The only real positive consequence of my recent and on-going bout with horrible insomnia has been a few hours for some actual pleasure reading. To that end, I’ve just finished a re-read of Neal Stephenson’s The Big U. Written in 1984, it’s a wonderfully sardonic send-up of the American collegiate experience. A few notable excerpts:

As Sarah explained, no one in his right mind was interested in running for Student Senate, explaining why it was filled with fanatics and political science majors.

And This:

Eventually they came to a long hall lined with the offices of various student activities groups, dark and astonishingly still after their riotous trip. Here they slowed and relaxed, then began to file down the corridor. Soon they smelled sweet incense, and began to make out the distant sounds of chanting and the tingle of bells. Moving along quietly, they paused by each door: the Outing Club; the Yoga, Solar Power and Multiple Orgasm Support Group; The Nonsocietal Assemblage of Noncoercively Systamatized Libertarian Individuals; Let’s Understand Animals, Not Torture Them; the men’s room, the punk fraternity Zappa Krappa Claw; the Folk Macrame Explorers. As they approached the Women’s Center, the sweet odors grew stronger , the soprano-alto chant louder.[emphasis mine]

Lastly, there’s this surprisingly prescient (presentient, anyone?) exchange between the narrator and some journalists…keep in mind this is taking place during a civil war that has broken out at American Megaversity:

“You’ve got a hell of a lot of firepower. You guys are the most powerful force in the Plex. How are you using it?”

The student shrugged. “What do you mean? We protect our crews and equipment. All the barbarians are afraid of us.”

“Right, obviously,” I said. “But I noticed recently that a lot of people around here are starving, being raped, murdered–you know, a lot of bum-out stuff. Do those guards try to help out? You can spare a few.”

“Well, I don’t know,” he said uncomfortably. “That’s kind of network-level policy. It goes against the agreement. We can go anywhere as long as we don’t interfere. If we interfere, no agreement.”

“But if you’ve already negotiated an agreement, can’t you do more? Get some doctors into the building, maybe?”

“No way man. No fucking way. We journalists have ethics.”
Sure, The Big U is no Cryptonomicon, but it’s a great read none-the-less. Get out there and get going, especially if you’re like me and don’t sleep. Ever.

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 3rd, 2004 at 04:00 by Timothy and is filed under Entertainment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.