Kenneth Chanko

year in books

Kenneth Chanko’s Followers (31)

member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
member photo
Jonathan
7,894 books | 120 friends

Shannon
24,922 books | 240 friends

Lucas C...
17,369 books | 409 friends

Wiscons...
271 books | 208 friends

Mosab A...
759 books | 1,074 friends

G Allen...
164 books | 2 friends

Katie S...
339 books | 51 friends

Deziree...
214 books | 35 friends

More friends…

Kenneth Chanko

Goodreads Author


Born
in Manhattan, The United States
Website

Genre

Member Since
May 2012

URL


Kenneth Chanko's debut novel, "Exit Tickets," was inspired by his ten years of teaching in Manhattan and South Bronx public schools. A former entertainment journalist whose byline has appeared in The New York Times, New York magazine and Entertainment Weekly, Chanko switched careers in 2005 to become a New York City public school teacher.

"Exit Tickets" has been hailed by Publishers Weekly as "a powerful, realistic portrayal of life in the American public education system," with the novel being awarded PW's "Editor's Pick" in its January 12th, 2026, issue. And Kirkus Reviews has praised it as "a masterful tapestry of strife and resiliency." Chanko is currently working on a sequel to "Exit Tickets."

Please visit: www.kennethchanko.com
...more

Average rating: 4.25 · 28 ratings · 17 reviews · 1 distinct workSimilar authors
Exit Tickets

4.25 avg rating — 28 ratings — published 2025 — 3 editions
Rate this book
Clear rating

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

Rubber Room Writings

If I hadn’t been arrested on Valentine’s Day in 2014, you wouldn’t be reading this. There’d be no blog because there’d be no book.

Not that I want to spoil your reading of my debut novel—I know you’re eager to get your hands on "Exit Tickets" (pub date: Nov 18)—but that agonizing experience provided me with the time to start scribbling and informed the plot of "Exit Tickets."

Not, however, while I w Read more of this blog post »
 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on November 14, 2025 04:41 Tags: the-origin-story-of-exit-tickets
Plain Air: Sketch...
Rate this book
Clear rating

 
The Missing Half
Kenneth Chanko is currently reading
by Ashley Flowers (Goodreads Author)
Rate this book
Clear rating

 
An Incomplete His...
Rate this book
Clear rating

 

Kenneth’s Recent Updates

Kenneth Chanko entered a giveaway
Nymph by Sofia Montrone
Nymph
by Sofia Montrone
10 copies available, ends on July 01, 2026 Enter to win »
Exit Tickets by Kenneth Chanko
"This book was interesting, but I kept wondering why Mr. J didn't shut Kandra down much earlier when she started pushing the boundaries, and why he didn't bring his concerns to an authority figure.

It's NYC in 2007 and Mr. J is trying his hand at teac" Read more of this review »
Exit Tickets by Kenneth Chanko
Exit Tickets by Kenneth Chanko
"
Exit Tickets by Kenneth Canto is a character-driven debut novel told from multiple perspectives, set in a New York City public school over the course of a year. The story centres on Martin, a new teacher dealing with personal grief, and Kandra, a tro" Read more of this review »
Kenneth Chanko is on page 15 of 195 of Plain Air
Plain Air by Michael Martone
Rate this book
Clear rating
Kenneth Chanko rated a book it was amazing
The Temple of the Golden Pavilion by Yukio Mishima
Rate this book
Clear rating
A rigorous, almost claustrophobic, 'destruction-as-freedom' narrative, this nihilism-on-steroids novel from Mishima is not easy, but essential. That I read a good chunk of it while recently in Kyoto -- replete with a visit to the titular temple itsel ...more
Kenneth Chanko wants to read
American Metropolis by Tatiana Seijas
Rate this book
Clear rating
Kenneth Chanko wants to read
Israel by Omer Bartov
Rate this book
Clear rating
Kenneth Chanko wants to read
Bluets by Maggie Nelson
Rate this book
Clear rating
Washington Square by Henry James
" OK, *now* you've convinced me that I have to give this one a re-read. ...more "
More of Kenneth's books…
Groucho Marx
“Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.”
Groucho Marx, The Essential Groucho: Writings For By And About Groucho Marx

31471 THE Group for Authors! — 13043 members — last activity Jun 08, 2026 08:19AM
This is a group for authors to discuss their craft, as well as publishing and book marketing.
220 Goodreads Librarians Group — 327100 members — last activity 0 minutes ago
Goodreads Librarians are volunteers who help ensure the accuracy of information about books and authors in the Goodreads' catalog. The Goodreads Libra ...more
34614 Goodwriters for Goodreads — 136 members — last activity May 24, 2015 09:39PM
This is a group for writing pieces and group critique. Feel free to share your writing with others and get feedback on it!
1212190 The First Twenty Pages — 13 members — last activity Apr 21, 2023 05:45AM
This is a group for discussion amongst writers and anyone who helps writers to discuss the process of submitting work for publication. This group allo ...more
No comments have been added yet.