« The Green Mile | Main Page | Note on Ratings »

Christy

*** By Catherine Marshall. This is one of the most inspiring books about teaching that I've read. The story is based on events in the author's mother's life. At age 19, in 1912, Christy goes to an extremely rural area of eastern Tennessee to be a school teacher. At first struck mainly by the poverty, superstition, and feuding that are a way of life, Christy learns to appreciate the people, especially her school children, for who they are as individuals and as a people. She must also confront things within herself: her vocation, her spiritual beliefs, her first real loves. One of the best things about the writing is the directness and honesty quality. There is no pretention, no self-righteousness. Christy is never right or wrong, she simply evolves. There is also some beautiful imagery that evoke the Great Smokies where the story takes place. And the snips of the people's history are fascinating. The only disappointment is the final chapter, which was the only part of the book that rang false and hokey to me. The rest of it, however, is a very good read. I'd also like to recommend The Water Is Wide, by Pat Conroy. This book, which would probably get 4 diamonds on this page, is a memoir of Conroy's experience teaching school on a small island off the South Carolina coast in the early 70s. Conroy is a brilliant writer and this book rings of even more truth than Christy -- probably because there's no real fiction to it.

Posted by Lisa on October 22, 2001 07:57 AM