Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School [Paperback]

Adam Ruben (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 13, 2010

This is a book for dedicated academics who consider spending years masochistically overworked and underappreciated as a laudable goal. They lead the lives of the impoverished, grade the exams of whiny undergrads, and spend lonely nights in the library or laboratory pursuing a transcendent truth that only six or seven people will ever care about. These suffering, unshaven sad sacks are grad students, and their salvation has arrived in this witty look at the low points of grad school.

Inside, you’ll find:
 
  • advice on maintaining a veneer of productivity in front of your advisor
  • tips for sleeping upright during boring seminars
  • a description of how to find which departmental events have the best unguarded free food
  • how you can convincingly fudge data and feign progress
 
This hilarious guide to surviving and thriving as the lowliest of life-forms—the grad student—will elaborate on all of these issues and more.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A hilarious, and exquisitely thorough, rebuttal for every time your parents bring up 'The G-Word.'" --Rob Kutner, writer, “The Daily Show,” “The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien,” author, Apocalypse How"
 
 
“The academic world is so full of humorless wonks and pedants, that Ruben arrives like a crazed party-crasher. It's as if a tweedy committee coma has been interrupted by someone from the roller derby. This very funny book also slings many sly arrows into an overstuffed and moribund culture that needs repair and reconfiguration.” -- Compound Calico, Moderator, RateYourStudents.blogspot.com
 
 
"Adam Ruben's book is funnier than even the funniest dissertation, thesis, lab report, or legal brief.  I wish my law school casebooks had been 10% as enjoyable to read." - Jeremy Blachman, author of Anonymous Lawyer
 
 
“Indispensable for any prospective grad student who wants to get a jump on his or her anxiety requirements. This book proves that years of obscure, excruciating academic toil can, in fact, make a meaningful contribution to society as a source of comedy.” -- Jay Katsir, writer for “The Colbert Report”
 
 
“Why waste a few years in grad school when you can waste a few bucks on this hilarious and insightful book instead?  You'll end up with the same career prospects (zero), but have had a lot more fun."  -- Jeff Kreisler, author of Get Rich Cheating
 
 
"Hilarious!  Adam Ruben has nailed the graduate student experience, and has done it with a great sense of humor....this is a true survival guide for anyone foolish, er, ambitious enough to embark on an advanced degree."-- Dexter Holland, Grad School Sufferer and Sympathizer (Lead Singer, The Offspring)
 

About the Author

ADAM RUBEN spent seven years at Johns Hopkins University earning his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology. While there, he parlayed his healthy disdain for academia into a stand-up comedy act, which he has performed at clubs, colleges, and private functions from Boston to San Diego, recently opening for Dane Cook's Tourgasm at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. and earning second place in the Funniest Jewish Comic Contest at the Laugh Factory in Times Square.  For five years, Adam has taught an undergraduate stand-up comedy class that has quickly become one of the most popular January "Intersession" courses at Johns Hopkins University and culminates in a final show open to all students. He's written humor pieces for The National Lampoon and appears weekly on Food Detectives with Ted Allen.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press; 1 edition (April 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307589447
• ISBN-13: 978-0307589446
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.5 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,238 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Adam Ruben spent seven years at Johns Hopkins University earning his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology. While there, he parlayed his healthy disdain for academia into a stand-up comedy act, which he has performed across the country, recently opening for Dane Cook's Tourgasm at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. and earning second place in the Funniest Jewish Comic Contest at the Laugh Factory in Times Square. For six years, Adam has taught an undergraduate stand-up comedy class that has quickly become one of the most popular January "Intersession" courses at Johns Hopkins University. He has written humor pieces for The National Lampoon and appeared weekly on the Food Network's "Food Detectives" with Ted Allen.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Make a smart decision and buy this funny book!, April 13, 2010

By 

Kim S. (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School (Paperback)

I'm starting grad school in the fall, so I picked up this book--and read most of it in one day. It's laugh-aloud-on-the-bus funny all the way through, and I couldn't put it down. (And I have a feeling I'm going to go back to it time and again over the next several years.) Ruben has a popular stand-up act about academia, and it's clear on every page that he's been able to hone and polish his jokes over time. It isn't really an advice guide per se, and should probably be shelved in "Humor" rather than "Graduate School Reference." But don't let that stop you from reading it--it does give you a real feel for graduate student life, and that alone is invaluable.
This would make an excellent gift, particularly for a student entering grad school or in their first year.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funny for grad students, August 27, 2010

By 

Misty Riddle - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School (Paperback)

This book had me laughing! I read it on the bus to the university ever morning (yes, I am a grad student and cannot afford a car, or a parking pass for that matter). I would recommend it to any science grad student.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent gift for grad students., June 20, 2010

By 

Janelle (florida) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School (Paperback)

Even those of us who have loved the grad school experience can relate to the hilarious and ironic circumstances that Dr. Ruben describes. Most people question their life choices at some point, but this book reminds a person to smile. It might be a good idea to read this BEFORE grad school, just to make sure you have the sense of humor to survive it. =) Dr. Ruben did a great job on this and he ends on a high note.