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Teach Me

3.41 of 5 stars 3.41 · rating details · 1,786 ratings · 257 reviews

Teach Me invites readers inside an experience that fascinates everyone—an affair between a teacher and student—and gives an up-close-and-personal answer to the question: How does this happen?

The hardcover edition of Teach Me was a Booksense Fall 2006 Kid’s Pick, a TeenReads.com Best Book of 2005, and a selection for the 2006 NYPL Books for the Teen Age.

ebook, 272 pages

Published March 22nd 2007 by Penguin Group US

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Feb 18, 2013 Hana❀Joy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ridiculously-sexy-guys, gave-up-on, oh-so-unimpressed, meh-it-was-okay

I got about 200 pages in and I could not do it, this was fucking terrible! Though I did like the first 80 pages and the whole lovey dovey parts, those where pretty sweet. And i'm sure if Alicia didn't make an entrance Nine and Mr.Mann might have actually stayed together after she graduated. Stupid, stupid, Alicia....
Parting thoughts:

Caroline is fucking insane
Mr. Mann is a douche, but a sexy douche.

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Apr 03, 2009 Danielle Harlow rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Maybe I am just too old-- but I really didn't like this book at all. I force myself to read all the way to the end of any book I start, because I feel like you really never know.. but at the end of this book-- I just wished I had a time machine to go back before I bought it. I think that, yes, obviously when you write a book, it is going to reflect your personally somewhat, but while I was reading this book- I couldn't help but feeling like the author wanted to include ALL her interests- to an e...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Last night when I was finished...I thought maybe 2 or 3 stars, but the more it sits with me, the more I find myself thinking about it. All I do know is that the writers words are the bulk of this 4 stars. The heartbreak and complete unraveling of Nine made me ache. Did I think a seventeen year old would have much of this dialogue with themselves? No, I don't. However, Nine is more articulate, more introspective than most seventeen year olds. Plus her feelings of first love, which is actually mo...more Last night when I was finished...I thought maybe 2 or 3 stars, but the more it sits with me, the more I find myself thinking about it. All I do know is that the writers words are the bulk of this 4 stars. The heartbreak and complete unraveling of Nine made me ache. Did I think a seventeen year old would have much of this dialogue with themselves? No, I don't. However, Nine is more articulate, more introspective than most seventeen year olds. Plus her feelings of first love, which is actually more of first obsession, and then first heartbreak are palpable in such a devastating way you can't help but think that the writing is brilliant.

I don't condone a relationship between a teacher and student. I'm not going to debate the ethics of teacher getting into a relationship with an almost 18 year old student. It was an abuse of power no matter which way you paint it, but unlike a lot of stories that sensationalize such relationships, this book was different. Even in the media when a story comes out about a student teacher affair, it's often painted as sexual fling between an innocent teen and irresponsible adult. However, the relationship between Nine and Mr. Mann goes far beyond a teacher-student fling. There is mutual interests, mutual consideration and the way these characters are written, the relationship isn't sensationalized in the least. I believe they truly loved each other. I think he meant his words to her and when the time came for him to make a choice, he choose what he felt was 'best' for all involved. Could he have been lying and screwing around the whole time? Of course, But I don't think that was the case. I truly felt that Mr.Mann hated himself for what was happening and for that, I think he will live with regret for the rest of his life.

My real issues lie with Nine's detached parents who seem to have little idea of who their daughter is and just how much trouble she is. She unravels before their very eyes and....nothing. Mr. Mann learns/see's first hand her breakdown and while there are half-hearted attempts to help, it wasn't enough for this devastated girl. I just don't know if so many people could turn a blind eye when this girl is literally screaming for help. It seemed unrealistic to me.

It's hard for me to think this is a YA book. The emotions attached to it are even hard for me as an adult to digest. I do know this: I remember my first heartbreak and it was awful. However...you learn and grow from it and by the time you're an adult, you are better emotionally ready to deal with the blows. Nine never had that chance. As much as we says 'age doesn't matter,' in this case it truly did. She was not ready to be in an adult relationship when the guy turns out to be not who she thought he was. I don't know...it was all so very sad, but the saving grace was...I think Nine will be fine.

So. Yeah. Still processing. I think it's a thought provoking read, balancing what you think is 'right' and 'wrong' and ultimately, it was so painfully beautifully, I can't help but want others to read it. My heart still aches a day later.

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Nov 08, 2009 Sherrybaby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

i picked this book up again! &+ was seriously mad at myself for taking so long to read it. This book has the perfect amount of love, lost, breakdown, survival, and friendship.

