Wonder Boys is a 1995 novel by Michael Chabon. It revolves around Pittsburgh college professor/novelist Grady Tripp, who, over the course of a weekend, has to handle a troubled student, his unfinished novel (also called Wonder Boys), his pregnant girlfriend (the chancellor of the college and his boss' wife), his wife, a purloined jacket and a dead dog.
In 2000 Wonder Boys was adapted into a film.
This book contains examples of:
- Consummate Liar: James Leer.
- Erudite Stoner: Grady.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: Sara's husband is clueless about her affair with Grady. His dog, Doctor Dee, on the other hand....
- Happily Adopted: All of Irene and Irving Warshaw's surviving children are adopted and don't seem any more messed up than biological children.
- Most Writers Are Writers
- Obnoxious In-Laws: Averted. Grady and his in-laws share a great deal of mutual respect and affection.
- Parental Abandonment: Grady's mother died when he was an infant and his father killed himself a few years later, leaving Grady to be raised by his grandmother. May also apply to James Leer. Or not.
- Plagiarism in Fiction: Grady and Terry meet in college when they plagiarize the same short story for a creative writing class.
- Scary Black Man: Clement, the bouncer at the Hi-Hat.
- Shoot the Dog: Literally. Doctor Dee had it coming, though.
- Trophy Room: Walter's sports memorabilia closet.
- Wholesome Crossdresser: Miss Antonia Sloviak.
- Writer's Block: Averted. Grady can't stop writing.
