Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

The Priority List: A Teacher's Final Quest to Discover Life's Greatest Lessons

Rate this book
In this poignant and inspiring memoir, a beloved high school English teacher with terminal brain cancer undertakes a cross-country journey to reunite with his former students in order to find out if he made a difference in their lives, discovering along the way what is truly important in life.

At thirty-four years old, David Menasche was diagnosed with brain cancer. Six years later and fifteen years after he began teaching, Menasche suffered a catastrophic seizure that began to steal his vision, memories, mobility, and perhaps most tragically of all—his ability to continue teaching.

But teaching is something David Menasche can’t quit. Undaunted by the difficult road ahead of him, he decided to end his treatments and make life his classroom. Cancer had taken his past and would certainly, at some point, take his future, but he wouldn't allow it to take his present. He put out a call on Facebook and within hours of posting his plan to travel the country, former students now living in more than fifty cities replied with offers to help and couches to sleep on. The lasting lessons he collected on his journey make up The Priority List.

Based on one of Menasche’s favorite lessons, The Priority List is a remarkable book of insights that explores many of life’s biggest themes, such as love, wealth, family, ambition, and friends, and asks us all to consider what really matters.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

46 people are currently reading
1265 people want to read

About the author

David Menasche

4 books4 followers

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
417 (32%)
4 stars
415 (32%)
3 stars
341 (26%)
2 stars
75 (5%)
1 star
18 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews
Profile Image for Mandy.
803 reviews1 follower
September 11, 2014
Okay, first, if someone has a terminal illness it does not automatically mark them for sainthood. I will never understand this way of thinking. Secondly, if a person has a terminal illness I would suggest having someone else write your story. Do not write about how you inspired other people and how great of a person you are as it comes across self indulgent, arrogant and unlikeable. Third, what really bothered me was how he complained about his wife and the wo is me attitude and feel sorry for me because my wife wasn't there for me during my illness. Mr. Menasche would be a very, very difficult man to live with and be married to. He chose his career over family and was a workaholic but glorified it by using the word passion. He spent more hours at work then he did anywhere else AND in his free time he spent with his female co-workers having lunch or playing pool. So, he already pushed his wife away so when he complains she spends too much time on the phone with her mom and sisters when he's home I wanted to tell him, too bad. Maybe if you put her first she would do the same.

I couldn't finish his story. This is the second book I've attempted where a man has a terminal illness and he is writing to inspire other ppl. Here's an idea, LIVE your life to inspire others. Don't write about it and then perhaps you will gain more respect from others and your story will be much bigger.
Profile Image for Amina Hujdur.
776 reviews37 followers
June 1, 2022
Priča inspirisana autibiografskom borbom profesora Davida Menaša sa tumorom na mozgu.
Na vrhuncu svoje karijere predvača na prestižnom američkom univerzitetu, omiljeni profesor književnosti otkrije da ima zločudni tumor na mozgu. Saznanjem počinje njegova borba na profesionalnom, privatnom i emocionalnom planu.
S obzirom da je ostavio velik trag kao prosvjetni radnik objavljuje svojim učenicima da kreće na put po Americ, dok mu oni nude svoje gostoprimstvo u raznim gradovima. Djelo preispituje prosvjetiteljski poziv kao i ulogu jednog profesora u životima mnogih učenika.
Roman pun mudrih misli o prosvjetiteljskom pozivu, ali i primjera kreativnih postignuća jednog nastavnika.
Kao prosvjetnu radnicu, roman me inspirisao i dao mi neke ideje da na kreativan način upotpunim svoj poziv.
Profile Image for Shelleyrae at Book'd Out.
2,588 reviews555 followers
Read
August 5, 2016

I am so torn in regards to this memoir.

There is no doubt David Menasche was a wonderfully gifted and dedicated teacher, his passion for his career and the testimonials of his students prove that. As a teacher myself I am inspired by those colleagues who are not just educators but also mentors to their students. This man's passion for teaching is heartwarming and inspirational and that he made a difference for many of his students is not in doubt. Any teacher, or student, could, and should, learn from Menasche's commitment.