Poor nine falls head over heels for a new male teacher.
teacher, starts flirting with nine, until there in a deep passionate
love affair. But when nine turns eighteen things take an awful turn,
mr. man doesnt want to be in a relationship with her anymore!
even worse he thinks they shouldnt even be friends! just steer clea...more

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Mar 15, 2008 priscilla rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ya

Novels about teacher/student affairs always both repulse & intrigue me, especially YA novels. The first one I read was Gone by Kathleen Jeffrie Johnson, about a post-graduation summer fling between a male senior and his pretty, young, former teacher. The story was crushingly sad & overtly sexual, & it had an overall half-baked feeling to it, unable to compensate for such a disturbing & depressing story with stellar writing.
Teach Me reverses the genders & sets the story durin...more

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Sep 05, 2008 Susan rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people interested in student-teacher relationships

Shelves: 2008read, youngadult

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm sorry, I try to avoid saying it when I can, but this book was terrible. Completely disappointing because at the beginning I thought it had a lot of potential, but it was completely rushed and unbelievable and at the end, completely crazy.

Points of interest:
1. The writing style from the beginning was odd. It felt very unfinished and even frantic, when what we needed was some sort of clarity. I'm not sure it was smart to start in the middle of the affair and not explain anything until later.
2....more I'm sorry, I try to avoid saying it when I can, but this book was terrible. Completely disappointing because at the beginning I thought it had a lot of potential, but it was completely rushed and unbelievable and at the end, completely crazy.

Points of interest:
1. The writing style from the beginning was odd. It felt very unfinished and even frantic, when what we needed was some sort of clarity. I'm not sure it was smart to start in the middle of the affair and not explain anything until later.
2. I did not like that his name was Mr. Mann. I'm not sure what she was trying to say about men with that name. I also thought Carolina's nickname, Nine, was more distracting than helpful to understanding her character. Though I did like how she felt like she was just a number to him.
3. Why was the whole thing with Alicia treated like such a mystery and almost like it was something horribly bizarre? I pretty much figured she was pregnant but the way they were going on about it I thought there must be something else.
4. The last half of the book is completely absurd. I almost thought maybe it was supposed to be satire except we really had no warning of that. I thought it was supposed to be serious and clearly the publisher thought that too (did they even read this before they decided to publish it?).
5. The paintball-pistol-OMG-shocker! scene. Seriously, WTF? That was cheap. I don't mind that Carolina was trying to shock the people at the poetry reading, but the fact that Nelson was clearly trying to shock the reader? That was just bad.
6. Carolina was completely off her rocker. Now, I don't have a problem with crazy characters; in fact, I like them. But her insanity seemed to come from nowhere. And sometimes she really acted 12 instead of 17/18.
7. I didn't believe her relationship with Mr. Mann either, especially at the beginning. The pacing was way off. Even if "in real life" it was that fast, we need to believe that. I didn't. I kept wondering why they were together, and all Mr. Mann kept saying was, "I've never done this before, but you're just so different!!!" Which told me nothing. Also the details were kind of fuzzy at the beginning. I couldn't really tell if they were sleeping together or not, but then on her 18th birthday it was clearly their first time together and from what I understood of Carolina she was a virgin before but they didn't linger in that moment at all, and Nelson treated it like it was no big deal. This was handled even worse here than in How It's Done.
8. I don't even remember the ending anymore but I think it was abrupt.
9. I did kind of like Schuyler. He was the best part. I think some of his scenes near the end with Carolina were bravely written and emotionally honest, and I like that. But at the same time they didn't completely work in the context of the story in my opinion.
10. The person who designed the book did not give enough thought to the subheadings. The font was too light and hard to read, and because they were right-justified I just ignored them and never read them.

Grade: C-

I just want to comment that I am not one of those people who thinks student-teacher relationships are "wrong" or "disturbing." That is unless the student is a minor (obviously) or if the student is, at that time, in the teacher's class (mostly because it's unfair to those students who are not sleeping with the teacher). I just wish someone would write a straight-up serious story with such a relationship that isn't borderline ridiculous. I love Blue Angel, but that one is clearly a satire and the rest have been either unbelievable or presented as a "message" story, in my opinion.
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Mar 06, 2009 Heyrebekah Alm rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

This will teach me to buy books at random from the bargain bin. Oh well, at least it was a quick read. I'm not the target audience anyway, and maybe I would have loved it when I was in high school. The narrator does not sound like a teenager to me at all. But yet, the book does seem to have been written by a teenager.

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Mar 19, 2009 Niki rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In modern day America, the idea of romances between teacher & student are becoming more & more common. "Teach Me" by RA Nelson is a novel full of love, lust, beauty & disaster. Carolina "Nine" Livingston, a high school senior with expectations bigger than the small city in Alabama she resides in, falls head over heels for her new English teacher, Mr. Richard Mann. Mr. Mann is a genuine individual that Nine is undeniably attracted to for his looks, unique brand of humor, & love fo...more

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Feb 17, 2009 Lynleigh added it · review of another edition

Does the teacher also fall in love with the student?
Mr. Mann does indeed fall for Carolina. You can see as their relationship grows he seems more and more intrigued by her.

Does Carolina believe her and Mr. Mann are meant to be? Yes she believes they are meant to be because of her reactions throughout the relationship. She is always beseeching him to just be with her and forget life in general besides them together.

Who truly loves and cares for Carolina as more than a friend? Her best friend Schu...more

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Lydia "Why does Mr. Mann choose in the end to definetely move on? He realizes what he has done is completely wrong. As his girlfriend comes back into his li...more
May 31, 2011 06:45am

Lydia Besides, I don't think there was anything wrong with this relationship and I don't see what harm he was doing by being with her. I think it could have...more
May 31, 2011 06:49am

Lydia Ah no, sorry! I understand that the relationship could have caused Mr. Mann a lot of trouble, and Nine too. But I think if they had waited until Nine...more
May 31, 2011 07:15am

Dec 28, 2008 Heather Gray rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow. What can I say. We've all had our crushes on teachers, but it was interesting to see it be reciprocated. Though every part of me was saying, "This is weird," or "this is so wrong," I could not help but want everything to work out ok for Mr. Mann and Nine.
It was hard to get a grasp of what Nine looked like and I was frustrated because I couldn't mentally connect to someone like her, but then I realized that we're in her head. We aren't supposed to know what she looks like. Given, sometimes...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Teach Me is R.A. Nelson's first novel, which has won a number of children and teen's book awards, including Best Teen Novel. Teach Me initially caught my eye because I've always been drawn to the taboo story about a love affair between teacher and student.

Sadly, I can't say that my high school ever had sexy or desirable teachers, so books of this nature always manage to fill that empty spot in my heart reserved for books featuring impossible high school cliches: such as handsome and sexy bad-boy...more Teach Me is R.A. Nelson's first novel, which has won a number of children and teen's book awards, including Best Teen Novel. Teach Me initially caught my eye because I've always been drawn to the taboo story about a love affair between teacher and student.

Sadly, I can't say that my high school ever had sexy or desirable teachers, so books of this nature always manage to fill that empty spot in my heart reserved for books featuring impossible high school cliches: such as handsome and sexy bad-boy jocks that fall for smart band nerds (never happens), aspiring journalists who publish the one article in the school newspaper that changes the way every other student thinks (definitely never happens), and your best friend of the opposite sex who has been madly in love with you for years, and you've never managed to see it...

...moving on to the plot for Teach Me.

Carolina "Nine" Livingston is an intelligent (near-genius) senior in high school always devoted to showing up for school and maintaining a high GPA. Nine's best friend and confidante is Schuyler, a male (of course) who shares Nine's passion for useless trivia, classic movies, and literature.

Having never really dated or kissed a boy before (except that one time years ago when she kissed Schuyler on the lips during a snowstorm - it was totally friendly through), Nine's world is thrown into a tizzy when she begins to fall for her new English teacher, Mr. Mann. Not only do Mr. Mann's teaching methods introduce Nine to new poets and revelations about classic literature (not to mention life and love), but his good looks, easy banter, and manner of treating Nine like an adult causes her to fall head over heels, and not in a healthy way.

It's not long before Nine and Mr. Mann embark on a torrid and taboo love affair that ends just as abruptly as it begins. Failing to accept or understand the reason for the break-up, Nine becomes obsessed with proving to Mr. Mann that she's the right woman for him.

R.A. Nelson is a brilliant writer - his prose far surpasses the story itself in Teach Me. The levels of intellect and creativity Nelson bequeaths to his characters is this novel are just ingenious - I don't even care if Nine, Mr. Mann, and Schuyler are undeserving of these traits. I would recommend Teach Me to readers just for its dialogue and original concepts alone.

I have no desire to dissect and analyze Nine's obsession for Mr. Mann. Nine may be book-smart, but she's still an emotionally-undeveloped teenager unable to properly process and handle her feelings and emotions where Mr. Mann is concerned. Up to this point, Nine's always been a good girl.

As far as Mr. Mann goes - what man wouldn't want to involve himself with a sexy, intelligent 18-year-old female he shares a number of interests with even if the relationship is off-limits? Nothing original to see here, people, keep moving.

As a reader, you'll probably enjoy the journey experienced while reading Teach Me far more than the end-destination, which feels small compared to the rest of this novel.

For more book reviews, visit http://dreamworldbooks.com.(less)

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Jan 22, 2013 Mei rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Synopsis

Nine is a six foot tall amazon girl in her senior year of high school, and she's hot for teacher. Attacking her attraction with laser focus, she is amazed and astounded when her feelings are reciprocated. When the teacher suddenly breaks it off, Nine loses it. Will she find her way out of the madness?

