The Naked Roommate

April 1, 2005
Gr 11 Up -A hilarious and truthful book that gives high school students a look at college life, beginning with "Arriving on Campus" and ending with "It's Almost Time to Say Goodbye." In between, Cohen covers homesickness, laundry, Greek life, sex ("Having It, Not Having It, Hearing Other People Having It"), alcohol, cafeteria food, roommates, making it to class on time (and what happens if you don't). The author talks frankly about "Hook Ups," "One-Night Stands," and STDs. Each topic includes a "Harlan Tip," accompanied by a true story from a college student. The advice is sound; the tone is light." -Marianne Fitzgerald, Severna Park High School, MD"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 28, 2005
A syndicated columnist for teens and young adults and the author of Campus Life Exposed, Cohen dishes commonsensical wisdom in "the first of what will be many editions of this book." Presumably, forthcoming editions will address the ever-evolving challenges of campus life (cyber-classrooms, perhaps?), but what's in this one will feel pretty familiar to anyone who attended college within the last 25 years. Tips include: be yourself, lock your door, set boundaries with your roommate, don't drink too much and be sensitive to others' differences. Cohen tackles the ins and outs of residence halls, student organizations, friendships, dating, drugs and money-oh, and he considers classes, too, though with perhaps with less enthusiasm (and certainly fewer pages) than he devotes to sex. Though he lists interesting statistics, additional resources and plenty of first-person letters from students seeking his advice, Cohen doesn't offer much that a reasonably intelligent college kid couldn't figure out on his or her own-but that may not be a weakness: "everything's going to be okay" could be just what a nervous first-year student needs to hear most.

Copyright 2005 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.