But there were elements of this memoir that made me uncomfortable, decisions he made, not as a teacher but as a person, that I viewed as selfish rather than brave or noble. I feel bad that I am judging him, after all the guy is dying from terminal brain cancer but still..

So, torn.
Profile Image for Donna Craig.
1,104 reviews46 followers
July 14, 2017
I swung between enjoying this book and feeling like the author overdid his personal involvement in his students' lives, his obsession with the job, and his telling of his accomplishments. I don't know; this book was off and on for me. He seemed too into his students, not enough into his home life. It frustrated me to see it coming, and know that it's a true story.
Profile Image for Radmila.
179 reviews36 followers
February 2, 2019
Očekivala sam mnogo više od knjige.
Dok sam je čitala nije mi držala pažnju.
Teška tema, (poneke) dobre misli ali u globalu knjiga koju sam jedva čekala da završim.
9 reviews
January 19, 2015
The story of some of David's last adventures before succumbing to brain cancer is inspiring, but the book itself is fairly dull. The whole thing is vague, most of his story being short recollections of lots of students in restaurants. I did like the comments from former students at the end of most chapters.
Profile Image for Kail.
40 reviews7 followers
April 27, 2014
At the end of The Priority List I found some good wisdom, or rather recognized the wisdom that could be gleaned from this book. First, you don't have to be a spectacular person to be a positive influence. Second, live the day you've got, you don't know how many you've got left. And third, do the positive action today because every positive action you do now is one that can never be taken away from you! I think I have just now realized this very moment that when the student is ready, the teacher appears meme is a universal truth, and the teacher is always us! When we are ready to recognize the knowledge that was always there, we notice it. And here's the big secret, the teacher can be teaching the same material, but each student is receiving the lesson they need! The spectacular teacher recognizes this, and guides the student to their own understanding!
Profile Image for Kelly.
524 reviews
April 16, 2014
I would have gone with 1.5 stars, but decided to round up due to the author's situation. I'm sorry to rate this book in this way, but I really didn't enjoy it. The best parts were when he quoted his favorite authors. A dynamic, committed English teacher does not a writer make.
But more than the writing, was the way I felt reading it. I kept thinking, "This it what others should write about you, not what you should be writing." It irritated me the way Oprah's good deeds do when she's waving them all around. Doing good or being a good teacher is wonderful, but I just felt like he was singing his own praises. Sorry, I'm sure he's a great guy and was a good teacher, but I didn't enjoy reading about either.
Profile Image for Maggie Orgill.
35 reviews
January 24, 2022
I was a student of David Menasche's my junior year of high school. While something in me always knew I would become a teacher, it was his passion that awoke my passion to make a difference in the world. This book was a great read with insight into the person that I knew him to be. It is worth reading to understand the mentality of a teacher who cares about his students.
Profile Image for Beth Honeycutt.
920 reviews16 followers
December 29, 2014
This was a great book to get me to 75 books for the year! Inspirational story!
Profile Image for Meital Ben-Daniel.
192 reviews12 followers
February 22, 2017
An excellent memoir of Menasche's journey to visit his students, 15 years after he taught them as their teacher. His journey takes place while he is suffering from cancer and is searching for a meaningful "closing" to his impending death. It seems at time morbid, but is full of hope, love, meaning and compassion.
Being a teacher in her first years, I found a lot of hope and drive in Menasche's teaching of his students and the way he looked at life ....
Recommended not only to teachers!
Profile Image for Naomi.
10 reviews1 follower
December 3, 2013
Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy (less perfect than what will be on the store shelves) of this book free through First Reads. But I still loved it.

This book is ridiculously good.It deserves six stars. It is terribly inspiring. It raises important questions. It tells the story of a good man and a great teacher. I hope I can have a teacher as wonderful as he someday.

