Changing Places

by David Lodge

This is the tale of two literature professors, Morris Zapp and Philip Swallow, who trade campuses for a semester.

Here's the rub: one campus is a well-endowed university in sunny California (Euphoria State), and the other campus is the dreary University of Rummidge in damp and chilly England.

Morris, the accomplished scholar, travels to England to prove to his estranged wife that he is more worldly than she thinks he is. Also, he needs to escape for a while. Philip, on the other hand, never dreams of applying for the exchange to Euphoria, as he is an unpublished, unpopular, unfocused teacher at Rummidge. Once the planes take off for their respective destinations, hilarity ensues.

From the initial flight to the end of the semester, the two professors are constantly engaged in academic absurdity.

This is a laugh out loud look at university life. If you liked Lucky Jim, you'll love Changing Places.

3/2/08