Six-Word Memoirs ...

A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD YEAR from Six-Word Memoirs is filled with “Hundreds of Stories on the Pandemic by Teachers, Students & Parents.”  Have you ever tried writing a six word memoir? It definitely requires some skill and readers of this collection will be admiring (and relating to!) the work it contains. There are so many favorites from which to choose; here are a few:

• You’re a primary source. Take notes.  - Rachel Klein, teacher
• It goes over your nose, pal. – Stina Perkins
• Finally, I can mute my teacher. – Darshana Chandler, 10
• We all took 2019 for granted. – Lexus P.
• Teaching is hard. Remote teaching harder. – Ellis Reyes, teacher.
• It’s all about showing you care. – Samantha Tanner, teacher.

The collection includes some beautiful drawings and commentary from editor Larry Smith, and other contributors like Michelle Wolff, a suburban English teacher from Michigan, who explains, “Technology Made Things Harder, Then Easier.” A TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD YEAR is the tenth book in the series and its publishers call it a “time capsule.” In fact, The New York Times recently offered the idea as an exercise on its Learning Network, publishing some results a few days later.  Enjoy!

A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz

A LINE TO KILL by Anthony Horowitz is the third book (see also The Word is Murder and The Sentence is Death) in the Daniel Hawthorne series which features Anthony Horowitz himself as a character. This time, the duo are off to a literary festival in the Channel Islands and there’s carping and a bit too much professional jealousy amongst the attendees (a blind psychic, a TV chef, a children’s author, an historian, and a poet). Since Hawthorne and Horowitz have the investigative background, they are tapped to help determine who killed a wealthy, if controversial, local landowner and festival sponsor. Horowitz supplies numerous twists in this entertaining satire of the publishing world. One mystery is solved, but plenty of questions remain, especially about the enigmatic Daniel Hawthorne. In addition to being recognized as a LibraryReads selection, A LINE TO KILL received starred reviews from Booklist and Publishers Weekly.

Uncontrolled Spread by Scott Gottlieb

UNCONTROLLED SPREAD by Scott Gottlieb describes in detail “Why COVID-19 Crushed Us and How We Can Defeat the Next Pandemic.” Currently a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and on Pfizer’s Board of Directors, Gottlieb was a commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration from 2017 to 2019 and is a frequent op-ed contributor at The Wall Street Journal. In this text, he succinctly outlines many factors (inconsistent messaging, ill-prepared bureaucracy, underfunding, etc.), that contributed to Covid’s massive impact. Acknowledging Operation Warp Speed as a “bright spot,” Gottlieb writes, “I’m convinced that if we had had a more coordinated national response and stronger surveillance at the outset, we would have had a better outcome.” As an insider, Gottlieb has perspective on the culture at the FDA and comments also on the CDC’s propensity to provide reporting that is “reflective and aims to provide definitive analysis.”  Yet, the policy-makers, clinicians, and concerned Americans needed real-time information as Gottlieb notes in a chapter titled “The Information Desert.” What an opportunity to teach critical thinking and explain how imprecise the information really was. Gottlieb writes in an accessible manner, describing complicated scientific subjects like genome tracing and the technologies involved in vaccine development.  He shares reflections on needed changes to the public health system and international cooperation. UNCONTROLLED SPREAD is a fascinating read for current and future student researchers.

Maybe We're Electric by Val Emmich

MAYBE WE'RE ELECTRIC by Val Emmich (Dear Evan Hansen) shares the story of two teens trying to figure out how they fit – both with classmates and with their families.  Tegan has spent her lifetime dealing with a physical disability so that offers an interesting and rather unique perspective. She is angry with her Mom and runs away during a snowstorm. Mac, who appears to be a popular athlete, is trying to cope with his Dad’s alcoholism. The two teens end up taking shelter in a museum dedicated to Thomas Edison; there, they share their stories and a surprising mutual attraction. Although the characters are not especially memorable, Emmich does a decent job of developing teen angst from their reflections: “Why do we care so much what people think of us? Why can’t we just say what we want to say?” or “It seems we can laugh all we want, but there’s always a lingering pain below the surface that can’t be ignored.” Both Tegan and Mac grow in self-awareness during a night spent sharing secrets. School Library Journal described MAYBE WE'RE ELECTRIC as “a page-turner filled with romance, teenage angst, and tough choices related to identity.” If that appeals (or you like fiction by Kat Spears or David Arnold), give this new title a try. You may also be inspired by the quote from Edison: “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”

