Something for Nothing: A Novel

by Michael W. Klein

David Fox (Ph.D. Economics, Columbia, Visiting Assistant Professor at Kester College, Knittersville, New York) is having a stressful year. He has a temporary position at a small college in a small town miles from everything except Albany. His students have never read Freakonomics. He thinks he is getting the hang of teaching, but a smart and beautiful young woman in his Economics of Social Issues class is distractingly flirtatious. His research is stagnant, to put it kindly. His search for a tenure-track job looms dauntingly. (The previous visiting assistant professor of economics is now working in a bookstore.) So when a right-wing think tank called the Center to Research Opportunities for a Spiritual Society (CROSS)—affiliated with the Salvation Academy for Value Economics (SAVE)—wants to publish (and publicize) a paper he wrote as a graduate student showing the benefits of high school abstinence programs, fetchingly retitled "Something for Nothing," he ignores his misgivings and accepts happily. After all, publication is "the coin of the realm," as a senior colleague puts it.But David faces a personal dilemma when his prized results are cast into doubt. The school year is filled with other challenges as well, including faculty politics, a romance with a Knittersville native, running the annual interview gauntlet, and delivering the culminating "job talk" lecture under trying circumstances. David's adventures offer an instructive fictional guide for the young economist and an entertaining and comic tale for everyone interested in questions of balancing career and life, success and integrity, and loyalty and desire.

Genres: Fiction

284 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 26, 2011

Reviews

[Dennis Black]

Aug 26, 2011 Michael W Klein released Something for Nothing

The ratings / reviews were unremarkable
until 2 days last month when it garnered
15 fives with reviews, thereby raising
its average rating from mediocre to meh.
Still more scamming to be done.

Five, four, three, two, one stars awarded.
-   3 +  9 +  9 + 11 + 3 in 2011 .. 2015
-   4 +  8 +  5 +  4 + 2 in 2016 .. 2020
-   1 +  1 +  2 +  0 + 0 in 2021 .. 2025
-   1 +  0 +  0 +  1 + 0 on Jan-Jul 2026
----------------------------------------
ST  9 + 18 + 16 + 16 + 5 average 3.15625
----------------------------------------
-   5 +  0 +  0 +  0 + 0 on Aug 19, 2026
-  10 +  0 +  0 +  0 + 0 on Aug 20, 2026
-   2 +  0 +  0 +  0 + 0 on Sep 02, 2026
----------------------------------------
ST 17 +  0 +  0 +  0 + 0 average 5.00000
========================================
T: 26 + 18 + 16 + 16 + 5 = 81 ratings
w/ 17 +  4 +  4 +  3 + 0 = 28 reviews

Total 28 reviews / 81 ratings = 35%

August review CRs words chars
- 2 176 1202
------------
- 2 116  801
- 2 114  790
- 2 100  728
- 2 103  721
- 2  97  712
- 2 101  706
- 2  99  693
- 3  98  689
- 2 103  645
- 2  95  625
- 2  89  592
- 2  85  583
- 2  91  577
- 2  82  557

1 LRG + 14 MED + 0 SML
Nearly identical formats.

5-star | Y.M LOC'N JOINED GR | PIC ID#-NAME
Aug.19 | 2026.Feb Seattle WA | 0  199087942-amira-harrington
Aug.19 | 2026.Apr Duluth GA  | F* 200373202-rylee-murphy
Aug.19 | 2014.Oct Windsor UK | M    7844718.P_F_Ford
Aug.19 | 2026.Mar Antarctica | 0  199979828-amanda
Aug.19 | 2026.Jun ?????????? | 0  201783618-angela-suzzan
Aug.20 | 2026.Jul Seattle WA | 0  202600247-rosa-panicucci
Aug.20 | 2026.Jul Seattle WA | 0  202600297-libera-lucchesi
Aug.20 | 2026.Jul BlueBellPA | 0  202928179-manuela-lorenzo
Aug.20 | 2026.Jul Seattle WA | 0  202600356-carolina-de
Aug.20 | 2026.Jul Seattle WA | 0  202600446-teodata-siciliano
Aug.20 | 2026.Jul Seattle WA | 0  202600389-ornella-castiglione
Aug.20 = 2026.Aug Duluth GA  |!M* 203246961-pearlie-j
Aug.20 = 2026.Aug Duluth GA  | 0  203247006-jacklyn-j
Aug.20 = 2026.Aug Duluth GA  | 0  203246924-pauline-p
Aug.20 = 2026.Aug Duluth GA  |!M* 203246864-mildred-l
Sep.02 | 2026.Aug BlueBellPA | F* 203943878-mary-paige
Sep.02 | 2026.Aug Germany    | M  203499522-frank-wendler

