worth every turn of the page!
July 18, 2025
A fun and light-hearted account of a young man’s years spent at Oxford, being educated. BJ is no stranger to me, as I have read the Diary of a Shy Backpacker trilogy, of which this book is a prequel. Socially inept — especially around women — BJ makes friends, struggles to take his classes seriously, learns how to play croquet, drinks a lot of beer, and generally does everything that a student is expected to do, bar playing the field.
His complete lack of success with the fairer sex is a constant source of angst for young BJ, but he manfully soldiers on and narrates the story of his education briskly and endearingly. BJ is no wordsmith, but that makes his story even more relatable. I could smell the beer wafting from the pub and feel the warm British sun on my face as BJ enjoys student life in the city of dreaming spires.
A quirky read for those who don’t want their escapism too dark and serious.
His complete lack of success with the fairer sex is a constant source of angst for young BJ, but he manfully soldiers on and narrates the story of his education briskly and endearingly. BJ is no wordsmith, but that makes his story even more relatable. I could smell the beer wafting from the pub and feel the warm British sun on my face as BJ enjoys student life in the city of dreaming spires.
A quirky read for those who don’t want their escapism too dark and serious.
July 10, 2025
A laugh out loud coming-of-age page-turner
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 July 2025
Having read the other books in this series, 1 thoroughly enjoyed meeting the younger BJ, and being part of his university experience.
A character that you immediately click with, I felt protective of young BJ and rooted for him throughout.
With an array of friends and love interests sprinkled into university life and navigating young adulthood, Educating BJ has plenty of laugh out loud moments, but also some heartfelt moments — where I felt for BJ and his feelings of inferiority and desire to fit.
Such a relatable character and the scene setting and descriptions of the time and culture, were brilliant.
A laugh out loud, engaging coming-of-age page-turner. Highly recommend.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 July 2025
Having read the other books in this series, 1 thoroughly enjoyed meeting the younger BJ, and being part of his university experience.
A character that you immediately click with, I felt protective of young BJ and rooted for him throughout.
With an array of friends and love interests sprinkled into university life and navigating young adulthood, Educating BJ has plenty of laugh out loud moments, but also some heartfelt moments — where I felt for BJ and his feelings of inferiority and desire to fit.
Such a relatable character and the scene setting and descriptions of the time and culture, were brilliant.
A laugh out loud, engaging coming-of-age page-turner. Highly recommend.
August 1, 2025
Good to see BJ return, this time looking back on his time at Oxford University. As in the other books in the series, he is frustrated at the lack of success in his love life, but he is at Oxford, which sounds a fine place to spend his formative years. His thoughts and feelings are cleverly told through a mixture of prose and conversations he has with friends, and we get an insight into Oxbridge life through various antics. Throw in some reflections on world events at the time and you have a nostalgic and entertaining look back to student life in the 80s. Good fun!
August 17, 2025
I've read all of Bruce Spydar's BJ related books and I've enjoyed them all, I like the the raw honesty of them. Educating BJ was no different. In fact I think it's now my favourite book by Bruce Spydar, probably because it brought to mind memories of my own time at university.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews