Joe College, by Tom Perrotta

Interesting to read all the Tom Perrottas at once. It seems really clear to me that he does what writers should do...write what they know. As a result, the novels all taken together seem almost like a memoir of one guy's life. That is, of course, a vast oversimplification, but there you have it.

I really like his writing. Vivid characters (stronger men than women, but his women are good, too), engaging stories, and he manages to leave conclusions and judgment up to the reader. His characters are all good and bad and ugly and human.