Christmas by the Book by Anne Marie Ryan

CHRISTMAS BY THE BOOK by Anne Marie Ryan is exactly what the title and cover imply – a feel good story filled with Christmas and books. The setting is a small village named Stowford nestled in the Cotswolds where bookstore owners Nora and Simon are facing financial difficulties and the prospect of closing their store. They decide to deliver six books to cheer up other residents and, of course, there are unintended consequences as their gifts help an out-of-work Shakespearean actor, a single dad, a retired teacher, and more. Pure escape and not very demanding (except for the fairly large cast of village residents), CHRISTMAS BY THE BOOK is a delightful, hope-filled, holiday read.

Working leads to Retirement Perspectives

RETIREMENT STEPPING STONES by Tony Hixon is meant to “Find Meaning, Live with Purpose, and Leave a Legacy.” Even the cover conveys a positive, playful attitude, and Hixon tends to take a realistic approach, noting “in life you will encounter stumbling blocks. Turn them into stepping stones.” He references “tough conversations about lifestyle, mental health, and the retirement transition.” While it is not happy news to learn that “your chance of suffering from depression goes up by close to 40 percent after you retire,” Hixon shares the personal story of his own mother’s suicide and devotes an entire chapter to looking at burnout, loss of structure and purpose. He offers a companion workbook filled with valuable exercises such as defining your values. In many ways, the questions he poses are not unlike those we might ask our students and/or recent graduates: What are you passionate about? What have you always wanted to try? How could your skill set benefit others?  This text will make readers think. For another recent perspective on work/life balance, see Adam Grant’s essay “The Real Meaning of Freedom at Work” in The Wall Street Journal.  

RETIREMENT AND ITS DISCONTENTS by Michelle Pannor Silver is subtitled “Why We Won't Stop Working, Even if We Can.” Silver, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, explores the tension between idealized (travel, hobbies, volunteer work) and actual retirement in this sometimes scholarly book. The main sections of her text deal with issues faced by retirees from five particular groups: medical professionals, CEOs, elite athletes, professors, and homemakers. Admittedly, a curious cross section, Silver shares details from interviews about work/life balance and the impact of transitioning to retirement, especially when work may be a key factor in one’s identity. Silver says, “I hope this book inspires readers to question the social construct of retirement and to create a retirement strategy that avoids some of the discontentment shared…”  Overall, an interesting perspective and, although RETIREMENT AND ITS DISCONTENTS was written pre-pandemic, there is insight here for everyone who is contemplating a change in employment status as we navigate the “Great Resignation” which has been in the news lately.

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY by Amor Towles (A Gentleman in Moscow) is a beautifully written coming of age story set on the road in America during the 1950s. Emmett is a sincere, well-meaning 18-year-old who has just returned from a work farm where he was incarcerated due to the accidental death of a local bully. Released early due to his own father’s death, Emmett plans to take his prized Studebaker, the little money he has, and his eight-year-old brother Billy and head to Texas. But once again, circumstances intervene: Billy wants to head to California to find their mother who left years ago and before they can begin, two young escapees, Duchess and Woolly, steal Emmett’s car and his money. The adventures begin as Emmett and Billy ride the rails in pursuit. THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY received starred reviews from Booklist, Kirkus (“exhilarating ride through Americana”), and Publishers Weekly and was a LibraryReads selection for October. A bit slow to begin and rather long (almost 600 pages) for the average teen; however, as Booklist says, “Teen readers of classics and literary historical fiction will find ambitious, determined Emmett appealing.”