novel recommendations

[DoctorGilbertson]

I have just read Putting Away Childish Things by Marcus Borg about a religion professor, and loved it, mostly probably because I related to the academic context, and so I was wondering whether any of you could recommend any more novels about (not to be specific here at all) mid career academics in modern university settings.

David Lodge's 'Campus trilogy' are pretty academic, but not modern - in fact in some ways that context reads like a magical golden age these days! I thought they were quite interesting, though, if you've not already read them. (Odd view of women, however... I would not read them a second time).

David Lodge
C P Snow
Valerie Miner
Anita Brookner

Oh interesting, some good ideas.

To which I will add Connie Willis Bellwether

Any more suggestions welcome!

Oooh, I've thought of another one. Possession (plus some of her other books) by AS Byatt.

An Academic Question by Barbara Pym - not modern though

Yes, what I really want is a nice, easy to read novel about modern academic life juggling children and still post-doc-ing in your late 30s which ends after 200 not too taxing pages in a happy ending ref returned permanent job.

That doesn't exist! Write it yourself.

But meanwhile try the Kate Fansler novels by Amanda Cross (Carolyn Heilbrun)

Sarah Moss' Night Waking
Aren't the Lord Peter Wimsey novels set in academia, e.g. Gaudy Night?

Oh yes, Gaudy night. I haven't read any Dorothy Sayers in about 20 years. Good idea.

PS thank you for all the other recommendations as well.

You've got some great recommendations. I immediately thought of David Lodge (also Nice Work, though nothing like contemporary academic life of course). If you want to widen the net, I'd add Joanna Trollope: Daughters-in-Law, which has a well-written character of a young female research scientist from Sweden, struggling with her multiple identities as Swedish/British and mother/academic.

Lucky Jim!

Ha ha doctor. Write it yourself while waiting for the perfect job!

"The People in the Trees" is not about academic as such but about a young academic. It gives a fascinating insight into the approaches to research which used to be completely fine but which we'd now be horrified at.

Be warned though, it's very very very emotional. I've never sobbed reading a book before but this one had me in tears.