He's almost at seven years of cancer, practically blind, and he traveled the country and wrote a book about it. A really good book. I mean, come on.

It's just an amazing book. An absolute must read. Must read. Must Read. MUST READ.

Just read it, ok? It's amazing.

Oh, also, I started reading at 11 at night and did not stop until I was done, being a big sleeper and knowing I had to wake up at seven the next morning. So, yeah, it's good.

Edit: I just read the only other review on this great book thus far, by Robin, and I did not copy her "must read" assertion. But I agree(:
Profile Image for Mallory.
262 reviews
March 30, 2014
I feel kind of bad giving this kind of book a low rating...but 2 stars is honest. For being a short book, I found it kind of dragged at parts. I guess I am just not personally inspired by reading about how inspirational he was to his students. Sometimes it even came off slightly self-glorifying. After a while I started completely skipping the little "you are an amazing teacher" sections written by some of his students.

There were some good and interesting thoughts scattered throughout, but overall I just thought this book was OK. I give Mr. Menasche credit for doing good things with his life before and while dealing with a crippling, terminal disease.
159 reviews1 follower
June 9, 2014
Seemed like an attempt to replicate the work of Randy Pausch at the high school level. It's sad that this teacher is terminally ill and losing his sight and mobility. His quest to connect with former students often seems self-focused and he makes his wife seem villain-y without explaining his own less-than-committed behavior. He did not inspire. Enough bashing.
Profile Image for Радослав Симеонов.
Author 2 books14 followers
December 9, 2017
Списъкът с приоритети от Дейвид Менаше е една от книгите, които завинаги остават в сърцето на читателя. Много е трудно да се пише за това произведение. Не е трудно да дам максимална оценка, трудно е да се аргументирам. Страх ме е, че думите, които ще напиша ще са малко, няма да имат силата дори бегло да повлияят така, както Менаше влияе на учениците и читателите си. Но ако нещо научих от тази книга е, че винаги трябва да се опитва.
Времето, което притежаваме не е безкрайно и трябва да изживяваме всеки миг. Ще ми се клишето, че човек трябва да цени малките неща да не беше такова. Ще ми се да не беше изтъркана фраза, която всеки казва, а никой не изпълнява. Ще ми се животът да беше едно безкрайно пътуване, приключение и учение. Колко лесно звучи човек да хване една раничка и да замине нанякъде без посока. А колко малко хора всъщност го правят? Тези хора са за уважение. А какви са ��одбудите им? Дали го правят, защото това е просто техният начин на живот? Или го правят, защото нямат друг избор? Дали не бягат от нещо? Или напротив, стремят се към някаква висша цел? Изправят се срещу себе си?Подбудата на Дейвид е друга, макар и съчетаваща всичко това в едно. Той взима драстично решение, което може да се окажа фатално за него. Но целта му е по-висша, битката е по-трудна, а преживяването по-безценно от всичко, с което сме свикнали да се сблъскваме в ежедневието.
Опитвам се да затворя очи и да стигна до кухнята. А какво е, ако затворя очи и се опитам да стигна сам до Калифорния, при това почти обездвижен? Волята на духа не познава граници. Силата на любовта - също.
Поставих много въпроси, а не отговорих на един. Кой всъщност е Дейвид Менаше? Той е учител по литература в една от най-добрите гимназии в Маями - Coral Reef Senior High School. Запален е по пънка, татуиран и нестандартен във всяко отношение. Той е мечтаният учител за всеки ученик. В очите на учениците си той се явява като един истински будител, вдъхновител, приятел. Години по-късно, когато той предприема пътуването на живота си, осъзнава как е променил живота на възпитаниците си. Книгата е придружена с писма от учениците му до него, с постове във фейсбук, надписи в годишниците. Личи единствено любов и възхищение, каквито може да има само между един преподавател и ученик. Такива, които са изградили истинска връзка помежду си, а не поредната гимназиална формалност.
Време е да слезем на земята. Нищо в този свят не може да бъде съвършено. Не исках да го пиша, но целият този коментар ми седи постен без да изкажа истинският проблем в книгата. Колкото и да е хубава музиката, която се носи със страниците на тази творба, колкото и силно да е изразена любовта към книгите в нея, колкото и мотивираща и разбиваща всички окови на сивия ден да е, трябва да има нещо отвратително, гадно и отчайващо. Рак. Отново тази черна прокоба тегне над думите. Това адско изчадие, което отнема толкова много невероятни хора от земния им път всяка година. Не може без сълзи. Затваряйки последната страници, те просто рукнаха на талази. Това е. „Борбата е безмилостно жестока“, ако мога да си послужа с този велик цитат. Все пак сме хора и свободата има своята цена. Рандъл Макмърфи (главен герой на Кен Киси от творбата Полет над кукувиче гнездо) плати за своята свобода и за тази на вожда с живота си. Но важното е никога да не спираме да се борим. Защото макар и по време на битката, усещаме какво е да живеем.
Всеки от нас, всеки ден е изправен пред множество избори. Всеки гони своите приоритети. А даваме ли си сметка всъщност дали това наистина са нашите приоритети или гоним нечии чужди мечти и желания? Защо не можем да правим това, което ни прави щастливи? Не можем ли? А защо да не опитаме? Толкова е лесно човек да напише приоритети си на един лист хартия и да разбере какво преследва наистина в живота. След това остава да започнем наистина да живеем. Читателю, усмихни се :) Не е като да имаме цялото време на света...
Profile Image for Sharon.
732 reviews25 followers
December 30, 2022
Enjoyable read with plenty of food for thought. The author is an unusual teacher, the kind we need more of. He encouraged his students to think for themselves, to solve issues, to go forward with more confidence and to find their dreams and careers they loved. And many did that.

