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Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost: A Memoir of Hampshire College in the Twilight of the '80s |  | Author: Richard Rushfield
Publisher: Gotham
List Price: $26.00
Buy New: $15.15
as of 11/24/2009 19:02 CST details
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Seller: critic_l
Rating:  9 reviews
Sales Rank: 48184
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 304
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.2
ISBN: 1592404537
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781592404537
ASIN: 1592404537
Publication Date: October 29, 2009 (New: Last 30 Days)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
A strange and salacious memoir of life at the ultimate hippie college during the height of Reaganomics
Opening its doors in 1970, Hampshire College was once known as a land of eternal partying, where countercultures thrived and jocks were nowhere to be found. Self- proclaimed nerd Richard Rushfield knew this progressive Massachusetts campus was the place for him, offering a chance to shed his squeaky-clean California upbringing. He was part of the freshman class of 1986, hiding out from Reagan-era excess in a liberal haven where overachievement and preppy clothes were banned.
By turns hilarious, ironic, and steeped in history, Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost takes readers to a campus populated by Deadheads, club kids, poets, and insomniac filmmakers, at a time when America saw the rise of punk and grunge alongside neo-conservatism, earnest calls for political correctness, and Take Back the Night vigils. Shunned by all of the school's reigning subcultures, Rushfield joins the most hated clique on campus, the Supreme Dicks, navigates a dating scene where to express interest in anything is social suicide, and mostly avoids class where hippie professors blather on about post-structuralism. Culminating in a mad clash of slackers and yuppies, Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost captures a watershed moment for American youth in one hilarious and unforgettable trip.
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 9
 Couldn't stop reading November 10, 2009
Pat Fitzgerald
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
College lifestyle of the most esoteric clashes with political correctness of the most absurd, laced with a good old-fashioned dose of teenage angst. The type of stuff nobody could've made up. Thanks to Richard Rushfield for chronicling his Hampshire College experience. I read this book so fast, I may have to give it a second go-round, just to catch the fine points.
Loved It November 8, 2009
John E. Robertson (nyc, ny usa)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I couldn't put the book down. Definitely of interest to anyone who lived through the PC era, or survived an alternative education. Or anyone who just wants to read an entertaining, well-written book which happens to be about alternative education in the 90's.
 A "Div Me" of interest to insiders (only) November 7, 2009
Aviva N. (Northampton, MA)
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
I grew up in the Five College area, had high school friends who went to Hampshire, and went to college (elsewhere) in the 80s myself, and I have to say I could not finish this book. It is probably of great interest to people who knew the author when and want to see whether they appear in it. But a universal tale? Not so much.
If you're nostalgic for the 80s, I suggest instead picking up some Bret Easton Ellis or downloading a Whit Stillman movie. If you want to see what the most talented Hampshire grads can produce, try something by Jonathan Krakauer or Jeff Sharlet. All of these are far more compelling.
A Socio-anthropological Examination: The Role of the White, Privileged, American Upper Middle Class in Forming Generation X November 5, 2009
Beth A. Carey (New York, NY)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
I was around for much of what went on in this entertaining and endearing book ("Meg".)
Before reading it, I read in the promo blurb that the Hampshire student body hated the Dicks and friends. I was like, really? Its possible. No wait, I think I knew that at the time. Did I? No, that can't be true. I was scared to read it, paranoid that Rich would write something embarrassing about me.
Hampshire was (and still is, I hear) comprised mostly of smart, dynamic, diligent students whose brains and accomplishments are absolutely respectful. The Hampshire administration can tell you about them. Richard did well in his final 2 years there but that would not an amusing tale make, and that's not what this book is about. Its about his first two years spent "creative floundering" - discovering what you are passionate about. And, the socializing one experiences at college - usually the first time an 18 year old lives independent of parents.
But first, the non-accurate, IMHO:
- Richard mentions a *rumor* that the Dicks cheered on the kid who drank cyanide laced cool aid as part of a performance on a campus TV broadcast. I never heard that rumor. I was not inside the TV studio, but I do not believe anyone cheered him on. The Dicks were were dicks but not that dickish.
- I don't think Steve took 10 years to graduate.
- Re: the "graffiti sign" incident - the language on the sign that he quotes I believe is somewhat inaccurate. From what I heard, the grafitti was even funnier than what he writes. If the school had showed the sign to anyone, it would have been 100% obvious that it was a sarcastic, PARODY of political incorrectness! (Think: Daily Show or Bill Maher mocking PC'ness.) The school never told the student body what the graffiti said! (Oh, and he left out a funny tidbit - that when one of the students who was forced to write a public apology submitted it to the administration, they made this person edit out the phrase "black cloud", as in the incident cast a black cloud over the campus. The administration thought this sounded racist!)
OK, now the accurate:
Yeah, I'd say its an accurate depiction of mod 21 life.
Weirder and crazier stuff was also going on at the time that is not in this book and I suppose was not a part of RR's intimate experience there. But, Richard could have exploited some other antics and behavior but did not. (Thank you, RR!)
I thought the Dicks were brilliant at the time. Well, their (and my) films were brilliant. Conceptually, so was their music. (Emphasis on "conceptually." Think: John Cage as an arty, post-punk 20 year old in the 80s.)
I thought everyone in the Pioneer Valley saw our nocturnal clan as The Artists and Philosophers of the school, if not the world. I thought people respected us for what they were incapable of doing. You know. Why be conventional and boring when you could be avant garde? Hmm? (Yeah, I actually thought this. I was young and naive.) I was mean at times to people who were "Normal" I remember now, and I feel just terrible about it. What was I thinking? Oh, I remember now... I was angry due to a ****** up childhood in sheltered middle America. (Where American punk and thrash came from?)
I think my/our generation was notoriously unprepared for the real world. (I'm OK now, don't worry.) Our pre-baby boomer parents were unenlightened to things like expression of emotions and doing what makes you happy. They were still running on some kind of 1950's way of seeing the world. It sucks to be raised by that. I think the generations before and after us got better deals - the baby boomers were happy saving the world and growing their personal wealth, and their offspring had the benefit of communicative, involved parenting.
In this respect, the book can be seen as socio-anthropological examination of the marginalized Generation X. I could be wrong. I was no American Studies major. (Which reminds me that most HC graduates seem to go on to grad school (including myself.) The consensus is that grad school is loads easier than Hampshire too, btw.)
Also, this book takes place in the days just b4 everyone ate Prozac like candy. I wonder how the recent prevalence of ADD meds and antidepressants has changed the student culture landscape in the years after I was a student. I wonder if they are bunch of well-behaved good student zombies. How boring that would be?
OK, I have to go to the gym now. Good lord I am such a normal, bourgeoisie pig now. Whatever. Read the book - its s hoot!
I was there; this book is fantastic. November 5, 2009
J. R. Horowitz (Los Angeles, CA)
5 out of 7 found this review helpful
If you went to Hampshire College, any year, or any or the 5 colleges in the area, this is a must read. It is entertaining, disturbing, illuminating and at times, a little poignant. Although I was there when all of what is written about took place, I learned so much I didn't know about. Honestly, it has filled in many holes for me regarding my time/experience at Camp Hamp. Also interesting perspective on the transformation of Hampshire resulting from the introduction of strict codes of political correctness conduct. Rushfield does a great job writing about an esoteric subject which could be a universal experience for many.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 9
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