One line review of Mark Sampson’s “The Slip”: Clever, hilarious, and timely.
When Philip Sharpe, a philosophy professor at the University of Toronto, gets into a verbal sparring match with a female rival during a television debate, he loses his cool and makes some angry, sexist comments that light up social media – and the rest of the world.
Before he even leaves the studio, friends and colleagues begin shunning him, people on the street stare at him in scorn as the gaffe goes viral, and friends and strangers alike flood his social media pages. In the hypersensitive university climate where he teaches, students, administrators, and colleagues turn hostile, organizing rallies against him and demanding apologies.
Philip seems baffled by the outcry, especially when his young wife Grace begins to question him. As the pressure outside mounts, the already strained marriage is stretched to the limit.
Author Sampson makes it all fun as the read sees the story through clueless, often pompous, Philip’s eyes. The story is a brilliant a send-up of over-the-top political correctness and the power of viral media. Adding to the fun is a great twist at the end. A fun read!