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Fight for Your Long Day

by Alex Kudera (Goodreads Author)

3.51 of 5 stars 3.51 · rating details · 49 ratings · 24 reviews

Fiction. Meet Cyrus Duffleman--"Duffy" for short--an adjunct professor who can barely afford his two-room apartment. Forget about an unfinished novel: He'd be thrilled with health insurance. Still, he gamely shuffles to four urban universities each day to teach, and works a security guard graveyard shift once a week. Cobbled together, he can almost make a living. But today...more

Paperback, 265 pages

Published October 1st 2010 by Atticus Books

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Sep 20, 2011 Angie Rogers rated it 5 of 5 stars

As a teacher who lived the life of a university adjunct for around seven years, I found myself relating to Cyrus Duffleman more than I thought I might when I first began reading the novel. Even those of us who teach in extremely rural areas who find ourself driving from campus to campus to make ends meet can relate to Cyrus' seemingly random string of misadventures, which span the course of, surprisingly, only one very long day. The challenges he faces in reaching his students, the alienation he...more

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Dec 24, 2010 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars

Kudera, a part-time university instructor himself, finally gives part-time faculty a starring role in fiction. In email exchanges, Alex and I tried to remember if the main character in Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was part-time faculty at any point in the book, but it is hard to tell. At any rate, Kudera takes us through Cyrus Duffleman's "long day"--the day he teaches the most classes at all four (or is it five?) of his campuses in Philadelphia. This is no freeway flier: D...more Kudera, a part-time university instructor himself, finally gives part-time faculty a starring role in fiction. In email exchanges, Alex and I tried to remember if the main character in Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance was part-time faculty at any point in the book, but it is hard to tell. At any rate, Kudera takes us through Cyrus Duffleman's "long day"--the day he teaches the most classes at all four (or is it five?) of his campuses in Philadelphia. This is no freeway flier: Duffleman is a subway scrambler. But the net effect is similar: exhaustion, insecurity, demoralization, frustration, anger, cynicism--and did I say exhaustion? Although the many part-time faculty I work with do not resemble Duffleman in every respect--in fact, I am always amazed at their good humor, professionalism, grace, and passion--they no doubt would smile ruefully at this comic portrayal of their lot. Through Duffleman, Kudera gets in some good shots at clueless tenured faculty (I am one of those, though not so clueless, I trust), well-meaning but oblivious to the real life of their adjunct colleagues and the way their own status rests on this weak foundation. Duffleman teaches writing and literature, and again, the colleagues I have in a first-year writing program at an urban public university, by and large, do not resemble this somewhat pitiful middle-aged man. Also, many of them do not put teaching literature on a pedestal as Duffleman does. But this is a novel, a comic novel at that, so I do not hold it accountable for documentary realism. It aims for pathos more than logos--by that I do not mean "oh the poor adjunct instructor" type of pathos. I just mean it hits you in the gut as much as the head, and it aims to tell a good story. If it exposes the weak underbelly of US higher education in the process, so much more to Kudera's credit. Read it, and then ask Kudera or me about non-fiction sources that will help you learn more about part-time teaching at the college level. Or google "adjunct faculty" and go from there!(less)

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Apr 16, 2013 Eugenia rated it 3 of 5 stars

I was looking forward to reading this book because it's been referenced positively several times in _The Chronicle of Higher Education_. As an account of an impoverished, disaffected, overweight, horny, white male academic, however, it's neither as funny nor as biting its predecessors in the academic novel genre: Richard Russo's _Straight Man_, Philip Roth's _The Human Stain_, Michael Chabon's _Wonder Boys_, or even the original of the genre, Kingsley Amis's _Lucky Jim_. But as a post-recession...more

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Aug 01, 2011 Greg Zimmerman rated it 3 of 5 stars

Cyrus Duffleman has committed all seven deadly sins of literary blockage: "daily drudgery, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, lack of talent and determination, and above all, laziness." These have "stole away any chance he had of concentrating for long enough to produce anything even loosely resembling a work of art."

