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Nov 05, 2011

Shovelmonkey1 rated it:

Probably best known as a film and for those famous lines "Mrs Robinson, are you trying to seduce me?"

So the first point of order in this review is this: if someone has to ask if you're trying to seduce them then it probably follows that you are doing a piss-poor job in the seduction department. Either that or your object of lust is particularly obtuse. In fact, much of this book and the bumbling inanities of the young Benjamin Braddock provide a clear selection of examples More...

4 comments like (12 people liked it)

Nov 16, 2011

Jeanette rated it:

"...koo-koo-ka-choo Miss-us Rob-in-son...dee dee dee dee doo doo doo doo doo...wo, wo, wo...

This book is pointless and inane, but I had to satisfy my curiosity. The best thing I can say about it is that it's short. I might have given it 2 stars if it actually had an ending. ANY kind of ending. But it does not. It just stops, like it's the end of a chapter and more is coming. Don't bother looking for more pages. It really IS over.

I've never seen the film, but I reme More...

6 comments like (7 people liked it)

Jul 15, 2011

Mainon rated it:

I am sure I can write a review in the style of this book. I read most of it on a subway and then on a bus. I stopped and stared at the words on the pages sometimes. Then I would talk to myself.

"Self, are you enjoying this book?"

"Why? Are you trying to seduce me?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I just want you to unzip my dress because I can't reach the zipper. But really, are you enjoying this book?"

" More...

6 comments like (8 people liked it)

Jan 08, 2008

Kirk rated it:

Just because I'm a print guy I figured I owed it to the history of the novel to read the book on which the movie is based. (If only the history of the novel would have been kind enough to thank me). As other posters note, the big surprise here is that much of what we think of as Buck Henry's wit in the film originated with Charles Webb. That said, Benjamin is a colder character here than when incarnated as Dustin Hoffman, whose nebbishness is the center of his performance's charm. It's also hard More...

12 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jul 07, 2011

Patrick rated it:

I don't really know why I decided to read this one, to be honest. Probably because I apparently spent $1.25(!) on it and that's a lot of money for me, and also possibly because I see it as one of the first novels to tackle the particularly middle or upper-middle class dillemma of being overeducated and not sure what to do with one's life, which has interest to me as it partains to "twntysomething/slack lit," which I am trying to read as much as I can of before I turn thirty.

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1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Jun 09, 2011

Jeruen rated it:

This is probably one of the most disturbing novels I have read in a while. The thing is, I constantly did battle with every character in this novel. That may be a good thing, but sometimes, it can get into one's nerves.

Plenty here might have known about the movie that started Dustin Hoffman's career, back in 1967. He played a young college graduate, who gets seduced by an older woman, Mrs. Robinson, and then falls in love with her daughter Elaine.

So plot-wise, that is the bas More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 22, 2010

~Sara~ rated it:

Meet Benjamin. He's 21 and just graduated college. No seriously, he's 21, not a fifteen year old delinquent from a broken family. The author tells us so even though he forgot to make him act like it. Benjamin is mad at the world for being so materialistic. "Get that silver spoon out of my mouth! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you all!. I hate Mrs. Robinson, but I'll sleep with her anyway, I hate my parents for loving and supporting my useless ass, and I hate Elaine for being forced to date More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Jul 21, 2011

Courtney rated it:

Maybe I'm biased since The Graduate's 1967 film adaptation is my favorite film of all time, but I really quite enjoyed this book. It's an easy summer read seeing as how the majority of it is dialogue, and I breezed right through it. Another thing that I quite liked about it is the fact that it went more in depth into the tension between the Robinsons and the Braddocks after the affair. You really got the impression that Mr. Robinson was distraught. Reading other reviews people have written I've More...

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Jul 18, 2011

Zaneta rated it:

I got this book, appropriately enough, as a college graduation/birthday gift. I've never seen the movie except for the infamous ending and (just now) the trailer, which actually gives away the entire plot (boy graduates from college, is seduced by an older woman, and then falls in love with older woman's daughter). But despite the little I've seen of the film, the novel has none of the quirky humor and appeal the film seems to have.

The plot itself is a "What is going on?" s More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 21, 2009

April rated it:

I don't know what to make of this book.

Benjamin Braddock, recent college graduate, returns home and becomes a slacker, mooch, and motherlover. He covered himself in glory while he was in school, but once school was over, he lost his drive.

I know there is a bit of depression that comes when one has to face adulthood, but Benjamin Braddock takes it to the extreme, dropping out of everything.

Perhaps Mrs. Robinson offers a distraction, or perhaps he really is a More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 26, 2011

Julie at All Ears rated it:

I enjoyed seeing this movie years - more like decades - ago. The combination of Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock and the fantastic score performed by Simon and Garfunkel, made this a hit for me and I was looking forward to revisiting this story in audio. The book closely follows the movie. Ben, a recent college graduate who has many offers of full scholarships at prestigious universities, is disenchanted with life and chooses to laze around his parents' house and have an affair with Mrs. R More...

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Apr 20, 2009

Gregg rated it:

Young Benjamin Braddock finishes school and then realizes he doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. He struggles with this angst for all of twenty pages before his father's partner's wife makes a pass at him, an affair from which he progresses to the daughter and a madcap race for love and purpose.

Maybe I'm too steeped in the Gen X/21st century mentality that takes for granted the futility and torpor of what we deem modern suburban society too much to appreciate the social More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 06, 2012

Michael rated it:

Benjamin Braddock is a a recent college graduate, that is still unsure about his future, Despite his parents efforts to get him to pursue other career options, he thinks it is a waste of time and he wants to be independent. The only thing that is stopping him from being reserved and having alone time by himself, is Ms Robbinson a gorgeous woman he has known all his life. He is not keen on pursuing things with her, considering how close she is with his family. Nevertheless, the two embark on an a More...

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Aug 29, 2010

Sienna rated it:

I read The Graduate this morning. I liked it, I think.
However. It's really very strange, and rather annoying that you don't know the characters much more after reading the book than you did before. You don't know how they feel or what they think and therefore can't really take a stance.
Personally I think one of the best perks of reading is taking a position, having opinions on topics and characters. I have no idea what to think with this novel as the reader's insight is based solely More...

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Jul 25, 2011

Amanda rated it:

I bought this at a Library book sale because I was curious to read the book that inspired the movie, and it seemed like a nice choice for a summer read. I really enjoyed my experience reading this book, and I read through it awfully fast, but after I finished, I just felt like I wasn't done. You spend so much time with one character, yet you barely know anything about him by the end. The lack of punctuation seemed a little strange to read, but it sort of flowed well together. I've seen people co More...

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Nov 06, 2011

Chris rated it:

Ok, so there are a lot of naysayers' reviews on this site, and I am sure that a lot of them have good points, but to be honest I quite enjoyed this book!

First of all, it's short, and is a very undemanding read. The style is unique and punchy, with (I think) a deliberate misuse of punctuation. This did not offend me, and I thought it worked well. Secondly, the sense of alienation experienced by Ben is very well portrayed - admittedly this doesn't make him exceptionally likeable, but the More...

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Dec 04, 2007

Adam rated it:

Ever been disappointed with a movie after reading the book? This is the exact opposite--this book is exactly like the movie. It might as well have been the script with the names taken out. This was ok--but I found it a rather unnecessary read---the movie has completely eclipsed this thing.

4 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 11, 2012

umberto rated it:

I think reading this novel in my early twenties was another experience as compared to watching the movie. Around four decades ago, my friends and I enjoyed the movie starring (the great) Dustin Hoffman (I'm sorry I can't recall his female counterpart as Mrs. Robinson) as well as some fantastic, romantic and wistful songs by Simon and Garfunkel, for instance, 'The Sound of Silence', 'Scarborough Fair', etc.

During that time loosely called, 'The Period of Identity', in the midst of som More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Dec 12, 2010

Ryan rated it:

This is a non-fiction book that is meant to describe a young man who has no direction of where he wants to take his life. This story is loosely based on the author's own experience in his life. The author wanted you to know that student in the story had all opportunities in his life and just threw them away. He had a prize for his teaching and let it go. One of the themes in this book is about how some young people have no ambition. I think the author's goal was writing a book that could s More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 27, 2009

K.K. rated it:

Er...what just happened?

I'm not sure what I read except to say that Benjamin is one of the whiniest characters I have ever come across. Everyone seems to go with his flow for no reason. He is an enormous baby.

I give it two stars as it did not keep me in agony for long, because it is a very quick read. And, the original cougar deserves her own star. Other than that...

