retired professor dies, literary executor finds manuscript of his life and last year at college and struggle to write his 3rd novel. Did the college steal his creativity?

This was a pretty good book about a writer-in-residence at a small liberal-arts college in Ohio who, teaching despite no professorial experience, wrote three novels and a collection of essays, and had been intermitently writing a fourth novel as he was being forced out of his position. A few typos slow a relatively quick read. I felt sorry for the main character because near the end of his career he was being ridiculed, but there are always jealousies. ( )

I love books about college town or professors. guess it is what I wanted to be in another life. This book has so much thoughfulness and feeling in each word. I just loved it. it was a great book to curl up with and left me wanted more of Kluge. Think I'll try Eddie and the Crusers next. ( )

http://www.book-blog.com/2009/11/kluge-pf-gone-tomorrow.html ( )

Wow. How did he do that? Pull it out of a hat, fully formed?

I finished reading Gone Tomorrow by P.F. Kluge this afternoon. I really swam through this one. I consider this first encounter with Kludge to be one of the most pleasing, smoothest books I have read in a while.

Highly articulate and entertaining with plenty of good twists and turns to the plot. College writing professor/author/undergraduates at a fictitious Ohio school, academic politics, sex that was completely congruent with this adult story of the end of the professor's career and remembrances of his life at the school and his "great-life's-work novel" which is long, long over due to be published and might not even exist in manuscript. Great dialogue, glimpses of love and hatred. Did I mention marvelous characters? No? Well ... they are here in spades. Enjoy them.

Wow. How did he do it? My best guess is that he is a talented writer deserving of the praise he receives. More Kludge for me, thank you.

Four and a half stars. Two thumbs way up.

WH/Ruth ( )