Comedian and molecular biologist Adam Ruben, author of the book Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School (Random House, 2010) is performing at grad schools across the country–and he wants your school to be next! Keep reading for more info about the book, the author, and the performance:
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Surviving Your Stupid, Stupid Decision to Go to Grad School shows the sadistic and often hypocritical world of post-baccalaureate education through grad students’ own bloodshot eyes. Perfect for those who lead lives “of the mind” (read: “of poverty”), grade illegible final exams penned by 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, the book is complete with diagrams, charts, and line-drawings to offer everything from ready-made answers for oral exams to tips for sleeping upright during boring seminars.
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 at clubs, colleges, and private venues across the country. For nine 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 writes the humor column “Experimental Error” in the otherwise respectable journal Science; he has also been seen and heard on the Food Network’s Food Detectives, the Science Channel’s Head Rush, and NPR’s All Things Considered. He will soon co-host the Discovery Channel’s new show, You Have Been Warned (premiering internationally in October 2012 and in the U.S. in early 2013).
ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE:
For the past two years, Adam has traveled the country, giving a performance/reading/signing at grad schools, conferences, and other events, including Princeton, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Virginia Commonwealth University, U Penn, Penn State, UCSF, UC-Berkeley, Columbia, U Maryland, Tufts, Purdue, Stony Brook, Wake Forest, U Oklahoma, Syracuse, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Case Western, Catholic University, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, two National Association of Graduate and Professional Students conferences, the American Astronomical Society Conference, the keynote address at NYU’s “What Can You Be with a Ph.D.?” conference, the VIBes in Biosciences conference in Ghent, Belgium, and assorted book fairs, with upcoming performances planned at U Tennessee-Knoxville, Boston College, Florida International University, Arizona State, and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
The hour-long performance itself is part stand-up, part storytelling, and includes excerpts from the book (and, if a projector is available, a showing of Adam’s “Grad Student Rap” video, which was featured in the New York Times in July 2011). Following a question-and-answer session, Adam is available to sign books.
SOME NICE THINGS PEOPLE SAID ABOUT THE BOOK:
“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)
CONTACT INFO
You can contact Adam at adam@adamruben.net.
Adam’s web page: adamruben.net
The book’s Facebook Fan Page: facebook.com/StupidDecisionToGoToGradSchool
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