What do you think?
Rate this book
College Town
Every autumn you head back to your beloved college town for the pageantry of fall and football, to renew old friendships or simply to rekindle fond memories.
Driving into the city limits, your pulse quickens and that "forever young" feeling sweeps over you once again. That's what "College Town" is about. It captures the "way we were."
Set in one of the greatest college towns in the country, four guys navigate their way through the "best years of their lives." A lead guitarist, a party guy, an aspiring journalist and Will...the average guy who's taking it all in.
The guys encounter a vivid cast of characters - just the kind you'd expect in a college town. From crusty coaches to classic professors, along with a mix of Greeks, "far out" freaks and one hapless geek. And the times were a changin' - it was "like the '70s, man" - free speech, parties, streaking and challenging the status quo.
In Southern towns, folks don't hide their eccentric citizens, they embrace them. So, you'll meet people like Miss Crumwell, the maitre d' of the Dogwood Manor, where her palaver and gossip flowed like the Oconee River in a rainstorm. To Ort, the dean of the downtown music scene and Athens' street poet, Mr. Weeks, who ambles through the city regaling passersby with moving verses delivered with true Shakespearean eloquence. And Bubber, who didn't sell much bait at his "Bait Shop," but did sell a ton of beer to generations of students and alums.
If you enjoy the humor and poignancy of a good Southern tale, "College Town" is the book for you.
Driving into the city limits, your pulse quickens and that "forever young" feeling sweeps over you once again. That's what "College Town" is about. It captures the "way we were."
Set in one of the greatest college towns in the country, four guys navigate their way through the "best years of their lives." A lead guitarist, a party guy, an aspiring journalist and Will...the average guy who's taking it all in.
The guys encounter a vivid cast of characters - just the kind you'd expect in a college town. From crusty coaches to classic professors, along with a mix of Greeks, "far out" freaks and one hapless geek. And the times were a changin' - it was "like the '70s, man" - free speech, parties, streaking and challenging the status quo.
In Southern towns, folks don't hide their eccentric citizens, they embrace them. So, you'll meet people like Miss Crumwell, the maitre d' of the Dogwood Manor, where her palaver and gossip flowed like the Oconee River in a rainstorm. To Ort, the dean of the downtown music scene and Athens' street poet, Mr. Weeks, who ambles through the city regaling passersby with moving verses delivered with true Shakespearean eloquence. And Bubber, who didn't sell much bait at his "Bait Shop," but did sell a ton of beer to generations of students and alums.
If you enjoy the humor and poignancy of a good Southern tale, "College Town" is the book for you.
294 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 3, 2017
6 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 1, 2024
A fun read for Athenians and Dawgs fans, but others likely won’t find this book all that entertaining. There’s not really a plot, so, I never “couldn’t put it down” or was eager to get back to it to read what happens next. It was also rife with errors. If Will is based on Doug and his Red & Black editor actually said to him what Judy said to Will (Will: “What was wrong?” Judy: “A lot, which meant it took way too much of my time to correct it. Typos, spelling, even basic grammar mistakes.”), then at least he’s not afraid to call himself out. Also, it would’ve been nice if the authors introduced characters instead of just throwing a name out there and having the readers figure it out one or two pages later.
Also, shoutout to June Vinson, who isn’t listed as co-author on here.
Also, shoutout to June Vinson, who isn’t listed as co-author on here.
June 7, 2021
FOUR AND A HALF STARS!
Led by a fellow dawg down memory lane at my beloved university, College Town brought back so many wonderful memories of not just my time at UGA but as Mr. Vinson's student in high school government. He was my Dr. Mac, a respite at a school not always prepared to tackle larger issues. I have missed how he can weave an ordinary story into one for the ages.
While there’s sometimes a tendency to rush through setting the scene in other novels, this is where Mr. Vinson draws in his reader and shines. Pulling from his journalism days, he writes in a concise style yet somehow doesn't miss a detail. He also shares a love of Athens in a way that feels timeless. Despite attending UGA a few decades apart, the city feels like it stood still yet is ever evolving. His retelling of integration and racial tensions have never been more timely and added a dimension to a beloved city that I had not yet heard.
Don't miss out on this read and Go Dawgs!
Led by a fellow dawg down memory lane at my beloved university, College Town brought back so many wonderful memories of not just my time at UGA but as Mr. Vinson's student in high school government. He was my Dr. Mac, a respite at a school not always prepared to tackle larger issues. I have missed how he can weave an ordinary story into one for the ages.
While there’s sometimes a tendency to rush through setting the scene in other novels, this is where Mr. Vinson draws in his reader and shines. Pulling from his journalism days, he writes in a concise style yet somehow doesn't miss a detail. He also shares a love of Athens in a way that feels timeless. Despite attending UGA a few decades apart, the city feels like it stood still yet is ever evolving. His retelling of integration and racial tensions have never been more timely and added a dimension to a beloved city that I had not yet heard.
Don't miss out on this read and Go Dawgs!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews