How I Paid for College

A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship, and Musical Theater

By: Marc Acito

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman

Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

From syndicated humor columnist Marc Acito comes a wildly inventive and hysterically funny novel that is equal parts Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Fame, Risky Business, Dead Poets Society, and The Catcher in the Rye.

It's 1983, and 17-year-old Edward Zanni wants to study acting at Juilliard, but his newly remarried father, who earns too much for Edward to claim scholarship money, refuses to pay. So, Edward enlists the aid of his creative theater pals to swindle the money from his father. Posing as nuns and priests, the troupe concocts embezzlement and money laundering schemes to get Edward his badly needed cash.

How I Paid for College is a hilarious coming-of-age story that rings true with anyone who's ever dared to dream big.

©2004 Marc Acito (P)2004 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Acito nails his scenes one after another, from Edward's shifting (but always enthusiastic) sexuality to the silly messes he gets himself into. The result is a thumbs-up winner from a storyteller whose future looks as bright as that of his young hero." (Publishers Weekly)

If you like David Sedaris you will love this one!!

The story was funny, enjoyable, interesting, and funny. Several times I laughed out loud. The story is written in a Sedaris like manner. Although no one can tell a story like Sedaris, but Acito is very close. Try it you will like it. My only disappointment is I could not find anything else Acito. He needs to write more!!

eh...

It seems like any funny book on the New York Times Best sellers list features some gay person. Can't hetero people be funny anymore. I just had a hard time relating. David Sedaris is good but I wasn't a big fan of Augustin Burroghs. Just not my cup of tea.

Hilarious

I actually laughed out loud on the treadmill at the gym. Extremely funny, but hardly "Catcher in the Rye"; just a well read, well written story about disgruntled suburbia. The characters are multi dimensional and memorable. Extraordinary? No, but highly entertaining. And, FYI, includes a charmingly open and honest exploration of sex and sexuality, so keep your toddlers out of earshot.

Started slow, But once it got going

This slow starter came to life two hours into the book. Cleverly written with an excellent naration. Carefree and fun book.

amazing performance

I love this narrator. Everything he does is amazing. Every character is unique, consistent, and interesting. The book is fun but the narrator is superb.

love this book

keeps me laughing and brings back memories of my misspent youth. Excellent having a bad day listen.

An unexpected treat!

A fantastical tale of adolescence from a rare perspective. The story was engaging and wild, grounded in truthful emotions that are sure to bring you back to some of your own memories of the period.

The Surreal Life ... Sorta

Hey, Marc Acito didn't write the most insightful novel about alienated youth attempting to make peace with the big bad world. He leaves that to more prolific scholars. What he did write was a hilarious look at a group of people, young and old, who live life to the extremes. None of the youth in this novel will die wishing they had gone for the heights with more gusto. And, oddly, I was moved by the genuine pathos between children and their parents. The protagonist, Eddie, in the course of ten hours of listening, grew from a silly twit of a lad to an adult with much to offer and high hopes for the future. I loved this comedic take on coming of age and recommend it highly.

Very funny tale, well told!

I loved the book when I read it, and enjoyed it even more through Jeff Woodman's vivacious reading. It's very funny, and sweet without being cloying - and if there are some wildly improbable bits, well, isn't that what fiction is for? Recommended!

Had to finish it

I admit - I did not like this book when I first started it. I left this audio to go listen to other books. When I came back, the story really started to pick up and I was totally hooked. I laughed at all of the adventures and I could not leave until I knew how he was able to pay for college.