When he learned he had brain cancer and had limited time to live, he embarked on a trip around the US to visit some of his former students, all the while crippled and nearly blind. The book is tender in a non-sugary kind of way. There is wisdom and kindness within. It's a small book with a lot to say about life and death and all that passes in between.
3 reviews
April 9, 2014

Andrea DeLucia
Ms. Peritore
The Priority List
April 8, 2014
The Priority List by David Menashe is an inspirational true story about what’s really important in life. As a high school honors English teacher in a charter school in Florida, David lived for his work. He dedicated his life to his students and taught them many valuable life lessons. At age thirty four he received a devastating diagnosis of malignant terminal brain cancer. He continued to teach through chemotherapy, surgeries, seizures, and paralysis for six years until his tumor made it impossible to continue. He treated his students with kindness and respect, and they felt love and admiration for him in return. After David Menashe came to the painful realization it was time to leave the classroom, he wanted to reach out to his former students to see how he had affected their lives. He planned a cross country trip and reconnected with many of them who have reached out to him and offered insight into this book, proving that a truly great teacher can make an impact on their student’s lives.
I loved this book for many reasons but most of all for being the kind of teacher that most teachers can only dream of being. Starting with the name The Priority List, this was an assignment given to his class, and many of his students kept their list for many years because of what he meant to them and for how the list helped them to become a better person and reach their full potential. David Menache faced death so courageously, and still always put his students before himself. He helped the kids with social issues and not just English assignments. He knew if one of his kids was having difficulty with their parents, or were gay and afraid to tell anyone. He would talk to them and show kindness. He was never nasty or threatening, even when one of his students came to class drunk. He understood his students better than most of their parents and always made time to listen.
There wasn’t much in this short novel to not like. I never understood or felt good about the relationship he had with his wife and they separated in the end. I didn’t understand if it was a result of his illness, or if she was just insensitive to his needs however his students were much more supportive than she. I also didn’t like the ending because he returned from his trip and was in limbo not knowing where to live or what to do.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is either involved or considering the teaching profession. The strength, determination, and inspiration shown by David Menache is truly amazing. The growth of his students through the years and their outpouring of love towards him will bring you to tears. Every comment written by one of his students shows just how remarkable a person he truly is.

