Teacher ManTeacher Man
Score Modern
What it's about
Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes, tells about his thirty years teaching English in New York public schools, starting at a tough vocational high school where students would do anything to avoid work. Unsure of himself, he learned to teach by telling stories about his own Irish childhood, and by trying anything that worked, like having students write excuse notes for imaginary crimes.
Why it's worth reading
It hit #1 on the New York Times list. It's a funny, tender tribute to teaching.
You'll love it if you liked
'Tis
Angela's Ashes
How to Read a BookGood to know
It's the third of McCourt's memoirs but stands alone.
By the numbers
- Readers7 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller46 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #280 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #1473 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #2674 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
More by Frank McCourt
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John Adams
The Year of Magical ThinkingExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →Quick answers
Is Teacher Man worth reading?
Yes. It hit #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #2,674 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 56.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Teacher Man about?
Frank McCourt, author of Angela's Ashes, tells about his thirty years teaching English in New York public schools, starting at a tough vocational high school where students would do anything to avoid work. Unsure of himself, he learned to teach by telling stories about his own Irish childhood, and by trying anything that worked, like having students write excuse notes for imaginary crimes.
How long does it take to read Teacher Man?
About 7 hours (272 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Teacher Man?
If you liked it, try 'Tis by Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt or How to Read a Book by Mortimer J. Adler.




















