Here’s what I read in June. I only read one complete book in June, but it was a substantial one–Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. This was the second time I’d read the book. It was an assignment in my AP English class back in high school, and I made it until the last few pages of […]
Doesn’t some Dostoevsky sound good right about now? There’s some sort of universal law that states that when summer comes around, people’s standards should disappear. It’s summertime! Time to fill up for a 32-ounce soda, catch a superhero movie, or read something trashy that we’ve been saving up for. But why? Whose idea was this? […]
In Memphis, we have thousands of beautiful old trees. Oaks, maples, magnolias, poplars–we have them all. We also have violent summer storms that pop up unpredictably. You put those two things together, and you end up with results as pictured above. That house you see is mine, though the tree, until very recently, belonged to […]
Summer break has begun. It’s summer break, the most wonderful time of the year. Last summer was the year of Infinite Jest, and this summer is the summer of Crime and Punishment, which I must prepare for teaching in the fall. But for the next eight weeks I get to read anything I want and do […]
I’ve been teaching at the Memphis Academy of Science and Engineering since the fall of 2006, and today is my last day. In the six years I was at MASE, I taught 8th grade writing, 12th grade English, AP Language and Composition, 11th grade English, mythology, creative writing, and probably a class or two I’ve […]
Here’s what I read in May 1. The Whore of Akron by Scott Raab My wife and I have an understanding. When the Steelers lose, I get one 45-minute sulking period in which I am exempt from all domestic duties, when and am free to pout, curse, and generally act like a baby. When […]
The school year is over, so it’s time to find out what our students have learned. What We’ve Learned Being young means living life, making mistakes, feeling loved, having friends, experiencing wild things, defying the law, and maturing into an adult. I’ve learned that when a character in a story has a first name that […]