I think I'm going to have to read it.

Any good?

Hm. Not as good as most Zelazny, no, but certainly worth reading once for fun. The plot is rambling and near-random, but the main character is well-developed and amusing. In addition to managing to remain an undergraduate thirteen years with great effort, he's an acrophile and finds himself compelled to climb around atop buildings and perch on things. I approve on both counts.

Have you read much Zelazny?

None, I'm afraid. This is actually the first time I've heard of him.

Corvi can probably lead you down the Z path at least as well as I can, but the Essential Zelazny would be the first five books of Amber starting with _Nine Princes In Amber_ -- which I consider one of the five best fantasy works ever, _Lord Of Light_, _Damnation Alley_, and I personally strongly favor _A Lonesome Night In October_ and maybe _Jack Of Shadows_
He was pretty prolific. You can spend a very long time trying to read all his stuff, and it's time well spent.

I think one of the reasons that I loved this book was 1) I used to climb on the architecture at GMU and 2) I *so* wanted to be him...

I didn't read the book till years after I left undergrad (and of course went to grad school).
The Registar at Antioch basically pulled me into her office my last year there and explained to me exactly how many degrees I had obtained and how I would be graduating that spring (ended up with one more then what I though I had, almost two). Annoying too since I still had at least another year of scholarship money left.

I also loved that book. Not as good as GOOD Zelazny, but a lot better than bad Zelazny.
And of course having spent from 1986-2001 as an undergrad, I have more than slight sympathy for the idea of the quote. My university basically did similar things. They ended up waiving two courses that are required (by, I believe, state law) just to get my butt out.

I loved this book! There were so many little moments...when the alien, denying atavism, said, 'Do you brachiate?!? Oh, wait, I forgot--YOU do...' The whole idea of managing to stay just short of a degree while continuing to take classes...isn't that something we'd all love to pull off? It's been too long since I read this. I need to go back and read it again. Thanks for the nudge!