Profile Image for Vera Neves.
97 reviews27 followers
March 23, 2015
Qualquer pessoa que, num qualquer momento da sua vida, já tenha sido aluno, desejou encontrar um professor como aquele que conhecemos neste livro. Não é fácil colocar por palavras as emoções e os sentimentos contraditórios que A Lista de Prioridades nos faz sentir.

David Menasche desde sempre que quis ser professor e fornecer aos seus alunos as bases que lhes permitissem decidir, escolher e seguir um caminho, ao longo das suas vidas. Estimulá-los, fazê-los pensar, dar-lhes as ferramentas para que pudessem fazer opções e lutar pelos seus objetivos. Pelos relatos dos seus ex-alunos, transcritos para o livro e presentes ao longo de toda a leitura, pode dizer-se que o conseguiu fazer e com distinção. É notória a influência que O professor teve na vida de dezenas de pessoas que deram o seu testemunho e em como ele as inspirou a seguir determinado caminho.

Seis anos após ter sido diagnosticado com um tumor cerebral e após cirurgia, dezenas de sessões de quimioterapia e radioterapia, sem nunca ter deixado de dar aulas, David Menasche tem uma recaída e acaba por perder grande parte da visão, autonomia e mobilidade. Aí vê-se obrigado a deixar de lecionar e nesse período é obrigado a fazer um balanço: até aí sente que aguentou tudo porque os seus alunos precisavam dele e ele próprio precisava deles. Analisando as circunstâncias, toma a decisão de fazer uma viagem pelos EUA e visitar ex-alunos e perceber o impacto que teve nas suas vidas. Os constrangimentos e as dificuldades são mais que muitas, mas ele decide que precisa desta viagem e que prefere morrer a tentar do que não a fazer. Abandona os tratamentos e parte nesta aventura, depois de ter publicado no Facebook a sua intenção, dezenas de alunos responderam ao seu apelo e ofereceram-se para o receber.

Este livro conta-nos um pouco sobre a vida de David, sobre as suas escolhas, a sua família, os seus sonhos e objetivos, as suas prioridades. Conta-nos os seus 101 dias de viagem, com passagem por dezenas de cidades por toda a América e visita a dezenas de ex-alunos. É comovente, emocionante e inspirador.

O autor consegue transmitir por palavras a paixão que sempre teve pelo ensino e tudo o que ele representa para si. Faz-nos refletir e repensar sobre as nossas próprias escolhas e decisões. Um livro que poderia facilmente ser adaptado para filme e que deveria ser lido por todos. Recomendo sem reservas.

Nota: A título de curiosidade, o título do livro está relacionado com a Lista de Prioridades, o exercício que David fazia com os seus alunos e que marca o estilo da sua intervenção.
David Menashe faleceu a 20 de Novembro de 2014 e acredito, com o sentimento de dever cumprido. Que descanse em paz.
Profile Image for Eileen.
99 reviews5 followers
January 28, 2014
This beautiful, inspirational memoir should be on everyone's "to read" list. It WILL change your way of thinking about life and what it should mean. I promise!

David Menasche, a devoted husband and gifted teacher, was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 34 and made the decision to live the fullest, most meaningful life possible in the time he had left. As a high school teacher, he had effectively incorporated life lessons into studies of literature, earning the unconditional love and respect of his students. The "spiral" was the initial means by which he described the stages of life and eventual goals to his students. The beginning of the spiral is birth and infancy, when we are focused completely on our own needs and feelings. The end of the spiral, the goal of living, is "when you can empathize with others and act with true respect and kindness because to be here is to care more about others than you care about yourself." From this concept evolved the "priority list," a list of words such as wealth, respect, privacy, security and love, words that can be prioritized and rearranged as we journey through life. Originally the words were used in Menasche's classes to analyze characters in literature, but students were also asked to apply them to their own lives and goals in order to better understand themselves and their motivations. It obviously worked.

Six years after being diagnosed, partially blind and partially crippled on his left side, Menasche was finally forced to give up teaching, but he used this disappointment an opportunity to travel the country visiting former students and friends who welcomed him with joy and open arms. This book is a testament to the idea that life is constantly evolving and changing and that "obstacles" can make the journey more challenging, but not impossible. This is not a memoir about dying, but about life and how far empathy and kindness can go towards making all of the difference in a life. David Menasche is still alive today and settled in New Orleans. He is also on Facebook. Friend him and follow him as he continues his journey through life. H is truly a person who sees the joy in living and loving. We can learn a lot from his outlook.
Profile Image for Petya.
5 reviews8 followers
April 15, 2015
„Той беше един от онези учители, които ти се падат веднъж в живота. Техните уроци ги помниш дълго след като си напуснал класната стая. Той не просто ни учеше, той ни вдъхновяваше.“
Обичам истории за учители и то точно за този тип учители! За тези, които казват за учениците си „Това са МОИТЕ деца!“ Вдъхновяват ме! Зареждат ме! Обогатяват ме!
Дейвид Менаше е такъв учител. Той не просто преподава, той запалва в учениците си плам - да обичат това, което учат. Предизвиква ги да мислят извън стереотипите. Учи ги на достойнство, споделяне, уважение. Вдъхновява ги винаги да дават най-доброто от себе си. Как се става такъв учител? Къде се учи за това? В класната стая. С учениците. Менаше казва: „Аз наблюдавах тези млади хора, учех се от тях и най-важното - изслушвах това, което имат да кажат, и така разработвах нови методи на обучение.“ През цялата си практика той е и учител, и ученик.
Такъв метод е и списъкът с приоритети - ценен инструмент, който често помага на учениците да проумеят какво се случва в живота им. Когато го прилага в часовете, Менаше няма и представа, че именно тези списъци учениците му ще пазят редом с годишниците си от гимназията и че ще продължават да съставят нови и нови. Не е ли това най-голямо признание за един учител, че си е свършил добре работата!?!
„Животът се променя, а с него и нашите приоритети.“
На Менаше му поставят диагноза мозъчен тумор. Категорично смъртоносен. Това е неговият момент за пренареждане на приоритети. Но пак поставя на челни позиции учениците си и преподаването. Почти сляп и наполовина неподвижен, неспособен вече да преподава, отказва болезненото и напълно излишно лечение и решава да изживее малкото време, което му остава, по единствения му известен начин - с радост. А най-голямата му радост е да се увери лично, че е оставил следа у своите ученици, както те у него.
„Списъкът с приоритети“ е малка книжка за големите неща в живота. Доказателство, че учител не е професия, а призвание. И да, определено пренареди моя списък с приоритети. Благодаря ти, Менаше!

Profile Image for Teresa Bateman.
Author 39 books54 followers
February 15, 2014
Most people wonder how they would face death. As a rule we avoid the subject. There are, however, those for whom death is not an abstract future thing, but a more immediate, recognizable entity. When that happens where do you place your priorities? David Menasche was a teacher who sought to inspire his students, and help them recognize their potential. When brain cancer struck he taught as long as he could, then was forced to give up the career he treasured. As a final act of defiance he finally dumped all the treatments and decided to make a journey across the country, visiting old students and seeing where they had ended up. Did his teaching have any impact? Did the priority lists he had his students create make a difference? This book tells of the author's adult life and that journey. It also includes testimonials from former students. Doubtless I'll be criticized for saying that the author is a little self-absorbed and that this book is like one enormous eulogy written in praise of the man who wrote it. That being said, I still found the book absorbing, inspiring, and thought-provoking. Menasche has a fluid manner of writing that brings the reader into his life like an open door. He shows how one can face life's seemingly random trials with courage and fortitude. Many of the thoughts he presents would help others dealing with adversity, and the idea of creating a priority list to determine just exactly what is important to each of us, is valuable. While I occasionally found the book a little maudlin, that may be due to my own priority list which would have placed family before adventure. I still highly recommend this book, and will be passing it along to a fellow teacher who is currently dealing with cancer.
Profile Image for Jason Lilly.
234 reviews42 followers
May 30, 2014
I'll admit, this was an occasionally uplifting read. I admire Menasche's dedication to his students and to the art of teaching. His impact on his students is undeniable, as are the impacts of millions of other teachers in America.

However...

Menasche made some very irresponsible, unprofessional and selfish decisions that really bothered me. He spends a portion of the book concerned that he and his wife are growing apart. And yet... most of his close friends are women... In spite of his growing medical condition and against his wife's wishes, he decides to travel all over the country and visit/crash with former students. His first meetup is in a club where several former students show up... along with a childhood girlfriend he remembers kissing. He even tells her and the room full of students, "I've never forgotten that night!" Menasche, still married, recalls (and maybe even longs for) this moment with an ex-girlfriend just pages after expressing his sadness over the growing distance between him and his wife.

It gets worse... The first student he visits and stays with? A girl. His first outing with her? To visit and smoke weed with a Cherokee medicine man?

I give the book three stars because Menasche is a wordsmith, no doubt. And an excellent storyteller, a strength he admits helped him in the classroom. But he has some growing up to do socially and personally. And if he loved his wife as much as he says he does early in the book, he has a strange way of showing it.
Profile Image for Linda.
132 reviews
February 2, 2014
This is an inspiring book. David Menasche had a job he loved at a Miami charter high school. He was a gifted teacher who taught his students lessons about life as well as poetry and literature. He sounds remarkably effective and I wish I'd been that kind of young teacher. Mr. Menasche was diagnosed with a rare and fatal brain cancer. He continued to teach while suffering the effects of chemo and surgery. He was honest with his students about his prognosis but refused to give in. His health eventually deteriorated to the point where he had to retire and that's when he decided to visit his students all over the country and find out what they'd learned from him and what he could learn from them. It took grit and courage for him to travel via train, plane and bus by himself while being mostly blind and having less than 100% mobility. His experiences along the way are chronicled in this book. Mr. Menasche is still alive seven years after his diagnosis and he certainly shouldn't be according to what doctors know of his type of tumor. I am so glad I read this book. It made me think a lot about the type of teacher I am and also to wonder what my students would say about me. I hope that I get to hear it and not have the congregation hear it at my funeral (which I hope is far, far in the future). Read this book!
Profile Image for Mona.
14 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2014
If only all teachers were like David Menasche!

Thanks to good reviews in NYPL, I decided to read this book. It's a remarkable, honest story of a high school teacher's journey who lives his life according to his passion and conviction--not even terminal cancer can get in the way.

David (Da-VEED) Menasche develops his love for teaching by accident in college and goes on to teach honors English students at a brand new gifted high school in Florida. He exemplifies EXTRAORDINARY in every sense as a teacher, wearing multiple caps(e.g., coach, social worker, motivational speaker, down to earth person) and in doing so, transforms the lives of all his students and those who heard of him.

Brain cancer eventually prevents him from doing what he loves most- teaching, but rather than letting cancer rob him of his life, he seizes the opportunity to take a road trip across the U.S. and visit his students. The choices he makes are courageous and honorable, inspiring all of us to be better people and live more meaningingfully. I can't imagine where I would be today if he were my teacher, all I know is, I would be at a better place.
Profile Image for Leanne.
918 reviews54 followers
March 15, 2014
Thanks Josh for recommending this book to me. It was just what I needed to read this spring break!

