<p>new story by eugenides</p>
<p>[Jeffrey</a> Eugenides: “Extreme Solitude” : The New Yorker](<a href=“http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2010/06/07/100607fi_fiction_eugenides]Jeffrey”>http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2010/06/07/100607fi_fiction_eugenides)</p>
<p>Jeffrey Eugenides attended Brown.</p>
<p>Has anyone read Eugenides’ latest, The Marriage Plot? I’m reading and enjoying it now. I’m curious if any Brown students or alums here can identify with the college experience depicted in the novel.</p>
<p>Oh yes, I am reading The Marriage Plot, too! I enjoy reading about these characters walking along my favorite streets and having dates at places I’ve had dates. I can definitely identify with the college experience depicted in the novel.</p>
<p>I went to Brown in the time period of the novel. There are definitely things I can relate to – like the deluge graduation weekend 1982. Several of my friends who read the book commented that they didn’t know anyone who resembled the characters in the book. I can safely say that no one I knew had a romantic relationship like the 3 main characters. </p>
<p>I also took English classes while at Brown, but all the controversy/discussion over literary interpretation totally escaped me (which is probably more of a comment on me than on Eugenides). </p>
<p>The physical settings were accurate and fun to read (although no students I knew had off-campus housing where Madeline did), but I couldn’t relate to other elements of the Brown experience as the book described it. If it hadn’t been set at Brown, I’m not sure I would have enjoyed the book much.</p>
<p>I enjoyed the Brown religion class scene. A student dressed like Tom Waite tying together The West influenced by the East influenced by the West (MLK-Ghandi-Tolstoy). Very cool.</p>
<p>I’m actually just reading it right now. I have a hard time identifying with any of the characters to a great extent, but I agree with cocogogo and fireandrain that it’s fun to see the physical campus depicted in such an accurate way.</p>