We, the readers of Alex Kudera's novel Fight for Your Long Day, learn this about the Duffler (as Kudera is fond of calling is antiprotagonist) on pg. 14. And so we know right off...more Cyrus Duffleman has committed all seven deadly sins of literary blockage: "daily drudgery, anxiety, low self-esteem, depression, lack of talent and determination, and above all, laziness." These have "stole away any chance he had of concentrating for long enough to produce anything even loosely resembling a work of art."

We, the readers of Alex Kudera's novel Fight for Your Long Day, learn this about the Duffler (as Kudera is fond of calling is antiprotagonist) on pg. 14. And so we know right off the bat what we're stuck with for the next 250 pages. Forty-year-old Duffy is fat, lazy and horny, and that's how he must go through life. The novel chronicles his long day — a Thursday in the spring of 2004 where he teaches three writing and English classes at three different Philadelphia universities, sleep-tutors through a tutoring session at a fourth, and completes a shift as a security guard.

But as hard as he seems to work, Duffy can barely make ends meet — pulling in a measly two grand per class for adjunct teaching gigs. And he's pissed about it. It's not fair. It wasn't supposed to be this way.

I took a chance on this indie novel because it's purported to be a cross between a rollicking campus comedy reminiscent of Richard Russo's Straight Man which I loved, and A Confederacy of Dunces, with it's mad-at-the-world-and-misunderstood character, Ignatius Reilly. I love Ignatius Reilly — he's one of the best characters in modern literature. Sadly, Fight For Your Long Day is but a shadow of either novel.

It's supposed to be a comic novel, but it's overstuffed with Duffy's political musings (he's a bleeding-heart liberal) and his serious existential crises (has he ever really helped any student?) that there are few laughs to be had. And since you can't laugh at this character, all that's left is to feel sorry for him (his work is unrewarding, he can't get laid, he's just pathetic), and that doesn't exactly make this an enjoyable read.

I won't dismiss it out of hand. If you're a liberal English professor who's worked on an adjunct basis, you might like this novel (most of the positive blurbs seem to be from other adjuncts who can totally sympathize with the Duffler). It also won an Independent Publishers Book Awards gold medal for the Mid-Atlantic region earlier this year, so obviously, someone appreciated much more than I did. And while laughs are far between, there are a few — the seven deadly sins of literary blockage, i.e., is pretty funny. And some of the rants against President "Fern," even if you don't agree with the politics, are generally amusing, as well. 2.5 out of 5 stars.
(less)

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Feb 08, 2011 Andrew Breslin rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have never been an adjunct professor and now realize that were my employment options to narrow to a choice between that and professional test subject for amoebic dysentery medications, I would need to seek a very wise career counselor.

While they'll never rival doctor, lawyer, or cop for sexiest professions, and their share of prime-time dramas has never come close, the position of college professor has always carried with it a certain attractive chic. Until now, that is. All trappings of glory...more I have never been an adjunct professor and now realize that were my employment options to narrow to a choice between that and professional test subject for amoebic dysentery medications, I would need to seek a very wise career counselor.

While they'll never rival doctor, lawyer, or cop for sexiest professions, and their share of prime-time dramas has never come close, the position of college professor has always carried with it a certain attractive chic. Until now, that is. All trappings of glory have been removed and we can see how miserable and soul-annihilating it is to try to teach the unteachable, to try to impart critical thinking in an atmosphere increasingly, well, um, critical of that sort of thing, and to do so for considerably less than the average toilet cleaner makes.

The novel’s sense of place is excellent, and I felt like I was transported to Philadelphia, which wasn’t hard, as I have lived here for many years, but as a Philly denizen, I enjoyed the details incorporated into the story. I too have ridden on SEPTA busses and the Market street subway line while reflecting on how hopeless and futile my life is. Duffleman and I are kindred spirits.

He’s an unforgettable character, this Cyrus Duffleman. He manages to fill the role of “everyman” without being a two-dimensional caricature of that archetype. I was rooting for the duffler every step of the way. I wanted him to succeed. I wanted him to have the satisfaction of actually getting through to his troubled students, to make a difference, to achieve the almost impossibly ambitious goal of actually educating as an educator. I wanted him to get tenure or a better job. I wanted him to get laid. I really wanted him to get laid. The poor guy needs some action. He deserves a mercy bang at the very least.

