Year 3 of my time as a big boy teacher has come to an end and I must say that I have learned so much. This is no surprise as I have been warned this would be the case. “Teachers are learning just as they are teaching.” It’s why teachers are labeled philosophers. God knows I’m feeling it every day. I’m always learning something new and figuring out the best way to teach it to the next flow of students.
For 2024, I’m doing something different. Instead of telling you every story I’ve read each month, I will tell you my top five favorites. So! While I have read twenty-eight books for May, here are my Top 5 favorites.
The Monkey’s Paw by W.W. Jacobs
An oldie but a goodie. The only story on this list that I had to read with my students. Good thing, too, because they loved it. I think next year I’ll teach them how to create suspense around an object which I know will yield wonderful results. I think this is the only story of W.W. Jacobs so that should be my homework for this month.
The Killing Floor by Lee Child
Last time, I read Bad Luck and Fortune because it was the first one I saw; I couldn’t find the first one. Then, I finally found the debut novel and got to work on it after finishing the previous book. I absolutely loved it and it inspired me to try my hand at the genre…later, though.
Exposed: The Ashley Madison Hack by Sophie Elmhirst & Maria Luisa Tucker
The scandal that I knew nothing about Hell, I didn’t even know that the site existed. Strike that, I learned a site like that existed – common sense and all that, but I didn’t know the name or anything about it. But learning about its conception, rise, inevitable fall, and intriguing rebirth was a welcoming treat for me. The questions that the audiobook proposed made a lot of sense and thought-provoking.
Invasive Procedures by Orson Scott Card
One of the few Hard Science Fiction stories that has been my favorite – usually I’m a soft SF kinda guy. Maybe it’s the thriller part of the book or perhaps it’s because of its embodying themes that speaks to me. Either way, this book has me coming back. God, I hope someone turns it into an audio drama of sorts.
The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
This was actually one of my freshman books during my high school years. However, the name didn’t appeal to me so I never read it – big mistake, I know. So, now that I’m in my 30s, I finally read it and just smiled. Another feel-good book where you can literally walk a mile in someone else’s shoes through their memories. Better late than never I suppose.