It was a good book. Sometimes it was hard to follow who Frank was talking to, but there were some humorous moments.

I had enjoyed Angela's Ashes and Tis, so I thought I might also enjoy Teacher Man. Although it was somewhat slow at the beginning, it was interesting to follow Frank's journey to maturity as both a man and a teacher. I connected most with the classroom and student anecdotes. I relished Frank's sharp tongue when it was directed at the pompous and self-important people he came across (school superintendents, principals, R'lene's husband, etc. Frank also opened his students' eyes by sharing his immigrant experiences and they in turn came to understand each other better as students in the NYC "melting pot" schools.

While most book club members did not like the book, we had a good discussion at book club (which usually happens whether or not we like the book). Of the thirteen who attended, only one member loved the book. She was a teacher and we had some discussion on whether or not that made a difference. Most of our members thought that Frank McCourt had a good story but they did not like his style. They felt he was all over the place and probably wrote the way he talked.

All in all a good discussion but for many, not a great read.

I loved Angela's Ashes and was really looking forward to this story. But the more I read the more whiny I thought he was... I ran out of time to finish it before our book club and after our discussion, didn't bother to finish. I did enjoy some of the classroom stories and immigrant stories but I didn't get the impression he ever enjoyed the life he was living.

Enjoyed parts