The shadow scholar - Dave Tomar

Dave Tomar wrote term papers for a living. Technically, the papers
were "study guides," and the companies he wrote for-there are quite a
few-are completely aboveboard and easily found with a quick web search.
For as little as ten dollars a page, these paper mills provide a custom
essay, written to the specifics of any course assignment. During Tomar's
career as an academic surrogate, he wrote made-to-order papers for
everything from introductory college courses to Ph.D. dissertations.
There was never a shortage of demand for his services. The Shadow Scholar is
the story of this dubious but all-too-common career. In turns shocking,
absurd, and ultimately sobering, Tomar explores not merely his own
misdeeds but the bureaucratic and cash-hungry colleges, lazy students,
and even misguided parents who help make it all possible.

Ed Dante is the pseudonym of a writer living in Philadelphia. His real name will be released on the galleys for this book.

A fascinating expos of the remarkably robust industry of academic ghostwriting. [A] harrowing indictment of the modern American university's current shortcomings as a meritocratic, credentializing institution, much less a home for mental and moral growth.
Wall Street Journal

[A] stunning tale of academic fraud...shocking and compelling.
Washington Post

A cautionary tale worth pressing upon any freshman.
The Onion AV Club

What could have been a depressing tale becomes, in Tomar's hands, a
funny and charming read. It's a light romp through what one might
ordinarily think of as one of the world's worst jobs. Despite this
lightness, The Shadow Scholar is ultimately an indictment not
just of the paper mill industry but of the contemporary higher education
system, which allows the industry to flourish.
Washington Monthly

Not only does the book offer a rather startling behind-the-scenes look
at what is a surprisingly big business, it also delivers a highly
personal, highly savage indictment of the American higher-education
system.
Booklist.com