Review

Unlike Uses for Boys, Teach Me actually had some redeeming features at the end of the painful slog. While it was written very similarly to Uses for Boys, it did have a much stronger vo...more Synopsis

Nine is a six foot tall amazon girl in her senior year of high school, and she's hot for teacher. Attacking her attraction with laser focus, she is amazed and astounded when her feelings are reciprocated. When the teacher suddenly breaks it off, Nine loses it. Will she find her way out of the madness?

Review

Unlike Uses for Boys, Teach Me actually had some redeeming features at the end of the painful slog. While it was written very similarly to Uses for Boys, it did have a much stronger vocabulary and more personality than that novel. That said, I still wasn't a big fan. There were several points when I would tell my husband "I'm slogging through, but I just wish it would end." The story is not told linearly, and can be a bit confusing.
Nine was somewhat likable, though I lost any affection for her as the book went on. I just wanted to beat her over the head, or any of her "supportive" friends and family. It was bizarre that in her loving family, they just kind of "let her have her space" when their daughter was completely losing her mind. They even noted all of the signs of a major issue in their daughter, but then failed to do anything about it. I realize that this happens in real life, but it just seemed out of place in the novel.
The teacher, Mr. Mann was just plain creepy in my mind. I saw a few review were people thought that he sounded dreamy. Yeah, no. As a character, he was a bit flat for me. I thought that he should have been more developed if he was going to attract the attention of a seventeen year old girl that strongly. Though, I suppose that since the book is primarily about Nine's obsession, the lack of description could have been yet another example of how unwarranted her attention was.

My Recommendation

Since I didn't actually enjoy the book, I can't recommend that you read it. I think that if you want an exploration of the themes of this book, there are way better examples out there. (Even if I can't think of them off of the top of my head at the moment) I give it 2/5 - If it happens to be around, it's OK.(less)

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Jan 06, 2013 Krissy P (Kris) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: from-my-amazon-reviews

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Good story, August 16, 2010

Teach Me is a controversial story about a young 17-year old girl who falls in love with and begins a physical relationship with her teacher, Mr. Mann. Mr. Mann knows what he is doing is wrong, but can't help but be drawn to Carolina ("Nine") because she is very intelligent and "different" from everyone else. They spend an increasing amount of time together and he eventually has sex with her when she turns 18. Shortly after they take their relationship to that level, h...more Good story, August 16, 2010

Teach Me is a controversial story about a young 17-year old girl who falls in love with and begins a physical relationship with her teacher, Mr. Mann. Mr. Mann knows what he is doing is wrong, but can't help but be drawn to Carolina ("Nine") because she is very intelligent and "different" from everyone else. They spend an increasing amount of time together and he eventually has sex with her when she turns 18. Shortly after they take their relationship to that level, he suddenly breaks things off and gives her no reason why. She finds out he is getting married which sets her off on a mission to get to the bottom of "why". Nine becomes almost scary in her stalkerish behavior, but no matter what she does, you can't help but feel the hurt and anger with her as she is getting to the bottom of the mystery of why Mr. Mann did what he did, with the help of her bestfriend Schuyler.

This was a good story that had some shocking elements to it, especially the end. I did have some issues with Mr. Mann for obvious reasons. He is supposed to be the adult in this situation, in his thirties, he is her teacher and he messed this kid up pretty badly with his actions. I don't care how good looking the guy is or what kind of connection they felt for each other, their relationship never should have happened and she was just a kid, no matter how much she did not act like it. Mr. Mann, in my opinion, was an immature coward. I hated how he took away her innocence and deceived her into believing that he truly loved her and that there was a possibility of a future together. He may have apologized to Nine for what he did to her, but I never felt like he had any true remorse. To me, it seemed that he expected this kid to just instantly get over him while he continued to enjoy his life with his new wife. My major gripe with this book was that he did not get what he deserved and never had to face the consequences of his actions. I also would have enjoyed a confrontation between him and Schuyler. However, this was still a great book and is one of those stories that will stick with you long after you are done reading it. (less)

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Nov 06, 2012 Emily rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I first heard about this book, my immediate reaction was: “Ugh. With an English teacher no less. Why is it always the English teacher?” Yet…intrigued by the generally positive reviews, I decided to read the book despite my reservations. As I started it, I appreciated the main character, Carolina (aka “Nine”), because she seemed smart, quick-witted, and independent-minded. I enjoyed her voice, even as her affair with her teacher began. His name: Mr. Mann – seriously. The scene in which he fi...more When I first heard about this book, my immediate reaction was: “Ugh. With an English teacher no less. Why is it always the English teacher?” Yet…intrigued by the generally positive reviews, I decided to read the book despite my reservations. As I started it, I appreciated the main character, Carolina (aka “Nine”), because she seemed smart, quick-witted, and independent-minded. I enjoyed her voice, even as her affair with her teacher began. His name: Mr. Mann – seriously. The scene in which he first appears and Nine is blown away by his teaching (he writes “Emily Dickinson is God” on the board in all caps and informs the class they’ll be “killing poetry”…WOW!) has to be one of the most hilariously cliché teaching scenes I’ve ever read.

That said, I distinctly remember being similarly awestruck by one of my young male “brilliant” professors in college, so despite my snickering, I let it pass and continued to read. In general, although entirely inappropriate, their relationship seems genuine, and despite Nine’s overly dramatic renderings of both him and their love which I attributed to her age (“each minute in his classroom is a sanctuary,” his apartment number – yep, #9 – is “the perfect number,” the “new language” that comes up inside her when she first touches his face, how “drunk” she gets “on contact with his skin,” etc.), I was still pretty entertained.

Then Mr. Mann inexplicably calls off their relationship, marries someone else, and Nine goes CRAZY. At this point in the story, they’re also having sex (he waits until she’s 18, thank god), so her emotional and physical investment is significant. However, she goes CRAZY, and while I can appreciate the depth of her hurt and rage and indignation, reading the last half of the book was like watching a slow train wreck. She stalks him, takes significant personal risks, loses a prestigious scholarship she’s earned, causes a truly alarming scene at a local poetry reading and, at the lowest point, endangers the life of her best friend who very nearly dies. She’s as obsessed and self-destructive as Bella Swan. Thankfully, Nine eventually manages to pull it together after getting some honest, but unsatisfying answers from Mr. Mann.

There’s certainly something attractive about wanting what you can’t have, so I can see why this might appeal to teen readers. I can also see how this book might be read as a “live and learn from you’re your mistakes” kind of tale. Personally, I didn’t find much wisdom here. Rather, I found Teach Me, particularly Nine’s behavior, disheartening.
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Sep 08, 2012 Emma rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-that-i-near-hated

So I ran out of books to read (unforgivable, right?) before my next library haul and this book was just sitting by my sister's bed and I though "well, why not?" And this folks is why you don't pick up books arbitrarily.

To begin with, I feel confident in assuming that we've all had that one teacher crush at some point in our lives, yet there is a very obvious line that you DO NOT cross and Nine went and leaped over that line with nary a thought.

However, I don't think it was the student-teacher...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Bianca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: feminism, good-book, female-narrator, romance, love-triangle, unique, young-adult

I don't know why I'm rating this 4 stars, but I am. Maybe because in a way, the book was attractive. Instead of reviewing the book, I'll just tell you what I did and did not like about it.

Did not like:
The first 50 pages
Why?
Because they were confusing and made almost no sense.
Did not like:
How co-dependent Carolina was with her teacher.
Why?
I get that she loved him, but she still did have a life, and parents, and an awesome best friend.
Did not like:
Mr. Mann -the teacher-'s excuse for breaking up wi...more

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Jul 02, 2012 Ida Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a must-read for anyone who has experienced an overpowering, out-of-the-universe crush on a High School teacher. Unless you have an abnormally profound passion for Astronomy, the intensity of a teenage girl’s emotional spectrum or simply like the idea of Emily Dickinson on Seville Marmalade, I would probably not recommend you to read this book and rather run screaming to Mongolia. Fortunately, I think most of us can relate to that High School moment when Mr. X came sweeping through t...more This book is a must-read for anyone who has experienced an overpowering, out-of-the-universe crush on a High School teacher. Unless you have an abnormally profound passion for Astronomy, the intensity of a teenage girl’s emotional spectrum or simply like the idea of Emily Dickinson on Seville Marmalade, I would probably not recommend you to read this book and rather run screaming to Mongolia. Fortunately, I think most of us can relate to that High School moment when Mr. X came sweeping through the classroom door and The Police started echoing through the biology lessons for circa the rest of the year. No? Not? Just me? Oh... *heads for Mongolia*
Nine, our beloved protagonist, is intense. The novel is basically a stream-of-consciousness print-out from the mind of this INTENSE, science-addicted, INTJ, too-smart-for-her-own-good teenage girl. And she knows it. She knows just about everything. That is, until a certain Mr. Mann comes sweeping (“don’t stand, don’t stand, don’t stand so close to me”) and her senses are blown into the depths of the Sombrero Galaxy. Luckily for Nine, Mr. Mann doesn’t seem to listen much to Sting and is actually willing to sacrifice his cholesterol levels sky-rocketing just to be with her. There is passion, there is marmalade, there are Alabaman fields, and there is… intensity. Until there isn’t and Nine is left as pretty much just a number. With marmalade, though, thank heavens, because things get a little… intense.
I loved this book, and yes – I can relate to the main character. Not only because we could probably spend years discussing the best teacher-stalking strategies, but because I could sing right along to Nine’s introverted, raw and original voice. I love the writer’s exaggerated ironic humor and especially his extraordinary way of describing Alabaman architectural styles. Also, being a geeky science chick myself, I like the references to Astronomy and physics. The book is easy to read (though not always easy to follow) and will definitely stir your teacher-crush hormones if that’s something you can relate to. If not – hwell, visit your nearest teachers’ lounge and see for yourself.
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Jun 13, 2012 Laurie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: guilty-pleasure, library-books, i-don-t-know-if-young-adults-should

