Scab

by Brannon Jackson

When Brannon Jackson enters a reputable art college, his dreams of becoming an artist quickly crumble. His dorm room is a dump. His roommate is a horny hipster. And one of his first professors is a tyrant packaged in pixie form. Things get worse when he inherits secondhand stink on the college bus, stumbles into a series of sexual situations, and nearly gets kicked out of his assigned housing. Brannon’s priorities go from purchasing paints to preventing panic attacks as he attempts to navigate the complex and frightening word of human relations. Stunted by several social pitfalls, including public speaking, dating strangers, and escalating tension with his roommate, he soon discovers his college course load is the easy part. It’s the people placed in his path who aren’t providing passing marks. Combining heartbreak and hilarity, this coming-of-age confessional composites a portrait of a young man’s attempt to become an artist and adult in an environment of hot weather, cold hearts, and an abundance of art school nudity.

Genres: Memoir

460 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 18, 2015

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty lengthy book but I did enjoy it. I can relate to Brannon in that I am shy and socially awkward and somewhat struggled to make friends in college. Although my dorm roommate was thankfully a lot better than his! I really cheered Brannon on throughout the book as he overcame his struggles.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scab is a well-written memoir about Brannon's not-so-pleasant first year at a school for the arts. Much of the story reads like a novel, which makes it an easier, more interesting read, and there were many times when I felt like Brannon was describing my first year in graduate school.

That being said, this book is long. Too long for what it was. I'm all for long books when necessary, but it felt like much could have been edited down. I definitely felt Brannon's frustrations with his roommate, classes, health, and so on, but it wasn't always for the right reasons. I felt frustrated because I was hearing the same problems over and over again in the same ways. He certainly took us on that journey with him, but I wish there had been more action and dialogue to push the story forward. Those were definitely the times I was most engaged in his story.

All in all, Scab is a brave account of Brannon's story, and I would recommend it to others who find themselves feeling lost and in a new and lonely place.