Billed as a "hilarious guide to surviving and thriving as the lowliest of life forms - the grad student," Surviving Your Stupid Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School is less of a guide to grad school than a hysterical diversion from grad school.
Little Advice to Be Had
Make no mistake: I love this book. I think Surviving Your Stupid Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School is the funniest thing I've read about and for graduate students in a long time. But it is not a book of advice. I can identify tidbits of advice scattered throughout the book, but those tiny globules of are obscured by humor. Unfortunately I suspect that the average reader will overlook the advice. That said, grad students have little humor in their lives, so I believe this book is well worth a read.
Not Politically Correct
Readers should be aware that in addition to being funny, Surviving Your Stupid Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School is quite vulgar, strewn with profanity and examples that some might find offensive. It is also a very negative take on graduate school. If you know what you're getting into and are not wedded to political correctness, it's a fun read.
Chapters
Chapters cover similar material as other advice books: shattering illusions about graduate school, choosing programs, life as a student, conducting research, relationships with students, and advice for students in other fields, like business and law school. Again, however, I must stress that these chapters offer little advice but lots of giggles, giggles of the prepubescent boy variety.
Bottom Line
If you're looking for advice about graduate school, this is not your book. If you're looking for a humorous diversion that will leave you snickering and guffawing, Surviving Your Stupid Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School is for you. I giggled and snorted my way through Surviving Your Stupid Stupid Decision and, if you're not easily offended, so will you.
