Here is a book about people who love books written for people who love books. The plot is straightforward enough: At an East Coast prep school where writing contests generate more excitement than athletic ones, the narrator is forced to confront himself in a most unexpected way and the result changes the course of his life.

The idea that fiction is a force that can both redeem and trap a person is one of the book’s compelling themes and a premise that would seem to be more than a little tricky to pull off well. However, in Wolff’s spare and direct language, this notion is given a fresh life and the result is very rewarding. By the way, after reading this novel it may be impossible for you to admit to liking both Ayn Rand and Ernest Hemingway; the author certainly makes it clear which writer he’d choose. ( )

OLD SCHOOL is written in the form of a fictionalized memoir of a student at an elite, circa 1960s, prep school full of "book-drunk" boys. Through a series of student writing competitions to win the prize of a private audience with a well know author, the reader of this book is treated to a profile of Carl Sandburg, Ayn Rand, and Earnest Hemingway. Along the way we are taught a lessons in how ambition disguised as passion for writing can lead to unfortunate outcomes. There is a hilarious bit of humor inserted in the story when Ayn Rand misinterprets a student's essay written in support of vegetarianism to be instead an invective against big government. I don't think the author thinks highly of Ayn Rand. At the end of the book the narrator is an adult reflecting on his school days. "Memory," he says, "is a dream to begin with, and what I had was a dream of memory, not to be put to the test." From his memories he distills a story of failed expectations and, in the end, redemptive self awareness.

I am sufficiently "book-drunk" myself to appreciate this vicarious immersion into literature. I'm also human enough to identify with a story of failure to achieve the grandiose plans of youthful dreams. Reflecting back on ones past life and coming to peace with the many what-could-have-been's is, I suppose, part of achieving inner peace. And that is what happens in this book. The final words of the books are, "His Father when he saw him coming ran to meet him." Anyone familiar with the Christian New Testament will recognize where that came from. So the overall message of the book is one of forgiveness, both the giving and the receiving.

Frankly, the title turned me off. Neither of the words "old" nor "school" (as in elite eastern prep) have much appeal to me. I would have never read this book if it hadn't been selected as a community-wide "Big Read" book. However, once I started the book it kept my attention.

Writers such as Wolff obviously enjoy writing about students who are intelligent and love to read and write because implicitly, they are writing about themselves. Some day I hope to find a book about a young person who hates to read and write and who doesn't have the advantage of being a gifted student. Such a book would be truly a story of overcoming life's challenges and obstacles. Alas, in spite of my own apparent feelings of jealousy of gifted writers such as Wolff hinting at their own youthful talent, I have to acknowledge that this book is skillfully written. The narration crawls up the trunk of the story line while taking frequent excursions out the numerous branches along the way toward a big surprising thud. Then it's a matter of reflection on what sort of person the story's narrator must be to have lived that life. ( )

Well written, but a rather slight story about boys at a boarding school competing in writing contests to meet famous authors. The narrator unknowingly plagiarizes from a girls' school essay about being Jewish, wins the contest to meet Hemingway and gets kicked out. ( )

Beautifully written coming of age book. But more. None of us is always who we seem to be. Many of us are willing to achieve importance even through our association, real or pretend, with important people. Very well crafted and edited to perfection. ( )

Old School by Tobias Wolff is an insightful novel about boarding school life and the challenges of writing. The narrator’s background is very different from his peers, yet at this liberal arts school he makes the best of it and focuses on becoming a better writer as he learns from the best. The American literary luminaries are every student's dream at this school, and the narrator yearns to win the competition more than any other student there, and labors to do so.
This book is well written and touches on many points about boarding school life that any student here will relate to. The novel is a coming of age story because we watch as the boys grow into men and incredible writers. MG

In the thrilling recount of a New England prep school life, Tobias Wolff tells the story of a boy in an eastern prep school in the early 1960’s where writing is prized over everything. The real competition on campus beneath the commotion of gossip and sports was the literary competition. Each year multiple students would submit a story or poem that would be picked and would give the student the chance to meet honorary writers such as Robert Frost and Ernest Hemingway. For this young boy it meant everything and losing wasn’t an option. The main character finds himself through his writing but also loses himself along the way. Adults might enjoy this novel, however particularly writers would find it deceptively awakening. RK

“Old School” by Tobias Wolf is a book that takes place in November. It reflects on an all boys prep boarding school in the east. Every year the school would have a contest and have 3 famous writers come to the school. Students would write a stories and the story that gets picked would have a one on one session with the author coming to the school. The characters in this book are mainly writers. The main character is a boy in his last year of high school who adores Hemingway and would do anything to have a one on one with him but blows it at the last minute. It wasn’t a good captivating book until the end when the excitement heats up. PM