I won’t reveal whether or not he gets any of those things. You’ll have to read it for yourself. It’s a great story. At times, laugh-out-loud funny, at others, slash-your-wrists sad. You might cry. You might laugh. You will definitely not want to become a college professor(less)

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Jan 18, 2011 Abeer Hoque rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-recommend

"Fight for Your Long Day" is Alex Kudera's first novel and stars Duffleman, a long suffering adjunct lecturer, AKA a slave wage labourer of the academic system. His long day takes place one fine spring day in Philadelphia, amid political mayhem, sexual frustration, social disenfranchisement, and academic corruption, all couched in Mr. Kudera's fine witty writing.

I lived in Philly the first ten years of my adult life, and it was a pleasure to see the city in all its gritty glory, albeit through...more

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Dec 27, 2010 Danielle rated it 3 of 5 stars

As a former urban adjunct with a similar work schedule to the main character, I really appreciated this book. I think he really nails the peculiar social isolation and despair of adjunct life - it's exciting to see in print, and also quite depressing. In particular, Duffy - who is working several jobs and being paid quite poorly - still feels lucky in some ways, and very guilty when he encounters the city's homeless and poor - something that I too experienced as an adjunct in New York City.

The o...more

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Oct 09, 2010 Steve rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: novels, teaching

First, in the interest of full disclosure, Alex Kudera and I share a publisher, so bear that in mind as you will, though it isn't the reason for my interest in Fight For Your Long Day. Like Kudera's protagonist Duffy, I make my living teaching writing to undergraduates. Not, I'm relieved to say, under such grim conditions as those Duffy experiences, but I've heard enough stories from colleagues and friends to know that what Duffy encounters teaching on four urban campuses in Philadelphia, each w...more First, in the interest of full disclosure, Alex Kudera and I share a publisher, so bear that in mind as you will, though it isn't the reason for my interest in Fight For Your Long Day. Like Kudera's protagonist Duffy, I make my living teaching writing to undergraduates. Not, I'm relieved to say, under such grim conditions as those Duffy experiences, but I've heard enough stories from colleagues and friends to know that what Duffy encounters teaching on four urban campuses in Philadelphia, each with its own distinct corporate/academic culture and internal, internecine conflicts between students, faculty, and administration may be satirically exaggerated but not inaccurate. So I picked the novel up because it is, so far as I know, the first campus novel to approach the genre from the perspective of contingent faculty; it's The Jungle for adjuncts -- equally critical, equally frightening, equally gruesome, and just as much a demonstration of the need for change. I can't speak to whether the sections of the novel most directly focused on the mechanics and machinations of the writing classroom and composition will be as engaging to a reader outside the field as they were to me, but fortunately the book is more than an indictment of academic labor practices (and, for that matter, The Jungle was meant as a critique of worker mistreatment, but that isn't why we're still talking about it).

Fight For Your Long Day is also, thank goodness, an engaging read, one that works as well as a novel as it does a polemic. Duffy starts out as a comic character, overweight, overworked, and underpaid. He becomes, though, more complex -- even as his commitment to teaching and "higher ideals" emerges, so do a knee-jerk racism and questionable set of ethics at odds with the liberal education he champions. The novel avoids reducing that to a cliché, passé, oversimplified argument about "political correctness" (that useless phrase), and instead forces the reader to confront Duffy's contradictions in head-on, human terms and through a discomfort that is familiar but often unspoken. The novel's biggest risk may come in reviewers conflating Duffy's prejudices with the author's, and dismissing it on those grounds. But there's an authorial awareness which (for me) prevents this -- emerging from (among other things) the knowing invocation of Frederick Exley's A Fan's Notes as a favorite of Duffy's, that novel featuring an equally contradictory character, simultaneously sympathetic and repellent.

