Describe potential barriers to project completion.
January 8, 2019 11:03 AM Subscribe
Can anyone recommend a book with a grant writer as the protagonist?
I'm trying to take on this reading challenge (ignore the fact that I'm apparently several years behind, I've just learned about these lists).
At first glance, it looks like the item that's going to give me the most trouble (aside from having to stomach a self-help book) is "A book with a protagonist who has your occupation." I am a grant writer. My usual grant-writer research skills seems to be failing me. Can anyone help me find a book (I'm assuming fiction, as "protagonist" doesn't quite fit nonfiction) that "stars" a grant writer?
Bonus points for university grant writing, although any nonprofit would be fine with me. (I've been thinking of Sam Lipsyte's The Ask as a last resort, because at the very least the main character works in a university development office--although I don't and never will deal with individual donors.)
I'm trying to take on this reading challenge (ignore the fact that I'm apparently several years behind, I've just learned about these lists).
At first glance, it looks like the item that's going to give me the most trouble (aside from having to stomach a self-help book) is "A book with a protagonist who has your occupation." I am a grant writer. My usual grant-writer research skills seems to be failing me. Can anyone help me find a book (I'm assuming fiction, as "protagonist" doesn't quite fit nonfiction) that "stars" a grant writer?
Bonus points for university grant writing, although any nonprofit would be fine with me. (I've been thinking of Sam Lipsyte's The Ask as a last resort, because at the very least the main character works in a university development office--although I don't and never will deal with individual donors.)
Not sure if it quite fits, but Bellwether by Connie Willis might be close...they spend a lot of time trying to get funding at least.
posted by celerity at 4:39 PM on January 8, 2019
posted by celerity at 4:39 PM on January 8, 2019
Forty Signs of Rain by Kim Stanley Robinson is set at the National Science Foundation and has a lot of grant-related things going on. The main characters are grant reviewers rather than grant writers, but if I recall correctly, they have written grants in their careers before arriving at the NSF. This is the first book of a trilogy -- it might be easier to find the edited omnibus edition Green Earth and just read the first section.
posted by rollick at 5:57 AM on January 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by rollick at 5:57 AM on January 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
Science fiction novel Gods, Monsters, and the Lucky Peach by Kelly Robson involves the protoganist putting forward a research proposal. A review in Locus says "Robson opens with a convincingly bureaucratic RFP, complete with unrealistic deadlines".
posted by readinghippo at 11:03 AM on January 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by readinghippo at 11:03 AM on January 9, 2019 [1 favorite]
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https://ask.metafilter.com/291991/Fiction-about-the-absurdities-of-academia
https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/technology-and-learning/searching-campus-novels-and-disliking-lucky-jim%E2%80%9D
posted by lalochezia at 11:59 AM on January 8, 2019