“…How liberated college students are, holding privileges of adulthood minus the constraints ….”
Bill Chastain, a Georgia Institute of Technology alumnus, explored this notion in his novel “Peachtree Corvette Club.”
The book follows character Truman Forbes during his fall 1977 semester at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Chastain, who majored in industrial management at the school, affirmed he is part of the inspiration for Forbes, but he said the characters and exploits were a combination of truth and exaggeration.
Chastain is a former “Tampa Tribune” journalist and current writer for MLB.com. He’s written a slew of nonfiction sports books in addition to his first fictional work, “The Streak.”
“Peachtree Corvette Club” is endearing because of Forbes’ inevitable pull as the protagonist. Recently separated from his girlfriend, Lisa Southall, Forbes has a hard time dealing with the single life and is determined to change his personality.
Fueled by his fraternity brothers and others, Forbes embraces the roll-with-the-punches mentality his looser comrades exude.
“I was in a fraternity, and there was just always guys doing creative things,” Chastain said. “I always wanted to write a book about the college experience. I think most any fiction is going to have some of your experiences in there.”
He said he and Forbes shared the need to bust loose — the need to appreciate college and all of its idiosyncrasies despite hardships stemming from academics, extracurricular activities, whatever.
Forbes, an avid student, deviates from the classroom once he starts hanging out with his brothers more, constantly guzzling Budweiser and getting ripped.
His study habits get worse once Forbes meets Paige Kupryn — a girl who’s the antithesis of Southall.
And, through the sexually charged yet equally perceptive Kupryn, Forbes’s ideals on women are forever changed.
Whether he is smoking doobies, fornicating without a second thought or risking expulsion, Forbes confesses his new “what-the-fuck” attitude leads to “the most fun I’d ever had at school.”
That’s part of what makes the book such a gripping read — living in that moment now. As a college student, it’s easy to empathize with Forbes — even if his story takes place on the Georgia Tech campus 34 years ago.
“Truman is kind of the every-man for college life,” Chastain said.
“A lot of times it was hard for me to unwind, and I think I could have smelled the roses a little bit more. Don’t get me wrong. I had a blast there. I was at my best then, although you evolve over your life.”
Filled with dirty jokes, explicit sex scenes, f-bombs and “Animal House”-like college pranks, “Peachtree Corvette Club” is sure to be an enticing read that provides the reader a peek at college life decades ago.
At the same time, it forces the reader to apply Forbes’ mindset to college in the present and consequently ask the simple question: “What the fuck?”