That internal contradiction is mirrored externally by the novel's deep setting at the height of the war-on-terror, and parallels emerge between national paranoia and distrust of fellow citizens, and the paranoia of adjuncts teaching in unsustainable, unprotectable positions, unable to trust students, colleagues, and supervisors. That, for me, was the most compelling thread of the novel -- in the stereotype of the Ivory Tower, or the City on the Hill, freedom and self-determination are all, while down on the ground Duffy, his students, the unemployed (and underemployed) of Philadelphia, and all but a few extremely wealthy characters alluded to in the course of the story have almost no say in the course of their days and their lives. If anything, I would have liked the novel to make these criticisms even sharper -- for satire's sake, political names and details have been fictionalized (such as "President Fern," and the Reaganesque "William Winsome"), but the referents are so apparent that I'm not sure those punches had to be pulled. On the other hand, the names of the various colleges and universities in the story are also veiled (some less opaquely than others), probably a necessity for an untenured author and itself an indicator of the limits of freedom academic and otherwise, and of piece with all the other contradictions in Duffy's day.(less)

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Jun 07, 2012 Nathan Holic rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fight For Your Long Day is a great piece of work, a novel that tackles some of the major problems in higher education (namely, the exploitation of students, and the exploitation of the lower-level adjunct professors) without ever allowing itself to become mired in cynicism.

Too often, I think that authors (myself included) write with outrage about the problems they see in the world, and their books become so dark that--upon finishing--we are simply left with a feeling of depression and futility....more

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Jul 23, 2011 Lori rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-reviewers-copy, fiction

From publisher
Read 7/6/11 - 7/20/11
3 stars - Recommended to readers familiar with genre
Pgs: 264
Publisher: Atticus Books

So you think you've had a long, hard day? You ain't see nuthin' yet! I dare you to compare your worst against Cyrus "Duffy" Duffleman's in Fight For Your Long Day.

In Alex Kudera's first novel, which won the regional IPPY award for best fiction in the mid-atlantic region, he introduces us to the overweight, underpaid, unattractive adjunct english instructor. Unhappily working mul...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Joel Thomas rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review originally appeared on http://karenslibraryblog.blogspot.com/

Fight for Your Long Day’s protagonist, Cyrus Duffleman, does not fit the usual literary profile of professors – well-respected educators who juggle natural charisma and artistic brilliance, usually while battling demons available only to the privileged. Instead, author Alex Kudera gives readers a glimpse of the modern faculty majority: adjunct instructors. Like so many adjuncts, Duffleman’s story unfolds as he travels betwe...more This review originally appeared on http://karenslibraryblog.blogspot.com/

Fight for Your Long Day’s protagonist, Cyrus Duffleman, does not fit the usual literary profile of professors – well-respected educators who juggle natural charisma and artistic brilliance, usually while battling demons available only to the privileged. Instead, author Alex Kudera gives readers a glimpse of the modern faculty majority: adjunct instructors. Like so many adjuncts, Duffleman’s story unfolds as he travels between low-paying teaching jobs and even a few hours weekly as a security guard. A dramatic adventure involving political assassination and dangerous troubled students unfolds around the well-intentioned teacher, but he doesn’t have time to stop and play the hero, especially without health insurance, until the novel comes to its madcap climax.

Kudera himself takes on a tough job with this novel. The writer clearly wants readers to understand the heavy load adjuncts undertake for low pay, and he includes specific details that real adjuncts will recognize as absolutely accurate. Students struggling with mental illness surfaces as a sub-theme, too, and he treats the topic with sensitivity even while illustrating inadequate resources for such situations at most colleges.

The author blends this gritty reality with humorous fantasy, deftly balancing heavy subject matter and an entertaining story. Hilarious caricature illustrates the idiosyncrasies and mounting frustrations for the character he affectionately nicknames “Duffy.” The novelist also cleverly sneaks in countless cultural references. This reviewer’s favorite appears when Kudera describes how Security Guard Duffleman stumbles into an underground punk rock show and gawks through scantily-clad girls’ mesh halter tops: “Duffy X-rays specks of” a body part, a pun that nods to readers who might also be punk fans. The plot involves some outlandish intrigue, with humorous references to a “President Fern,” a Homeland Security official with the surname “Cliff” (substituted for “Ridge”), and the dynamics of on-campus political radicals.

The combination of wordplay, satire, and over the top excitement make for an entertaining read. At the same time, Kudera’s thoughtful commentary reminds readers that Cyrus Duffleman represents many long, low-paying days worked by real adjuncts across America. The elements combine for an enjoyable book entertaining and exciting enough for a broad audience but thoughtful and sharp enough for university literature professors, even those fighting for their own long days.

