The Runner

The Runner : A True Account of the Amazing Lies and Fantastical Adventures of the Ivy League Impostor James Hogue, by David Samuels

This one looked great. The story of a guy who gets into Princeton in the mid 90's by making up a fantastic life story. Originally a story in the New Yorker. But, it just didn't come together for me. The author tries to weave in some self-reflection on how he and the imposter, James Hogue, are similar. And tries to talk about the the role of elite universities in maintaining the class system of the US. Hogue doesn't come alive as a personality. Overall, flat. Too bad.