The Shakespeare Requirement
Ratings2
Average rating4.5
15
Ratings2
Average rating4.5
One of The Washington Post's 50 Most Notable Works of Fiction in 2018 The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune keep hitting beleaguered English professor Jason Fitger right between the eyes in this hilarious and eagerly awaited sequel to the cult classic of anhedonic academe, the Thurber Prize-winning Dear Committee Members. Once more into the breach... Now is the fall of his discontent, as Jason Fitger, newly appointed chair of the English Department of Payne University, takes arms against a sea of troubles, personal and institutional. His ex-wife is sleeping with the dean who must approve whatever modest initiatives he undertakes. The fearsome department secretary Fran clearly runs the show (when not taking in rescue parrots and dogs) and holds plenty of secrets she's not sharing. The lavishly funded Econ Department keeps siphoning off English's meager resources and has taken aim at its remaining office space. And Fitger's attempt to get a mossbacked and antediluvian Shakespeare scholar to retire backfires spectacularly when the press concludes that the Bard is being kicked to the curricular curb. Lord, what fools these mortals be! Julie Schumacher proves the point and makes the most of it in this delicious romp of satire.
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The Shakespeare Requirement is a strong sequel, and well worth the read. While it's less inventive in its form than Dear Committee Members, its more traditional structure brings a lot of benefits, particularly in endowing the non-Fitger characters with more depth and solidity. I love humorous novels, and this one is just darn funny. Schumacher may be the funniest living novelist, and I can't wait for her next book.