Recommended for collections of contemporary fiction, academia-related fiction, Philadelphia-based fiction, social and/or political satire, working class fiction, and urban fiction.(less)

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May 19, 2011 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Adjuncts, grad school applicants, Philadelphians, former "Liberty Tech" employees

Shelves: philly, economics

I actually found myself laughing out loud and then reading passages to people sitting around me. This book is full of vivid descriptions of our fair city and hilarious one-liners about its residents. If you've spent any time in Philadelphia, I guarantee you'll recognize some of your 'favorite' characters and locations.

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Oct 05, 2012 M. Keller rated it 3 of 5 stars

Perfect for disgruntled adjuncts and Philly natives - the gritty slices of Philly life - especially Septa adventures - were great and the bitterness of an adjunct seeps from the page (a good thing). At times a little rambling, but a fun read and it's worth keeping tabs on Kudera's future work.

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Mar 12, 2012 Evan Kingston rated it 4 of 5 stars

A great satire of of modern American life, as seen through the eyes of a struggling adjunct professor. The distant, scholarly tone of the narration provides great humor and allows the protagonist to draw interesting connections between disparate elements of the American experience, while ultimately revealing both the insight and impotence of the academic mindset.

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Sep 08, 2012 Brittany Sturges added it

The book caught my eye on a bookstore table and I was intrigued (though the price deterred me); when I stumbled across the title on the library bookshelf a month or two later, I was almost giddy. As I began to read through, I could tell what places Kudera was referencing in his writing. However, just as Duffy's day progressed, so did the story, but I began to lose interest. Everything became a little too much and by the time I reached chapter 9 (of 12) I found myself easily distracted from readi...more

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May 16, 2011 Marjean Murray rated it 4 of 5 stars

The tale of Cyrus Duffleman is one of a downtrodden hero in our chaotic world. Kudera writes it so well, with a unique combination of satire and emotion. Cyrus's experiences create a window or mirror of not only the troubles of an adjunct professor, but a view to the challenges of our society in dealing with different cultures, races and political views. Different from another reviewer, I found Cyrus not to be racist, but calling out the racial tension that exists today. While there is humor and...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Chris Nagel rated it 2 of 5 stars

This does give you a sense of the way it is for the itinerant college teacher. It could have benefited from much more judicious editing. I've read some reviews that compare it to _Ulysses_, for crying out loud.

If you want insight into the experience of contingent faculty on a daily basis, a much better book is _Ghosts in the Classroom_.

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Aug 28, 2012 John Fleming rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very smart and funny satire of higher ed and America. If you're an adjunct, know an adjunct, or are involved in higher ed in any way, read this!

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Mar 27, 2012 Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars

I did not care for the character of Duffy. His life was too sordid and miserable, and he did not show any redeeming qualities that even tempted me to empathize with him.

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Dec 24, 2010 Muriel Kudera rated it 5 of 5 stars

I thought this was a wonderful first novel about a very interesting and timely topic. Kudera kept me absorbed in Cyrus' struggles.

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May 05, 2013 Joe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-club, highly-recommended

This book tells the story of an adjunct professor in English who has to work five jobs to support himself. It covers one day in his life: his long day, when he has to work all five jobs. While Duffy has the noblest of goals at times, reality and his own human frailties make this day a particular difficult one.

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Dec 03, 2010 Susan marked it as to-read

After I read the description, I thought I need to read this as well. I enjoy reading about downtrodden characters. I can relate.

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Feb 13, 2011 Ben rated it 5 of 5 stars

Packed with vibrant imagery and secondary characters and all sorts of fascinating commentary on work, corporate life, the state of education, and the profound, at times, insipid, is that the right word, impact of terrorism on our lives, all of which makes for a wonderfully electric read.

See full review - http://bentanzer.blogspot.com/2011/02...

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Mar 13, 2011 Aaron rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars. Could have been 4 stars but a little heavy handed on the political themes in a way that detracted from the story.

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Jan 10, 2011 Charles White rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

my review at The Southeast Review

http://southeastreview.org/2011/01/re...

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May 19, 2013 Tiffany marked it as to-read

May 15, 2013 Lisa Cindrich marked it as to-read

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May 13, 2013 Nikki is currently reading it

May 11, 2013 Carlos marked it as to-read

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