A campus novel, also known as an academic novel, is a novel whose main action is set in and around the campus of a university, typically centered on academic characters such as professors or students. The form has had a long presence in mainstream American fiction, with its contemporary version emerging in the early 1950s.
Facts
Place of Origin Notable ExampleMary McCarthy's The Groves of Academe (1952) 1 Defining TraitCampus novels are often comic or satirical, counterpointing the intellectual pretensions of academic life against ordinary human weaknesses. 1 Defining Trait Connections
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Sources
1. Campus Novel (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationOverview section
Part of mainstream American fiction for decades, the genre in its current form dates back to the early 1950s.
History section
The Groves of Academe by Mary McCarthy, published in 1952, is often quoted as the earliest example
Lead paragraph
the genre in its current form dates back to the early 1950s
Lead paragraph, defining sentence
A campus novel, also known as an academic novel, is a novel whose main action is set in and around the campus of a university.
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