In many ways, Tom Perrotta is the closest thing America has to a Nick Hornby. Both build loosely plotted novels around complicated yet likeable characters. Both have a thoroughly modern, bitingly ironic sense of humor and a solid understanding of vague, aimless, GenX slacker angst. And both can turn a sentence with far more style than the average novelist. Finally, both authors are similarly moviefiable – witness Perrotta’s Election and Hornby’s High Fidelity, two gems. There is, however, one major difference between the two: in recent years, Hornby has become something of a household name in the literary world, while Perrotta has labored on for a surprisingly small cult following.

Joe College, Perrotta’s fourth book, seems destined to change that. Coming off Election’s movie success, and boosted by a solid NY Times review, the novel is almost guaranteed bestseller status. That’s a bit unfortunate, however, as Joe College is probably the weakest link in Perrotta’s bibliography. Don’t get me wrong – as one reviewer points out, Perrotta at 80% is better than most novelists at 100%. But especially in terms of plot, the book pulls up a bit short.

Still, Joe College is worth the read simply to experience the beautifully rendered stream of consciousness of its protagonist, Danny, a Yale Junior trying to reconcile his snotty Ivy League education with his blue collar New Jersey roots. For any Yale alums, the book is even more enjoyable – Perrotta, a Yalie himself, catches the school’s every idiosyncrasy, from weenie bins and the Whiff’s to secret societies and the Jello endowment.

So, in short, read Joe College. But if you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and read Perrotta’s other books first (especially The Wishbones and Bad Haircut). If you move fast enough, you just might still be able to say you were reading Tom Perrotta before he became the next big thing.