theaudioauditor's review
Made it only a few pages into part 2. The analogies and anecdotes finally got to me. Instead of humorous, they come across as bitter and mean. My mental health will suffer if I keep reading.
bloodravenlib's review
1.0
This was pretty much a waste of time. Some guy who changed careers and decided he wanted to become a teacher. Since he could not get his credential, he figured teaching in a private school would do fine. He starts out in some alternative hippie school in New Mexico where they are more worried about new age and feeling good than actually teaching and instilling some discipline. While there is some humor and some funny moments, for the most part, the book is convoluted, and often he just has no clue. Then again, considering the types he deals with, it's a miracle he is in a classroom. Guy lacks total common sense. Only sensible character is the teacher that went with him to that writing workshop, then walked out of a workshop meeting when she could not stand the bullshit they were passing for writing lessons. Sorry, but I have been to actual writing workshops, and we never had some little index of terms with no meaning. In the end, she was the smart one since she spent the rest of the time hiking and enjoying the town. She likely managed to renew her energy as well.
This author is certainly not what a young teacher would want to emulate. I suppose for new agers and aging flower children, he may be the guy. Otherwise, skip this. There are a lot other teacher memoirs and accounts that are much better. Good thing I borrowed this at the public library. Otherwise, I'd have a hard time getting rid of it since I could not bring myself to recommend it to anyone.
This author is certainly not what a young teacher would want to emulate. I suppose for new agers and aging flower children, he may be the guy. Otherwise, skip this. There are a lot other teacher memoirs and accounts that are much better. Good thing I borrowed this at the public library. Otherwise, I'd have a hard time getting rid of it since I could not bring myself to recommend it to anyone.
lgbtqautistic's review
1.0
Funny in small parts, but the elitist and ableist attitudes peppered throughout took away from any laughs it might have garnered. The jokes at the expense of disabled and special needs individuals left me sick to my stomach. I forced myself to finish. He really seems to hate any student who wasn't his perfect academic protege. Not to mention all the coworkers you can tell he thinks are below him. Not worth your time.
adolwyn's review
2.0
This book started so strongly - the beginning chapters seemed relevant, funny, just a little bit snarky, and like it would be a refreshing read for those of us who spend our time in the classroom and need a good laugh. However, it devolves into something bitter and uncomfortable to read. Mr. Wilder is often offensive to both his students and their parents (as well as fellow teachers) and makes jokes that are in extraordinarily poor taste. I'm all for a little ribbing and real humour, but attempted humour at the expense of other people is off limits for me. I'm sorry I purchased this book. It left a bad taste in my mouth and the only question I was left with by the end of it was, "how is this bitter, useless man still teaching?"
thehlb's review
2.0
The author misrepresents himself. He is a teacher yes, but at a private school and he holds no actual teaching credentials. Needless to say, his experiences may not be relateable to the average public school teacher. (A few, yes, but by and large, no.)
He has some funny moments and does have a way with pop culture references and analogies, but by and large the book is uninspiring at best.
It was a chore to get through.
He has some funny moments and does have a way with pop culture references and analogies, but by and large the book is uninspiring at best.
It was a chore to get through.
claudiaswisher's review
3.0
Funny, because I'm a teacher, and because I've been to lots of the settings he described...like Trader Jack's Flea Market north of Santa Fe. Wilder's a teacher in a private school in Santa Fe, and has hilarious stories about teachers and students and parents. No real epiphany, no lessons learned. Just fun.
His story about his brother, a born teacher, who's driven out of the profession is so sad. But Crazy Eddie lands on his feet as a Turtle at Disney World...teachers teach wherever they are.
His story about his brother, a born teacher, who's driven out of the profession is so sad. But Crazy Eddie lands on his feet as a Turtle at Disney World...teachers teach wherever they are.
zerobot's review against another edition
1.0
Avoid this book.
There is nothing so unpleasant as to feel you are being lied to by a writer, and this book oozes with self-satisfied deception. It's one thing to take advantage of literary license, it's quite another to make up stories whole cloth in what is ostensibly non-fiction, especially when there seems to be no purpose to the stories.
What are we to learn here? That teaching is difficult? No, perhaps, teaching is crazy? That Robert Wilder has some insight into teaching our children? No, more that he is clever enough to pull at random from his grab bag of often misleading pop culture references, many of which he assumes his readers are too stupid (or out of touch) to understand without explanation. Mr. Wilder, a simile is not clever or useful if you also describe both objects you are comparing.
Overall, like being at a bar with a waste of time, half-involved teacher trying to string together a series of lies without any structure or through-line, interrupted on occasion by diversions into 'look how stupid my students are, they hate Shakespeare and recognize actors from Harry Potter movies' but overall having the almost express goal of impressing the reader with his own cleverness, accented by half-assed self-depreciation. The only moments of warmth are towards his daughter and son.
And, Mr. Wilder, while Augustus Gloop was fat, Veruca Salt was just a spoiled little brat, a state you have something in common with. Where are editors when you need them?
There is nothing so unpleasant as to feel you are being lied to by a writer, and this book oozes with self-satisfied deception. It's one thing to take advantage of literary license, it's quite another to make up stories whole cloth in what is ostensibly non-fiction, especially when there seems to be no purpose to the stories.
What are we to learn here? That teaching is difficult? No, perhaps, teaching is crazy? That Robert Wilder has some insight into teaching our children? No, more that he is clever enough to pull at random from his grab bag of often misleading pop culture references, many of which he assumes his readers are too stupid (or out of touch) to understand without explanation. Mr. Wilder, a simile is not clever or useful if you also describe both objects you are comparing.
Overall, like being at a bar with a waste of time, half-involved teacher trying to string together a series of lies without any structure or through-line, interrupted on occasion by diversions into 'look how stupid my students are, they hate Shakespeare and recognize actors from Harry Potter movies' but overall having the almost express goal of impressing the reader with his own cleverness, accented by half-assed self-depreciation. The only moments of warmth are towards his daughter and son.
And, Mr. Wilder, while Augustus Gloop was fat, Veruca Salt was just a spoiled little brat, a state you have something in common with. Where are editors when you need them?
clairelorraine's review
1.0
I was amused by this at first but grew very tired of the constant similes (often repeated) and the mean-spirited humor that...just wasn't very funny. My chuckles dropped precipitously after the first 50 pages, to be replaced by groans. In isolation as essays, these would be better. The slapped together nature of this as a book was pretty obvious in the fact that Wilder makes the same bean burrito and sexless Thoreau jokes again and again.
debnanceatreaderbuzz's review
3.0
Don't read this book hoping to find cheery essays about teaching. This book was a misery to read. The essays consist of cruel jabs at the author's fellow teachers, his students, and administrators. Yes, I laughed here and there, but I always looked around to see who was watching me.
I actually put the book down and was going to give up on it, but then I went to see the author at the Texas Book Festival. He seems to be more compassionate in person than he seems in his essays. I decided to give the man another chance and I read through to the end. I can't imagine who I'd recommend this book to; its view of education is bitter and bleak and left me feeling that what I do is pointless in light of the present state of the world.
I actually put the book down and was going to give up on it, but then I went to see the author at the Texas Book Festival. He seems to be more compassionate in person than he seems in his essays. I decided to give the man another chance and I read through to the end. I can't imagine who I'd recommend this book to; its view of education is bitter and bleak and left me feeling that what I do is pointless in light of the present state of the world.
debs71d4e's review
1.0
Stories from a high school English teacher. Not terribly well written. Wilder uses the same references over and over again, and occasionally he’ll opt for lowest-common-denominator humor where wit would be more appropriate. He thinks he's funny...but he's wrong.
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