94% joined GR this year, 35% in August

! — wrong-gender portrait photo
* – stolen portrait photo

RECEIPTS - photo / identity thefts
- Mary's pic is Maddy Taylor
- Mildred's wrong-gender pic is https://www.shutterstock.com/image-ph...
- Pearlie's wrong-gender pic is https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/gen...
- Rylee's pic is Lili Reinhart

Locales
* 6 Seattle, WA
* 5 Duluth, GA
* 2 Blue Bell, PA
- 1 Windsor, UK
- 1 Germany
- 1 Antarctica
- 1 unknown

* – known scammer favorite locales

Derive notional timestamps for joining GR
using Epoch Time best-guess linear fit of:

        GMT = ID# × 3.3 + 1115000000

- 2026 Feb 25 03:30:08 Seattle WA | Aug.19 amira-harrington
- 2026 Mar 31 05:03:52 Antarctica | Aug.19 amanda
- 2026 Apr 15 05:39:26 Duluth GA  | Aug.19 rylee-murphy
- 2026 Jun 08 02:32:19 ?????????? | Aug.19 angela-suzzan
b 2026 Jul 09 07:06:55 Seattle WA | Aug.20 rosa-panicucci
b 2026 Jul 09 07:09:40 Seattle WA | Aug.20 libera-lucchesi
b 2026 Jul 09 07:12:54 Seattle WA | Aug.20 carolina-de
b 2026 Jul 09 07:14:43 Seattle WA | Aug.20 ornella-castiglione
b 2026 Jul 09 07:17:51 Seattle WA | Aug.20 teodata-siciliano
- 2026 Jul 21 19:43:10 BlueBellPA | Aug.20 manuela-lorenzo
c 2026 Aug 02 23:50:51 Duluth GA  | Aug.20 mildred-l
c 2026 Aug 02 23:54:09 Duluth GA  | Aug.20 pauline-p
c 2026 Aug 02 23:56:11 Duluth GA  | Aug.20 pearlie-j
c 2026 Aug 02 23:58:39 Duluth GA  | Aug.20 jacklyn-j
- 2026 Aug 12 15:27:02 Germany    | Sep.02 frank-wendler
- 2026 Aug 29 14:46:37 BlueBellPA | Sep.02 mary-paige

RECEIPTS - Clumps legend
b - 5 within 0:10:56
c - 4 within 0:07:48

Compare to https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and you will note the identical groups "b" and "c".
You will also see a larger group "a" belonging
to yet another scammer, not hired for this round.
Maybe they'll be on the next one.

Out of 26 5-star ratings:
- 42% give no surname
- 62% show no image
- 62% have no followers
- 85% have no more than 1 follower
- 58% have done multiple reviews

Out of all 81 ratings:
- 58% give no surname
- 53% show no image
- 57% have no followers
- 74% have no more than 1 follower
- 56% have done multiple reviews

5-star raters' overlap:
- 14% Setting Captives Free 365 by M Cleveland
- 19% Lenny's Big Baseball Road Trip by D A Janover
- 27% DECEIT v. DECEIT by V Baumrind
- 23% ... Gospel Growth and Freedom by M Cleveland
- 40% The Expulsive Power ... by M Cleveland

all raters' overlap:
- 21% Setting Captives Free 365 by M Cleveland
- 18% Lenny's Big Baseball Road Trip by D A Janover
- 10% DECEIT v. DECEIT by V Baumrind
- 20% ... Gospel Growth and Freedom by M Cleveland
- 40% The Expulsive Power ... by M Cleveland

These listed overlaps will become much greater
if scammer "a" gets hired for that next round.