I expected much more from this book seeing that it was turned into what is supposed to be a cla More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 26, 2009

Julie rated it:

One of the worst books I've ever read in my life. "Why is that," you may ask. Maybe because the characters never use question marks. Maybe because Benjamin is the biggest, most boring brat in the universe. Maybe because Elaine is the most unfleshed-out character I've ever had the misfortune to encounter on the page. Mrs. Robinson is the only likable character in this smear of poo. At least she's actually attempting to DO something in this book, unlike the other characters, who are just More...

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Dec 16, 2009

Hank rated it:

Oh, good Lord. All I can say is that the popularity of the movie is clearly based on attractive, skilled actors and a good soundtrack.

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jul 15, 2011

Jenny rated it:

Oh good lord. The only enjoyment I got from this book was from reading the other 1-star reviews of it on Goodreads. The Graduate's only saving grace is that it's blessedly short. So short, in fact, that I imagine Webb grew tired of his own words and simply stopped. (It would explain the ending. *rolls eyes*) Let the literary fanatics' five-star reviews of the novel shine...they provide just enough light for us lowbrow genre types to huddle in our dark corners reading our STORIES with a defined P More...

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Jan 08, 2009

Stephanie rated it:

3.5 stars. Better that I expected given the many negative reviews posted here. The main character is reminiscent of Salinger’s Holden Caulfield (Catcher in the Rye) but simply a bit older and spoiled. I’ve yet to watch the movie so I can’t speak to the opinion of the many who say the movie is better than the book. Indeed, the movie (and the song) achieved pop culture notoriety (find me a person who doesn’t know what’s meant by deeming someone a ‘Mrs. Robinson’), but let’s not forget without More...

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Jul 24, 2011

Ape rated it:

My 2008 Bookcrossing review

Not a long read, and even though it's set in the sixties, there's still a lot I can relate to. In a lot of ways it's about the "shock" when you finish your studies at uni and it's out into the real world with you. It does take some adjusting, although we don't all go on to have affairs with much older married women =) Also just the disillushionment about the way the rest of your life is going to be, and falling into apathy about the whole thing.
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Jun 29, 2011

Valerie rated it:

I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked it for the most part because it's an entertaining narrative. I think it's also because I have wanted to read this book for the last six months. The things I don't really like about it is I don't particularly find any of the characters likeable. The protagonist, Benjamin Braddock, is quite whiny and somewhat annoying. I understand he's going through this self-existential crisis and all that but sometimes I find him overly selfish and a bit immature. More...

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Nov 12, 2010

Kate rated it:

This was the worst book ever. A boring story that didn't make sense, an arrogant and totally boring main character, misogyny, bland conversations, and completely devoid of imagination or intelligence. You will not like any of the characters in the book much less understand them. I don't even know why I'm giving it one star it should really be zero. Oh I know. The author got through writing this book without killing himself. Don't read this book. Even the ending sucks and has no resolution. This More...

1 comment like

Apr 24, 2011

Vince rated it:

Boy graduates and is disillusioned with life, finds a partner to relieve misery in the alcoholic wife of his father's business partner and then inexplicably falls in love? with her daughter. Boy stalks girl. Really? Somehow it works, both in print, song and on the silverscreen. But why?
Simple language focusing on dialogue and tone is part of it, as the text is attainable and readable. And sex sells, but does romanticizing stalking sell too? In the book, you are watching and listening More...

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Mar 18, 2008

Will rated it:

Rebel with the Blahs

Of course I've seen the movie. I liked it more when I was younger. I read a critical article of the film version of The Graduate in a serious film study journal, and gained a better appreciation for the film. Well, I don't care how isolated he feels I cannot sympathize with Benjamin Braddock.
The film and the novel are very close in plot line and dialog, but the film is more entertaining to watch than the novel is to read. Unlike most book reviews I've r More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 28, 2008

Anne rated it:

I read that Charles Webb was coming out with a sequel to his 1963 classic, The Graduate (later turned into the classic movie by the same name). I saw the movie a long time ago, but had never read the book. So, I thought I'd check it out before reading the new one, Home School, which takes place 10 years after The Graduate. The Graduate is the story of Ivy-League graduate Benjamin Braddock, who returns home after graduation, disillusioned with American-society, depressed, and unmotivated to face More...

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