People come to college to get a good education and prepare themselves for later life. Typically, the goal is to eventually find a meaningful, well-paying job.

But for many male students, there’s also a secret dream — to lead the life of a party animal forever.

Today, students will get a chance to meet someone who’s living that dream — Tucker Max, a graduate of the University of Chicago and Duke Law School and author of the best-selling book “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.” Max will be at the Books-a-Million on Skyland Boulevard tonight at 7 to sign and promote his new book, “Assholes Finish First,” which was released on Sept. 28 this year.

The local Books-a-Million has hosted many book signings – Shaun Alexander and Bobby Bowden both recently provided their John Hancocks to eager fans. But they are two sports icons visiting a town where sports are taken quite seriously. Max brings something less familiar to the table.

“It’s going to be like a party at a book store,” said Amy Nix, assistant general manager of Books-a-Million.

Who really knows what to expect? After all, Max’s antics have aroused a healthy amount of controversy the past few years. His critics might expect him to show up drunk with a woman on each arm and a tube of Astroglide in his back pocket. His fans might expect the same thing — though maybe only a mild drunk. Tuscaloosa police probably prefer a more docile Max. Nix believes Max will behave himself.

“He had knee surgery recently; I’m hoping that will tame him,” Nix said. “We’ll let him get away with some stuff, but it is a family bookstore.”

No matter Max’s state of sobriety, the consensus is that his signing will have a kind of party atmosphere.

“Each signing is more like a hang out,” said Elyse Landwehr, Max’s personal publicist’s assistant. “He likes to personalize each book tour to connect with his fans and answer as many questions as possible.”

Fans can bring any piece of Max memorabilia to be autographed. They also can expect a few surprises. Max’s readers will recall the intrepid people who accompany Max on his escapades. Some of these people have been special guests at previous book signings, and that remains a possibility tonight.

“Assholes Finish First,” like his first book, follows Max’s jaunts of alcohol and loose loving. But now that Max is famous, he does not have to constantly hunt for entertainment. It finds him.

“People are literally writing to him and asking him out,” said Landwehr. “Its kind of a flip-flopped perspective.”

Deemed “fratire,” Max’s genre often features protagonists trying to prove their own masculinity — often with a misogynistic undertone. While Max continues to enthuse college men across the country, women are not left without inspiration. Chelsea Handler’s first book, “My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands,” follows Handler — a woman — through her own raucous encounters and criticisms of the opposite sex. The book was published seven months before “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.”

He might not have been first to publish in this genre, but Max continues to put on his show for the world. Maybe his fans, critics and even signing hosts are being too lenient.

“We don’t want anyone going to jail,” said Nix, “but unless he blows the store up, we [will] pretty much let him get away with anything he wants.”

For more information, visit the Facebook event called “Tuscaloosa ‘Assholes Finish First’ Book Signing.”