Boston Athenaeum Readers discussion

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Books about school days...in a way

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message 1: by Carolle (last edited Jun 01, 2015 09:20AM) (new)

Carolle (carolle_robin) | 59 comments Mod
Today on the 2nd floor we put together a display of books titled "No More Teachers, No More* Books...*well, maybe some more books" There is a variety of titles having to do with school, education, growing up, and youth change.
Do you have a memorable book that takes place in a school? A book that helped you form your education?
One that sticks in my mind is Donna Tartt's "The Secret History."

The Secret History by Donna Tartt Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld Blink The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell The Groves of Academe by Mary McCarthy This Is Water The Original David Foster Wallace Recording by David Foster Wallace Up the Down Stair Case by Bel Kaufman Educating Esmé Diary of a Teacher's First Year by Esmé Raji Codell Seize the Day by Saul Bellow The Empathy Exams Essays by Leslie Jamison Mr Tibbits's Catholic School by Ysenda Maxtone Graham


message 2: by Ann (new)

Ann (bostonianbookworm) | 20 comments The Lake of Dead Languages (Carol Goodman)- some similarities with The Secret History because of the connection with dead languages
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Muriel Spark) - Muriel Stark's incomparable wit at its best
Le Grand Meaulnes (Alain Fournier) and Le Petit Chose (Alphonse Daudet) both deal with school children.
Teach like your hair is on fire - non-fiction


message 3: by Willie (new)

Willie | 5 comments Villette by C. Bronte
The Rector of Justin by Auchincloss
A Separate Peace by Knowles
Good Times/Bad Times by James Kirkwood


message 4: by Ann (new)

Ann (bostonianbookworm) | 20 comments Claudine a l'ecole by Colette
Straight Man by Richard Russo (recommended, it had me in stitches)
Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis


message 5: by Carolle (new)

Carolle (carolle_robin) | 59 comments Mod
Colette is wonderful; I forgot about her! Lucky Jim is a riot and on our pile in the display! Thanks!!


message 6: by Carolle (new)

Carolle (carolle_robin) | 59 comments Mod
Of course! The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie! A Separate Peace!


message 7: by Ann (new)

Ann (bostonianbookworm) | 20 comments And then there's the whole sub-genre of mysteries that take place in academic environments.

Gaudy Night by Dorothy L Sayers
The Godwulf manuscript by Robert Parker (with the added bonus that it takes place around Boston)
An unsuitable job for a women by P.D. James

I think there are some books by Reginald Hill in the Dalziel/Pascoe series as well.


message 8: by Ann (new)

Ann (bostonianbookworm) | 20 comments An Academic Question by Barbara Pym

Less than Angels by Barbara Pym


message 9: by Ann (new)

Ann (bostonianbookworm) | 20 comments "The War between the Tates" by Alison Lurie


message 10: by Carolle (new)

Carolle (carolle_robin) | 59 comments Mod
Ann! Thank you so much for all the suggestions! Doug at security is rereading Goudy Night at the moment.


message 11: by Kaelin (new)

Kaelin | 1 comments Death on the Cherwell by Mavis Doriel Hay also features an academic-themed mystery set in a fictitious women's college at Oxford.


message 12: by Ann (new)

Ann (bostonianbookworm) | 20 comments Yes, that's a good one.

"Miss Pym disposes" by Josephine Tey takes place in a women's college for training physical education teachers. And "Shroud for a nightingale" by PD James takes place in the 1970s in a nursing school.


message 13: by Alexandra (new)

Alexandra | 1 comments The Half Brother - novel by a local author.


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