School: A Novel

Ray Levys School is a comedic portrait of an artist seeking to survive in a dying university system, combining a variety of forms such as a dissertation manuscript, a lecture on psychoanalysis, a review of a found-footage horror movie, and an interview with an avant-garde filmmaker. It is a caustic ritual that invokes the dead fathers of deconstruction for a black mass, exploring intellectual professions, debt, neoliberalization, coercive seduction rites, and fetishizations of authority.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 174 pages
Publication date: 31 October 2023
Publisher: The University of Alabama Press

School is a powerful and humorous exploration of contemporary academia, serving as both an exorcism and a comedic portrayal of an artist struggling to survive in a decaying university system. The novel blends a diverse range of forms, including a dissertation manuscript possessed by the spirit of Marquis de Sade, a lecture on psychoanalysis delivered as stand-up comedy by a dysphoric graduate student, a review of a found-footage horror movie that doubles as a YouTube video of a conference presentation on French theory, an interview with an avant-garde filmmaker that serves as an invocation for conjuring one's demon brother, and more. These diverse elements coalesce into a caustic ritual that overshares, withholds, cites, detours, chants, and channels, invoking the dead fathers of deconstruction for the black mass that unfolds painfully and parodically across the pages.

School is a gripping tale that bites off more than it can chew, offering a deeply unprofessional exploration of intellectual professions in the context of endless debt, neoliberalization, coercive seduction rites, and fetishizations of authority. It delves into the realization of a life in which one has not lost but rather embraced the full spectrum of possibilities, challenging societal expectations and embracing the transformative power of creativity.

Through its unique blend of humor, critique, and imagination, School offers a refreshing and thought-provoking perspective on the challenges and rewards of academic life. It challenges readers to think critically about the institutions they inhabit and the ways in which they can navigate the complexities of contemporary society. Whether you are an academic, artist, or simply someone who enjoys a good story, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781573662024