How to Survive As an Adjunct Lecturer: An Entrepreneurial Strategy Manual

I loved this book! Dr. Carroll offers a refreshingly alternative point of view regarding careers in academia and provides the reader with clear-cut examples of successful employement strategies. The thesis of the book is that being an adjunct lecturer need not be just a stepping stone on the way to a life of tenure, but rather, being an adjunct can be a successful and rewarding lifestyle in and of itself. Dr. Carroll views the adjunct lecturer as a free-lance consultant, like any other business consultant, and offers clear-cut advice on what to expect in academia and how to make it work. The examples in the book provide sample workloads and typical incomes and, especially helpful,candid discussions of the academic working environment and the types of attitudes which can be expected from others. The book also discusses the relative pros and cons of both adjunct and tenure track positions. This book should be required reading for all graduate students pursuing advanced degrees as well as for anyone currently in the field of higher education. It lays out a simple yet effective strategy for crafting a successful lifestyle as an adjunct without the usual dire predictions for meager employement opportunities in higher education. Kudos to Dr. Carroll for thinking outside the Ivory Tower!