As any girl who had an obsessive crush on her high school teacher, I picked this up from synopsis alone. Carolina is a high school senior that has a crush on her English teacher. Only this relationship is going to go somewhere! Sweet, time to live out a never realized fantasy! Only...no. WIth this book, that is not the kind of story you are going to get.

This story gets intense, almost suspenseful, pretty quickly. It is an emotional mystery who-dun-it (or in this case, why-dun-it) sort of tale o...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Emily rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: can-t-put-down

I really, really enjoyed this book. A few reviewers mentioned that Nine was a bit 'too intense and introspective' for a 17 or 18-year-old. I think almost exactly like Nine, however. I am just as introspective and my emotions really feel that strong, though I have never lashed out with such anger like she has. I could really relate to her and feel her pain. It was mentioned in the book that Nine thinks 'differently' from other people; that's true with me too, and that is probably why people can't...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Karin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teacher-student-affairs, teachers, high-school, relationship-problems, relationships, first-love, young-adult-fiction, disturbing, insanity, borrowed-from-the-library, realistic, revenge

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Nine (Carolina) has never bothered herself with high school boys. She’s too smart, she’s too individual, and she’s too picky. None of them has ever sparked any kind of interest in her. No one in her high school has – until she meets the new poetry teacher, Mr. Mann. He’s brilliant, he admires her intelligence and her wit, and she develops an intense crush on him. It seems her every wish is going to be fulfilled when she learns that he shares her feelings. They begin meeting secretly so they can...more Nine (Carolina) has never bothered herself with high school boys. She’s too smart, she’s too individual, and she’s too picky. None of them has ever sparked any kind of interest in her. No one in her high school has – until she meets the new poetry teacher, Mr. Mann. He’s brilliant, he admires her intelligence and her wit, and she develops an intense crush on him. It seems her every wish is going to be fulfilled when she learns that he shares her feelings. They begin meeting secretly so they can talk, and kiss, and make love away from prying eyes. Carolina, who had so many plans for herself after high school, finds herself writing Mr. Mann into all of these plans. He seems happy to be a part of her life. And then, he cuts her off without any explanation, saying that they can’t be together any more. And then she sees his wedding announcement in the paper, and starts plotting her revenge. What Richard Mann can’t seem to understand is Nine’s insatiable desire to figure out why he’s dropped her. If he’d just clear up the mystery, she’d be able to move on.

I think most people experience some kind of insanity when they go through a bad breakup. Most of us will not take it to the extremes that Nine does – we aren’t going to stalk, and humiliate, break into anyone’s apartment, or pretend to shoot our exes. But we may recognize her feelings – hurt, frustration – and her desire to do something, anything to fix it.

The topic is kind of hands-off – an underage girl fornicating (!!) with an older man (Mr. Mann is supposedly in his early thirties) who is her teacher. There’s a lot of taboo there. But their relationship, however forbidden, seems to be a union of equals. Emotionally and intellectually Carolina and Richard Mann seem well-matched. He’s lived longer, but he’s still somewhat adolescent; she’s an actual adolescent, but she’s much more grounded and self-assured. People may be reluctant to believe that such a thing can exist. This is not a story where things get all creepy and dark because one party is forcing the other party into doing something s/he feels is wrong. It does get weird because Carolina is so upset and hurt when Mr. Mann calls it off. A fascinating read for older teens who like a bit of the crazy mixed in with their romances.(less)

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Nov 14, 2011 Chelsea rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I struggled with how to rate this book because it was simultaneously a good, interesting read, and a bizarre, over-the-top one. The narrator, Nine (Carolina) is a teenage girl that begins having an affair with her English teacher, Mr. Mann. At first, I loved Carolina's voice and the way she thought-- she acted much more mature than her peers, and her mind seemed very open and emotional. The author progresses the two characters' relationship in a way that makes the readers empathize with Nine and...more

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Jan 18, 2011 Leah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

From the start, TEACH ME enraptured me with its evocative language. R.A. Nelson has a poetic sensibility, effortlessly drawing metaphors from astrophysics in spare, luminous prose. There's something of the spirit of Emily Dickinson in Nelson's writing, which is fitting, as Dickinson's work figures prominently in the book. Even the chapter titles read like poetry. One chapter in particular stands out: titled "Heat Death of the Universe," it contains a single devastating sentence.

