{"product_id":"9780380732180","title":"Underachiever's Diary","description":" This is the diary of William, a devout underachiever. He lives by the following principles:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. Alone in an age of increasing competition and diminished possibilities, the underachiever, when faced with doing battle, will \u003ci\u003eforfeit\u003c\/i\u003e rather than draw blood in the modern arena. He is \u003ci\u003epowerless,\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003edeliberately weak.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2. The underachiever is \u003ci\u003emisanthropic by default.\u003c\/i\u003e He will use \u003ci\u003enegativity\u003c\/i\u003e as his greatest weapon, and reserve the right to criticize all that is exalted in both secular and religious society. He lives at a \u003ci\u003ecalculated distance\u003c\/i\u003e from the mainstream, longing secretly to be included, while, at the same time, voicing his contempt for those who play by the rules, that is, achievers of the garden variety, and especially his nemesis, the overachiever.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3. Rather than saying \"Yes, yes\" to life, the underachiever will say   \"No, thank you.\" If pressed, he will turn \u003ci\u003ebelligerent.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4. Underachievers are not to be confused with younger, slower brothers of southern presidents, like Billy Carter and Roger Clinton. These gentlemen do the best with whatever genetic leftovers they've been given, while the underachiever is entrusted with a master key to opportunity's home office, and misplaces it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. If the underachiever were a mixed drink, he would be a dry martini, one part \u003ci\u003eobscurity\u003c\/i\u003e (vermouth), three parts \u003ci\u003eunhappiness\u003c\/i\u003e (gin).\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—from \u003ci\u003eUnderachieving: A Theory\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e(William's college term paper)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWith his debut novel, \u003ci\u003eAn Underachiever's Diary,\u003c\/i\u003e Benjamin Anastas has written a hymn to the imperfect and created a definitive antihero for the 90s.  ","brand":"HarperCollins Publishers","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47027861553392,"sku":"9780380732180","price":15.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780380732180_p0.jpg?v=1763693800","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780380732180","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}