David Menasche was a high school English teacher for 15 years who only gave up teaching after his brain tumor left him barely able to see or walk. His book, subtitled "A Teacher's Final Quest to Discover Life's Greatest Lessons," is a mixture of the lessons he taught in his classroom, his journey across the United States to visit past students, letters from those he has taught, and what he has learned and continues to learn as he faces death.

The message that came through clearest to me is that more than any specific subject lesson, students learn and remember how their teacher treated them--the lessons which were taught through the genuine nature of their teacher.

All the educational technology, reform, philosophies, and core curriculum are nothing compared to the power of a passionate teacher. I have yet to hear a student say, "Wow, those lessons objectives posted on the board changed my life!"
Profile Image for Kate Boes.
1 review2 followers
April 14, 2014
Many people would have a negative view of the world after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, but not Menasche. He was able to maintain a positive tone throughout the entire book. This tone made the story inspiring instead of depressing. Even at his lowest points, when he was feeling alone and sorry for himself, he was able to keep going. He transferred this positive energy into his writing. The book left me laughing and smiling at the stories he told. I learned that in life, there will always be something that threatens to bring your spirits down. You have to find something that brings them back up. For Menasche, it was teaching that restored his life; and when he could no longer continue, it was his students who lifted him up again. The Priority List is truly one of the most inspirational books I have ever read. Through Menasche's story, I was able to learn about myself and my own priorities in life.
Profile Image for Allison.
845 reviews26 followers
January 22, 2014
Downloaded this on a snow day after I saw a recommendation on Facebook. It was a quick read. It reminded me in some ways of The Last Lecture and also Tony Danza's story of becoming a teacher. It was so full of passion and energy, it just carried you along with its enthusiasm. The author coping with the death sentence of a brain tumor was a more complete teacher and role model than 99% of the world, healthy. I loved the sections in which he recounted episodes with particular students he had taught and then there would be a tribute from that student, usually recounting the same event from his/her perspective. The only individual who comes off badly in this story is his wife who doesn't appear to have a caring bone in her body.
If you are thinking of becoming a teacher or you want to be uplifted by the story of how one man makes a difference, this is the book.for you.
Profile Image for Angela Holland.
417 reviews53 followers
February 18, 2014
I have to say I really enjoy this book. When I first heard about it I knew at once I wanted to read it. Then when I started it I realized it was not quite what I thought it was going to be but I continued reading and am very glad I did. I could not imagine going through what David is going through and then to stop treatment and leave home without a plan is a pretty brave move. Reading David's story and what he did for his students was worth the read. After reading this book I can only wish that I had a teacher like David who cared as much as he does for each of his students. You can really see his passion for teaching and his students as you continue through this book. I encourage you to pick this book up and give it a chance and then think about your own priority list.
Profile Image for Cathy.
48 reviews
February 24, 2014
I was so excited to read this book. I also was very inspired by Menasche and his devotion and dedication to this students, especially in light of his diagnosis. I am honestly not sure that I ever had a teacher quite that dedicated, although I did have some that I found inspiring and that really cared about me, which seemed to be his gift. I did find myself wanting to know a bit more about the priority lists and didn't feel they played as prominent a role as I thought they might.

Unfortunately, there were some pieces about his personal life and decisions he made that left me less in awe of him than I wanted to be. As another reviewer wrote, I felt torn by the end of the book.

Inspiring teacher though, without question.
Profile Image for Raul.
79 reviews50 followers
February 28, 2014
Sad, moving story with some nuggets of inspiration. But it lacks depth and substance, which is instead replaced by the kind of shallow sappiness that makes this type of book break into the mainstream. I could almost see Oprah reading over my shoulder saying: "Oh, this book is perfect! I have to add this to my book club! It's gonna sell like hot cakes!" For me, the synopsis seemed more interesting than the book itself. The book was just ok. "Tuesdays With Morrie" this is not, to mention an excellent book in the cannon of "influential-and-well-loved-teacher-facing-unjust-terminal-disease-holding-out-for-one-final-life-lesson" literature.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 210 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.