The 17 new fives infused in the past few weeks
lifted the ratings average from 3.16 to 3.54 –
still plenty of room for further "enhancement".
Another 37 fives would lift it to 4.00, and
a further 28 would reach 4.50.
    The cost?  Don't worry about the cost.
The satisfaction alone will be well worth it,
so your increased sales will come as pure profit.
Both of them.

[Gamespacenl · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an economics Professor (in North America) I enjoyed reading this. It's a story that's all too familiar for Professors, therefore I recommend the book for spouses (of Professors) or for those who want to have a peak at what it's like to work as a college Professor in North America (this story would play out very different in Europe).

[Luis Armando · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If he got tenure, he would have guaranteed job for life. Of course, if he didn't, he was out on his ass. Up or out. Publish or perish. Live or die." Michael W. Klein
Something for Nothing del profesor Michael Klein, es una novela con un sabor muy especial. Por un lado, al ser yo estudiante del doctorado en economía, me emociono al ser una novela que narra el primer año de un economista recién graduado del doctorado, quien busca estabilidad y la posibilidad de una verdadera carrera académica, y por otro lado, este libro fue el regalo de cumpleaños de uno de mis compañeros del doctorado ByeongHak Choe.

Michael Klein, profesor de economía de la universidad de Tuffs, escribió una novela sobre el camino del académico. Nos describe a David Fox, un reciente graduado de la Universidad de Columbia, que el "Job Market," proceso de selección de profesores de las universidades más prestigiosas, y el cual describe en el libro, no fue el más bondadoso con él, y solo consigue una posición como profesor visitante en la pequeña Kester College. Durante esta aventura David se da cuenta que a pesar de ser un apasionado de la docencia, no es suficiente si no logra sobresalir en la investigación y la publicación de su trabajo.

http://bucherlibrosbooks.blogspot.mx/...

[Lara Dolecek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Look no further if you are in the mood for a quick-read novel where the protagonist is an assistant professor looking for a tenure track position. Romance, stress, drama and plethora of oh-so-true academic references.

[Ornella Castiglione · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most Professional & Impressive
I first discovered Something for Nothing through Literaturkreis Zürich, and it quickly struck me as the kind of novel that deserves to be considered beyond the immediate circumstances of its plot. Michael W. Klein offers a nuanced examination of ambition, professional advancement, personal integrity, and the complicated decisions that arise when those forces come into conflict. What I found particularly compelling is the novel's refusal to reduce these issues to simple moral conclusions. The characters are given motivations that feel sufficiently human to make their choices understandable, while still leaving the reader room to question those choices. This balance creates an engaging literary experience and, from the perspective of a reading-circle member, considerable opportunity for discussion. I appreciated the way the novel encourages the reader to think about the broader meaning of achievement and the personal costs that can accompany it. Discovering it through Literaturkreis Zürich was certainly worthwhile, and I would recommend it to readers who enjoy fiction that combines narrative with questions that remain relevant after the book is closed.

[Manuela Lorenzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serious Literary Review
My introduction to Something for Nothing came through Literaturkreis Zürich, and I found it to be a surprisingly rich subject for literary reflection. The novel uses the pressures of professional and academic life to explore broader concerns about ambition, identity, morality, and personal compromise. What initially appears to be a story about career and circumstance gradually becomes an examination of the values people negotiate when pursuing success. Klein's willingness to leave certain questions unresolved is one of the book's most effective qualities. It encourages the reader to participate in the moral conversation rather than simply observe it. A worthwhile discovery for readers who enjoy novels that provide both narrative interest and intellectual substance.