The plot is stra...more From the start, TEACH ME enraptured me with its evocative language. R.A. Nelson has a poetic sensibility, effortlessly drawing metaphors from astrophysics in spare, luminous prose. There's something of the spirit of Emily Dickinson in Nelson's writing, which is fitting, as Dickinson's work figures prominently in the book. Even the chapter titles read like poetry. One chapter in particular stands out: titled "Heat Death of the Universe," it contains a single devastating sentence.

The plot is straightforward: high school teacher and student fall for each other; affair ends badly; student embarks on a vengeful quest to understand why.

Our heroine Carolina ("Nine") is a believable teen, strong-willed, precocious, passionate, flawed. Her love interest, Mr. Mann, I found less believable. While Mr. Mann starts out as the fiery nonconformist who inspires even his most disinterested students to pay attention, by the end he's an insipid, cringing character.

TEACH ME is strongest in its sensuously suspenseful first act, where we know Nine and Mr. Mann end up together, but not how. Nelson gets into Nine's headspace frighteningly well: the heroine's voice convincingly captures her "girl-woman"-ness, as she sagaciously refers to it. Mr. Mann's inner conflict is less clear, and is part of why the ending falls short.

Unlike other reviewers, I think Nine's revenge quest for answers is realistic and understandable: this is her first real relationship, an intense and bewildering experience. She's an analytical, science-minded girl; she has to understand how things work, why things happen. She's not content to just be told, "Because."

My main disappointment lies with the novel's third act. Nelson gives Mr. Mann easy outs: a reason why he has to dump Nine that neither of them can change; a way to symbolically redeem himself. Demystifying Mr. Mann's allure by revealing the ordinariness of his life seems a cheap way to humiliate him; I don't buy it as Nine seeing him for who he truly is, but authorial intrusion. And considering the emotional and intellectual connection the two share, it's far-fetched that Mr. Mann doesn't realize breaking it off with Nine without telling her why is going to cause so much trouble.

While Nine's best friend Schuyler is sympathetic, I also find him overwritten as the cliché uber-geek. What teen knows the etymology of curse words, casually identifies the proper genus and species of animals, and also has encyclopedic knowledge of obscure books and movies that are before his time?

These faults aside, Nelson's beautiful prose and Nine's passionate voice carry the story from arrestingly intense start to anticlimactic finish. Nine remains with me as a sharply-drawn character; Mr. Mann, not so much.(less)

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Nov 22, 2009 Courtney Cook rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is wonderful for all upcoming teachers and teens to read. Set in a small town in Alabama, Carolina becomes obsessed with her English teacher, Mr. Mann. Throughout Carolina’s senior year, the two become romantically involved, just to have Mr. Mann get married to his legitimate girlfriend before the school year is over. I really enjoyed this book. Be warned however, it is consuming! Carolina reminds me of the bored senior I was in high school and Mr. Mann reminds me of that one good-look...more

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Jul 16, 2009 David Valliere rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I should mention that I am a male high school teacher in training; my review will be biased because of this, despite my love of science-related imagery.
Teach Me is a book about a very taboo relationship. A young, female, virgin student falls for an inspired, involved, male teacher. Still, despite its inclination toward what is considered to be socially unacceptable, this novel is written very well. The main character, channeling her NASA-employed father, uses astronomical, astrological, and eve...more

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Jul 02, 2009 Meryl rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people interested in dirty relationships and disappointment.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. "Teach Me" was actually something that my sister checked out of the library and then passed on to me because she hated it and couldn't finish reading it. So I thought I'd give it a shot. My sister was right, mostly... Unfortunately.

The problem, to start off, was that the narrator, Carolina, was such a dweeb and I couldn't even bother to try to like her. In the beginning, I thought she was hiding a dark secret as in "I'm pregnant" or "I'm a lesbian". When it turned out to be something as icky as...more

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Jun 04, 2009 Steph Su rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Love, obsession, and revenge all come together in this dizzying and sensuous tale. In her senior year of high school, Carolina “Nine” Livingston falls hard for her new English teacher, the beautiful, poetry-loving Mr. Mann, who quotes Emily Dickinson all the time. Mr. Mann makes Nine feel things she didn’t even know she could feel, and she believes that the two of them will one day live together, marry, and go on their dream honeymoon.

