Duquesne University Officials Unhappy With John Grisham
February 2, 2009
Duquesne University officials are very unhappy with bestselling author John Grisham. Grisham's new book,
The Associate, mentions a fictional gang rape that happened on the Duquesne campus in Pittsburgh and officials are worried that it sullies the university's reputation.
Grisham's "The Associate" deals with a character who attended the private Catholic college and was involved in a drunken rape scene in an off-campus apartment in 2003.
Duquesne University spokeswoman Rose Ravasio said it's unfortunate Grisham "chose to use our name and associate it with a fictional incident of this nature."
Grisham told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that he chose the school because he saw it once, and has been to Pittsburgh for Steelers and Pirates games. The novel contains several other references to Pittsburgh.
Grisham said in an email to the Post-Gazette: "It was not my intent or desire to embarrass Duquesne University or make anyone there feel uncomfortable. This is a fictional story that takes place off the campus." The gang rape is actually based on a real rape incident that happened at the University of Virginia. A former student admitted in 2005 that he raped someone twenty years ago. No doubt the University of Virginia officials are thrilled that he didn't mention their school.