[Amira Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Polished & Professional
I came across Something for Nothing through Literatures' Zürich, and it proved to be a particularly interesting discovery. Michael W. Klein presents a thoughtful exploration of ambition, professional life, personal responsibility, and the compromises that can accompany the pursuit of success. What I appreciated most was the novel's refusal to offer overly simple judgments. The characters' decisions invite reflection rather than providing easy answers, which made the book especially rewarding from the perspective of a reading-circle member. It is a thoughtful, well conceived novel with considerably more to discuss beneath its surface than the title might initially suggest.

[Rylee Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Literary & Sophisticated
I discovered Something for Nothing through Literaturkreis Zürich, where books often become the starting point for broader conversations about character, society, and the choices people make. This novel certainly lends itself to that kind of discussion. Michael W. Klein examines ambition and professional advancement while also considering the personal and ethical questions that accompany them. I found the tension between achievement and integrity particularly compelling. Rather than presenting straightforward answers, the novel leaves space for interpretation, making it an engaging and worthwhile choice for readers who appreciate fiction that continues to provoke thought beyond the final page.

[Angela Suzzan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Professional Reader's Perspective
Through Literaturkreis Zürich, I had the opportunity to discover Something for Nothing, a novel that I found both intellectually engaging and well suited to discussion. Klein's exploration of professional ambition and personal integrity is particularly effective because the issues he raises extend beyond the academic environment. Questions of reputation, achievement, compromise, and responsibility are familiar to anyone who has had to balance personal principles with professional expectations. I appreciated the novel's restraint in allowing the reader to form their own conclusions. It is a thoughtful work that offers considerably more than a straightforward narrative.

[Rosa Panicucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Analytical
I discovered Something for Nothing through Literaturkreis Zürich, and reading it from the perspective of a discussion circle member made its underlying themes especially interesting. At its core, the novel examines the tension between ambition and integrity. Through David Fox and the professional world around him, Michael W. Klein considers how the pursuit of advancement can influence relationships, judgment, and personal values. The novel's strength lies in its ambiguity. Its characters are neither completely admirable nor easily condemnable, which creates room for genuine discussion. I found myself considering not only what the characters did, but why they believed those choices were necessary. A rewarding discovery and a strong choice for literary discussion.

[Carolina De · Rating 5 out of 5]

Warm but Professional
I discovered Something for Nothing through Literaturkreis Zürich, and it was one of those books that became increasingly interesting as I considered the ideas behind the story. Michael W. Klein writes about ambition and professional life, but the novel ultimately feels much broader than that. It asks questions about integrity, personal choices, reputation, and the sacrifices that sometimes accompany achievement. I particularly appreciated the complexity of the characters. Their choices are understandable without necessarily being easy to approve of, which creates exactly the kind of productive tension that makes a book memorable and worth discussing. A very interesting literary discovery.

[P.F. Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Circle Discovery
I first encountered Something for Nothing through Literaturkreis Zürich, and I was immediately interested in the questions surrounding its story. After reading it, I understood why it offers such good material for thoughtful discussion. Klein explores ambition, professional expectations, personal relationships, and the difficult choices that arise when these things collide. The characters are presented with enough complexity that it is difficult to reduce their decisions to simple right or wrong conclusions. For me, that complexity is one of the novel's greatest strengths. It is an engaging work that rewards both individual reading and collective discussion.

[Libera Lucchesi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughtful & Author-Focused
I came across Michael W. Klein's Something for Nothing through Literaturkreis Zürich, and I was impressed by the questions the novel raises beneath its straightforward premise. Klein demonstrates a keen interest in the relationship between professional ambition and personal ethics. His characters are placed in situations where success, reputation, relationships, and integrity do not always point in the same direction. I particularly enjoyed that the novel trusts its readers to think for themselves. It does not insist on one interpretation, which makes it especially valuable in a reading-circle setting.
A thoughtful and intellectually stimulating read.

[Teodata Siciliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Strong Goodreads Style
I came across Something for Nothing through Literaturkreis Zürich, and I am glad I did. It is an intelligent and thought-provoking novel that offers plenty of material for reflection. Michael W. Klein does a particularly good job of exploring the tension between ambition and integrity. The professional world of the novel provides an engaging setting, but the questions it raises are universal: What does success cost? How much are we willing to compromise? And how do we reconcile our ambitions with our principles? Those questions stayed with me after reading, which is usually a good indication of a worthwhile book.

[amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elegant & Concise
I came across Something for Nothing through Literaturkreis Zürich and found it to be a compelling literary discovery. Michael W. Klein offers a thoughtful examination of ambition, integrity, professional expectations, and the consequences of personal choices. What makes the novel particularly effective is its moral complexity; the reader is encouraged to consider the characters' motivations rather than simply judge their actions. It is precisely the kind of book that benefits from discussion, because there is much to consider beyond the immediate narrative.

[Jacklyn J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a Reading Circle Member
As a member of Literaturkreis Zürich, I am always interested in books that give us something substantial to discuss, and Something for Nothing certainly does that. Michael W. Klein explores professional ambition and personal values in a way that feels thoughtful rather than predictable. The characters are faced with decisions where there isn't always an obvious answer, and that uncertainty is part of what makes the novel engaging. I enjoyed discovering this book and appreciated how much it invited me to think beyond the immediate storyline.

[Pauline P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quietly Thought-Provoking
I discovered Something for Nothing through *Literaturkreis Zürich*, and it is the sort of novel whose ideas become more interesting the longer you think about them. Klein explores ambition, professional expectations, integrity, and the consequences of personal decisions without reducing these themes to simple conclusions. I particularly appreciated the space the novel gives the reader to form an independent opinion. For me, that made it more than simply an engaging story. It became a book worth reflecting on and discussing.

[Mildred L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Book Worth Discussing
My introduction to Something for Nothing came through Literaturkreis Zürich, and I can easily see why it lends itself to a reading group conversation. The novel raises questions about success, ambition, ethics, and the compromises people sometimes face in professional life. I found the characters particularly interesting because their decisions are not always easy to categorize. That complexity is what stayed with me. It is a book where different readers can reasonably have different interpretations, which is often the foundation of a good literary discussion.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty terrible writing. Like an economist equivalent of a supermarket romance book. One dimensional characters, simplistic storyline, awful dialogue. Also a main character so self absorbed and sexist that I can only hope there's nothing autobiographical about this.

On the positive side, it was a fun quick read, which was what I needed

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

American contemp....2007 Upstate New York....economics, moral policy, calculation errors, consequences.

[Harrison Conner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, but I don’t think the general public would like it. I’m an economist and it’s a very good look at our academia

[Stephen Kirchner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mandatory reading for prospective grad students

Should be mandatory reading for prospective grad students. For those who have been down that path already, it will resonate.

[Samito · Rating 2 out of 5]

An academic thriller? No, a sad story about an unsuccessful economist who fails to do anything right. Interestingly, his immorality is juxtaposed with the immorality of a cultish christian 'think tank' (although not really) leader. Eventually, David, fails to be successful at anything and on the brink of major catastrophe suddenly his slides are re-written mid-seminar to convey the correct results from an econometric method that he didn't create (yet this doesn't stop him from taking credit for them in his job-market talk) and there is a 'happy' ending. Happy from the perspective of a non-economist; depressing for a current graduate student.

[Jill Finger Gibson · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all disclosure: I took econ with the author in grad school (he was a good prof, I was an average student). So I bought the book more out of curiosity than interest in the book itself. The story was entertaining but felt a bit Philip Roth wannabe, and some of the writing was a bit cringeworthy (eg "he admired her very nice ass"). Might make a good movie scripted by Aaron Sorkin, but not a great novel. Still, if you like economics and want to see how an econ prof might apply economic principles to a somewhat satirical novel on academia, you might enjoy it.

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An entertaining novel that also offers an interesting view into the world of economics and the pursuit of a tenure-track teaching position.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice fun read about the brutal academic market.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this - even the math parts. ;-)

[Greg Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't read this book if you think you might ever want to go into an economics PhD program. Surprisingly well-written for an econ professor, though.