Then a sudden announcement from Mr. Mann changes everything....more

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Jun 28, 2011 Kimberly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 52-books-in-52-weeks-2011

Uncomfortable topic? Yes. Well written? Yes.

Carolina "Nine" begins a parent's nightmare of having an affair with her
teacher, the complicated, tortured and sensitive Mr. Mann. As the
romance intensifies, and then abruptly ends, Nine must deal with the
consequences and face who they were to each other; great loves or
mr./mrs. right now. As with most teenage breakups, this one is full of
drama, loathing, conflicted feelings and anger. But unlike most, because
of the taboo situation, it adds another laye...more

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Feb 22, 2013 Berny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have mixed feelings about this book, but overall I like the story. Mind you I read it at a point in my life when I had gone through a terrible breakup and was only just beginning to go into the madness Nine starts out in the book. That raw despair and anguish that sometimes leaves you flat on the floor without any desire to move while others it makes it impossible to sit still. So, yes, this book is linked to a personal experience and all the feelings that brought along.

-Semi-Spoilers Ahead-

Wh...more

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Oct 12, 2012 Maesie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult

Not a fan of short, abrupt sentences.

The first pages were a drag - I didn't know if it would get any better so I just went on, cringing at Nine's vocabulary. The way she talks, the way she thinks, it's all new to me, outside my comfort zone.

Until Mr. Mann showed up and it was smooth sailing from there. He really does pull you in, something about him, inside him that makes you fall, hook line and sinker. This 'older guy' who gives you all the attention, picks you out in the sea of high school st...more Not a fan of short, abrupt sentences.

The first pages were a drag - I didn't know if it would get any better so I just went on, cringing at Nine's vocabulary. The way she talks, the way she thinks, it's all new to me, outside my comfort zone.

Until Mr. Mann showed up and it was smooth sailing from there. He really does pull you in, something about him, inside him that makes you fall, hook line and sinker. This 'older guy' who gives you all the attention, picks you out in the sea of high school stereotypes. But it's more than that, I think.

Nine is not one of my favorite characters but I felt for her. I know the feeling when somebody takes you up and you feel like you can fly, really do anything because you're blinded by the bright light of happiness, that you don't see the horizon dropping and suddenly you're free falling. And you hang on what little is left and you try to understand what or why or where exactly it went wrong. You won't stop until you get any semblance of answer, running wild with blind anger.

Schuyler, Nine's dorky bestfriend, for me, he shone. Not like the head-splitting bright shine, the one that softly lights up. He's not the alpha male type. He doesn't drive. He's the opposite of Mr. Mann. Quiet but strong.

It was a good read though not one you'd fish out your bag on a moving van for other morning commuters to see. It's the 'chaser' between the inebriating liquor, the fleeting moment between the pleasing burning on your throat whenever you knock back a glass of brandy.

Highlights:

What if I've let too much of myself out? ... Maybe he wants someone else. Someone more, someone less, someone braver, stronger, weaker, wilder, crazy, pretty, sane -

What if his whole life he has pretended to be someone else, whoever he needed to be? Maybe it's all a kind of survival mechanism. And the by-product of his survival is this: he makes you fall for him - that's how he survives it. How he survives life, love, anything. Maybe he's like that all the time..

Why do people need other people so much? Why can't we just do our work and go home? Why do we have to talk and touch and dream together?(less)

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Jun 15, 2009 Rhiannon Hart rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Carolina "Nine" Livingstone, an apt name for the daughter of a physicist, takes a poetry unit for her last semester of high school thinking it will give her a broader scope on life. It does that all right. For while Nine has plenty of smarts, she's not so accomplished when it comes to relationships. Nine falls for the new poetry teacher hard and fast, and it isn't long until Mr Mann begins to respond to Nine's hankering to be taught.

What surprised me when I picked this book up from the library s...more

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About R.A. Nelson

R.A. Nelson is the author of the novels TEACH ME and BREATHE MY NAME, both nominated to the YALSA Best Books for Young Adults list. Nelson’s third book is DAYS OF LITTLE TEXAS, coming out on July 14 with Knopf. He is working on his fourth book, THROAT, slated for Fall 2010, also with Knopf.

Nelson was chosen as a Horn Book Newcomer in 2005 and his books have been recognized by the New York Public L...more

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Quotes from Teach Me

“This is the thing about life I've never really understood until now: we try so hard to control it, but bad things happen anyway. The only real control is an anti-control, a letting go.” — 36 people liked it

“There is not a name for what I'm feeling. There is no description for it.
To call it yearning would be like calling the ocean water.
Whatever this thing is, it shoves you inside itself and you can't measure its boundaries because they go too far and you don't have enough time. Or you move toward the boundaries and they move away.
There has been an earthquake in my life.
Catastrophic, civilization-ending.” — 33 people liked it

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