This book was a wonderful love letter to the English teaching profession. The audiobook is read by the author who spend decades teaching English at vocational high schools and creative writing in New York before he went on to write his famous novels, Angela’s Ashes and ‘Tis (which I will now be listening to on audio).

He brought to life the voices of his students in a realistic, nostalgic, but not overly sentimental way.

If I ever have the pleasure of teaching a class to pre-service English teachers, this memoir would made excellent required reading. Through this book you could discuss the role of the teacher, building classroom culture, teacher self-care, writing with your students, classroom management/discipline, going gradeless, and using mentor texts—he was doing all of this in the 1960’s.

As a teacher, I really enjoyed reading about Frank McCourt's 30+ year teaching career, but I also felt it meandered so much at times that it didn't always feel rooted in teaching. Rather, it was like a continuation of his life as he wrote in his previous two memoirs with teaching anecdotes woven in, which is fine, but I guess the title and description gave me different expectations. I learned a lot though was left a bit wanting by the end.

Every moment of your life, you're writing. Even in your dreams you're writing.

what a humbling one. i like how straight to the point, unabashed he was about every aspect of teaching that can easily turn into a nightmare. i have yet to teach a classroom of high school students, the most terrifying creatures on earth, but god am i ready for it to be difficult and chaotic. i have very much enjoyed these idealistic, romanticised versions of teachers in media that become saviours and gods to their lost high school students, and this book most definitely wasn't that, and yet it felt just as inspiring, even more.

our teacher asked us, "did the book touch your heart? that's what this was about." and yeah, it certainly did. your students may hate you, dislike you, never remember a word you say to them, but that's how it's going to be sometimes. when he stops seeking their worshipping he becomes a much better teacher, willing to give only what he can offer and i think that's the necessary mindset to have.

during most of the book, he finds himself lost, professionally, personally, spiritually. much of his questioning resonated with me. while we clearly have had different formative experiences, i think he easily establishes a sense of solidarity with the reader when he asks "what was there to write about?" after spending more than half of the book getting his students to write about absolutely anything.

this book has brought a lot of reflection, perspective and even some comfort for me. i really enjoyed it and would recommend it.