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The Graduate |  | Author: Charles Webb
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Category: Book
List Price: $13.00
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Seller: books24seven
Rating:  33 reviews
Sales Rank: 110924
Media: Paperback
Edition: Original
Pages: 272
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.7
ISBN: 0743456459
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9780743456456
ASIN: 0743456459
Publication Date: April 2, 2002
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
The basis for Mike Nichols' acclaimed 1967 film starring Dustin Hoffman -- and for successful stage productions in London and on Broadway -- this classic novel about a naive college graduate adrift in the shifting social and sexual mores of the 1960s captures with hilarity and insight the alienation of youth and the disillusionment of an era. The Graduate When Benjamin Braddock graduates from a small Eastern college and moves home to his parents' house, everyone wants to know what he's going to do with his life. Embittered by the emptiness of his college education and indifferent to his grim prospects -- grad school? a career in plastics? -- Benjamin falls haplessly into an affair with Mrs. Robinson, the relentlessly seductive wife of his father's business partner. It's only when beautiful coed Elaine Robinson comes home to visit her parents that Benjamin, now smitten, thinks he might have found some kind of direction in his life. Unfortuately for Benjamin, Mrs. Robinson plays the role of protective mother as well as she does the one of mistress. A wondrously fierce and absurd battle of wills ensues, with love and idealism triumphing over the forces of corruption and conformity.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 33
 An American Classic July 20, 2000
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
As for all those extremely negative Swiss reviews, I guess this book and the white suburban upper middle class American sub-culture it so accurately portrays do not come across as funny and as true to people from other cultures. That's understandable; I may not be able to fully relate to an accurate tale of European life. This apparent lack of universality is a valid complaint. But the book sure rings true to me. Benjamin's frustration and rebellion are all part of the normal search for meaning and self-fulfillment that many people go through. It's a classic American coming-of-age story complete with a profound identity crisis. And the discussion between Ben and his father about fighting fires and sleeping with prostitutes in frozen fields -- well, it wasn't in the movie and it makes me laugh out loud each time I read it. That part alone makes the book worthwhile.
Whimsically Witty! November 1, 1999
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
WOW! The Graduate, also a 1968 motion picture, is told in a script-like, straight forward manner which rivets the audience and lures them into a web of entertainment. We are captivated into Ben's life,a seemingly scandous soap opera which dances on the delicate line between trashy and alluring. Ben Braddock, the highly successfuly Graduate, comes home "confused" about his future. He is seduced by an old family friend, Mrs. Robinson, continues the affair, wastes his life bumming around, then falls in love with her daughter, and is determined to marry her. This page turning, eye catching novel makes you want to laugh, cry, and scream with frustration. Dealing with themes such as prevailing love, betrayal, broken friendships, determination, and too much success, this novel is a great all around read. No wonder the movie won so many academy awards!
If you loved the movie, you'll love the book! July 29, 1999
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I found this book at a used bookstore and because the movie by Mike Nichols is my favorite I bought it. I thought the movies witty dialogue came from the pen of Buck Henry, so I was really amazed to find that much of it was written by Charles Webb. The book reads much like a screenplay and it's a cool way to "watch" a movie while you're on the bus or wherever you're reading. Good luck finding a copy!
Criminally Underrated April 19, 2009
Jonathan Posner (LONDON, England United Kingdom)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Here are two things to get out of the way; one, I haven't seen the film, and two, I enjoyed this novel much more than 'Revolutionary Road' and is, in my opinion, in every way its equal.
Of the first, it has to be said that however good a film 'The Graduate' made (yes, I know all the words to the song, the poster has been etched into my mind, I even have an Alfa Romeo myself) it has been unkind to the book by so completely eclipsing it. For this is an outstanding American novel, breathtaking in its sheer verve and audacity. And with regards the comparison with 'Revolutionary Road' - published just two years previously - given the choice between Richard Yates's full-frontal approach to disintegrating relationships I'd choose Webb's almost peripheral-vision tactics any day of the week. For unlike Yates Webb gets the sensationalism out of the way early. The deftly-portrayed affair between Benjamin Braddock and Mrs Robinson is fascinating, of course, but for me it's only the precursor to the main event: the consequent hurt and tragedy, the veritable car-crash of wrecked relationships, the coolly observed internal collapse of previously ordered and rational lives.
Throughout all this Webb has the bravery to write infuriating dialogue, often banal in its perfunctoriness. But this is his brilliance, the sign of a writer that knows exactly what he's doing and precisely the effect it's going to have on the reader. The cumulative effect is riveting, as is the heart-pounding plot that ends, perfectly, with all the air sucked out of it. And if, for me, the best opening line in modern fiction is Paul Theroux's 'Saint Jack', then 'The Graduate' surely has the best last line.
On the strength of 'The Graduate', Charles Webb is a criminally underrated writer. This is a glorious, clever novel. Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hoffman and Simon & Garfunkel have a lot to answer for.
"What?" November 19, 2009
Michael P Mccullough (Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I have seen the movie a couple of times but have never read the book. Frankly I never even considered that there was a novel and was intrigued to see a new audiobook version on our library's shelves; and I was especially happy to discover that it was read by Scott Brick (my favorite audiobook reader).
This book is a lot of fun. One can think of this as a coming of age story where a lost, disillusioned young man (what's he so disillusioned about, anyway?) is seduced by an older woman and subsequently "finds" himself and finds true love, rises up against his parents generation, and finds true love.
That's the import of the movie. The book is similar but I had a little different impression - that of Benjamin "graduating" from prey to predator.
A couple of questions, though. Why was Benjamin so disillusioned? 1963 was probably one of the best times in history to be a college graduate. Well, who knows - I guess you had to be there. But more puzzling is why did Elaine love Benjamin? From her point of view he should have seemed like a super-creep.
One more note - the dialogue in this book is characterized by excessive use of the word "what." For example:
"Statement or question."
"What?"
"Statement or question repeated or slightly rephrased"
This is used by every character and in ever conversation. That's fine - just sort of funny. Maybe I noticed it more because it was an audiobook.
Challenge: guess what the last line of the novel is.
One more thing - I was delighted to find, when I googled the novel, that a sequel has been released (Home School). It had been written thirty years ago but not published because of issues involving the author and film rights (the author received nothing from the successful film version of The Graduate) and was finally released in 2007. I have ordered it and look forward to find out what happens next to Benjamin & Elaine.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 33
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