From Barnes & Noble
The Barnes & Noble ReviewIn Old School, Tobias Wolff, noted short story writer and author of the acclaimed memoir This Boy's Life, offers us a resonant, poignant, and distinguished exploration of the seductive nature and overpowering allure of literature.
A self-conscious, unnamed Jewish youth attends prep school in New England in the early 1960s, where he's one of the top writers in his class. He participates in an annual literary contest judged by celebrity authors -- a contest as aggressively competitive as any high school sport.
Wolff's narrative is gripping, immensely readable, and deceptively simple. Revered literary icons such as Ernest Hemingway and Ayn Rand are authentically portrayed through the eyes of an idealistic boy on the verge of manhood. With immediacy and candor, Wolff gives us a glimpse into the world of a young artist trying to find his own identity within the unknown depths of art. Wolff also shows us the overwhelming attraction of literature for the insecure and the vulnerable.
Old School is a debut novel that offers all the impact of autobiography. It's a bittersweet tale of innocence lost in the wake of disappointment and adult understanding that will leave readers profoundly moved. Tom Piccirilli