The Vine: October 10, 2008
Hi Sars,
I’m hoping you and/or the readers can help me find a book I read in college.I can’t remember the title or the author, but I do remember some of the plot.
It starts with a guy going off to college, and one of his classes is graphic design taught by a really crazy professor.He does things like take them to the edge of town, and grade the students on whether they can do something clever enough by the side of the road to get someone to stop and pick them up.The guy falling in love with the eccentric girl from his class was a major plot point, but it was really a love letter to graphic design.
Does this sound familiar?
Traci
Dear Traci,
It doesn’t sound familiar to me, but it does sound interesting, so I hope the readers know which book you mean.Readers?
Tags: Ask The Readers popcult
It’s “The Cheese Monkeys: A Novel in Two Semesters” by Chip Kidd, the noted book cover designer. There is a sequel, too, called “The Learners.”
It’s called The Cheese Monkeys by Chipp Kidd. There’s a sequel, too but I haven’t read it.
Sounds like Chip Kidd’s The Cheese Monkeys.
http://www.goodisdead.com/index.php?/the_cheese_monkeys/
Possibly this?
“The Cheese Monkeys: A Novel in Two Semesters”, by Chip Kidd.
Thank you guys so much! That’s definitely the book, and I’m happy to hear there’s a sequel.
Yes. Cheese Monkeys. I can’t believe I’ve actually read it and could recall it!
There’s a SEQUEL??!!?
*tears out the door to bookstore*
Oooooh, must read!
Reminds me of the toughest professor I ever had in design school… he nearly killed us all semester, then for our final? Everyone was to show up at the beach, tuck our final projects safely into his car (art boards, man I am old) then… surfing! And it wasn’t just a token dip, either. He brought boards. Wetsuits. Lessons for newbies. Food, snacks, sodas as far as the eye could see. All we needed was a towel, bathing suit, and that last project. Guess he figured that if we survived his class, we deserved a treat!
The Cheese Monkeys is sooooooooooo good. I was just thinking about this book today, haha!
It is the Cheese Monkeys, and everyone already figured it out, but I do want to say I grew up in the town it was based in (State College, PA) and all of the places in that book are very accurately described, though will a few name changes. I had an art professor at the university (Penn State, which is the university in the book) who was very familiar with both Chip Kidd as a student and the professors that went into creating the Winter Sorbeck character.
Also, I’m really happy to find out other people love this book as much as I do. Hooray.
I was a little interested after the description. But set in Happy Valley! I’ve got to get this one.
Haha, this book was actually required reading for me when I was a graphic design major.
Ohmygoodness! I’m in State College and going to Penn State now! Cool – I’m totally looking up this book and the sequel!