Teacher Man: A Memoir by Frank McCourt








"Stop throwing sandwiches!"


Published in 2005 by Scribner

Teacher Man is my first McCourt book, as I am apparently the only person in the English-speaking world that has not read Angela's Ashes.

The book started like a house afire for me - full of the trepidation of the first day of school for a brand new teacher. What would he say? First impressions are vital - how much more vital is the first impression for an entire career? As is normal on a first day (I've had 17 years of them!), the first words from McCourt are not planned - they are a reaction to what the kids say and do - he has to yell, "Stop throwing sandwiches!"
Frank McCourt (1930-2009)
photo by David Shankbone

McCourt's classroom memories are enjoyable - his style is not mine (at least not as of yet - styles evolve and change over time) but it was certainly original and caused the kids to think and he had their attention - more than half the battle is won if you have your attention. His rantings against administrators seem, for the most part, true (sad to say).

I found myself irritated at the middle of the book - seemingly great stretches that wander away from the classroom and deal with his failed attempt at a doctorate from an Irish university and a bad marriage. At the end, we are back in the classroom and the book sings along happily once again.

So, final grade. I give it 4 stars out of 5. Great start and finish.

This book can be found on Amazon.com here: Teacher Man: A Memoir by Frank McCourt.

Reviewed on November 14, 2006.

Comments

Popular posts over the last 30 days

IN the PRESENCE of MINE ENEMIES: SEVEN YEARS as a POW in NORTH VIETNAM by Howard and Phyllis Rutledge

COMMEMORATIVE HISTORY of the GEORGE ROGERS CLARK BICENTENNIAL EXHIBIT by The Indiana State Museum

SUPERMAN '78 (graphic novel) by Robert Venditi

BATMAN: ONE BAD DAY - MR. FREEZE (graphic novel) by Gerry Duggan

THE RED DRAGON (Action Adventures Short Stories Collection #10) by L. Ron Hubbard

THE INSTINCT for COOPERATION: A GRAPHIC NOVEL CONVERSATION with NOAM CHOMSKY (graphic novel) by Noam Chomsky and Jeffrey Wilson

DOWN ALONG with THAT DEVIL'S BONES: A RECKONING with MONUMENTS, MEMORY, and the LEGACY of WHITE SUPREMACY (audiobook) by Connor Towne O'Neill

OUR SUBWAY BABY (audiobook) by Peter Mercurio

COMRADES in ARMS (kindle)(short story) by Kevin J. Anderson

SLAPSTICK or LONESOME NO MORE! by Kurt Vonnegut