Marc DePree

Fiction pen name of Chauncey M. DePree, Jr.

Novelist, professor, researcher, and former Marine Corps Captain whose fiction explores higher education, science, institutions, and human behavior.

Drawing on extensive research and a lifelong interest in history, public affairs, science, and public policy, his work invites readers to question accepted narratives and think independently.

Choking Dead Chickens

By Marc DePree

At State University, “publish or perish” is no longer a figure of speech.

When Professor Scott McKay exposes favoritism, financial misconduct, and corruption at the highest levels of the university, administrators close ranks. His questions become accusations. His colleagues become conspirators. And someone decides the only effective response is to silence him permanently.

Choking Dead Chickens is a wickedly funny academic thriller about ambition, hypocrisy, and the dangerous absurdity of higher education.

Higher education has never been more absurd—or more dangerous.

Praise for Choking Dead Chickens

The late Noel Polk (Mississippi State University), noted Faulkner scholar, offered his take on an earlier version of Choking Dead Chickens: “Marc, I retrieved your manuscript from the office about 2 today, brought it home and sat down to skim a few pages to see what was up. 3 hours later, I turned the last page. Damn, Marc, it’s a fine piece of writing-sharp, funny, interesting, infuriating, extremely well-written and crafted-the best read I’ve had from a colleague in a long time. As fiction, it’s the beginning of as sharp and clear a satire on university life as any I know; as non-fiction, it’s devastating and entirely believable (I can only assume I would have heard if there had been a car bomb and arrests i.e., DID I MISS THE CAR BOMB REPORT ON TV?], though I do remember the dog attack. So, I enjoyed reading it a lot. (I’m sending this on my aol account, as you can see, not the university email, which I usually use. ) Cheers. Noel”

Dr. Frank Howell (Mississippi State University) offered the following comment on an earlier version of Choking Dead Chickens: “Fantastic read…but oh-so valid rendition of many campuses I ran across the author’s notation of his new novel in the Chronicle of Higher Education and knew I had to read it. I did over the next two days. It’s a great, great plot…not used in other “ivory tower” novels that I’ve read … but one rooted in validity.