I loved this book. I loved English Literature lessons in high school. If I didn't love my high school English teacher so much I would have loved for it to have been Carol Atherton.

As someone who still takes in the works from their time at school be that the work of Thomas Hardy, the poetry of Maya Angelou and the plays of Priestley which is covered in this book I was intrigued by this book as I fondly recall the books I enjoyed during my time in education and this book certainly took me back and made me think about what we take except subtext from the books we study.

Short essays that cover a range of books that are traditionally covered in classrooms, this book certainly gives you pause for thought and reminds you something is never 'just something'. There is thoughts, ideas and meaning in words and this is made clear from the first essay, 'My Last Duchess' which is definitely a poem I never got to study but now want to go and read because that seems something that I missed out on.

Atherton's own personal experience fusing with the ideas brought to light by these stories are a revelatory and brilliantly delivered, leaving you wanting to read more books right there and then but also wanting to take your time to take in every word. I appreciated also being able to read about books my parents got to take in in school as well, for example 'A Kestrel for A Knave'.

A fascinating read that delives into high school english classes with a new perspective, I really enjoyed this book about books.

(Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!)

When I first heard about the premise for Carol Atherton's 'Reading Lessons', I felt a mixture of excitement and envy, the latter because, as a fellow English teacher, I wished I'd come up with this idea first: a book about the lessons taught by the texts studied in English classrooms. However, after reading Atherton's book, I couldn't be anything other glad that she has written it, as she has done a far better job than I ever could have!

'Reading Lessons' is a love letter to English teaching which combines memoir and literary criticism to offer powerful insights on a wide range of commonly taught texts, from Great Expectations and Lord of the Flies to Noughts and Crosses and The History Boys. Atherton's interpretations of these texts are frequently revelatory, whether exploring Macbeth through the prism of childlessness and infertility, or considering Jamila Gavin's Coram Boy from her perspective as an adoptive parent. Her readings are responsive to issues in our current world: for instance, she connects the toxic masculinity of Robert Browning's 'My Last Duchess' with the violent misogyny of Andrew Tate, and reflects on To Kill a Mockingbird in the light of more recent discussions of race. The book made me eager to revisit some texts I thought I knew inside out, and also to seek out some for the first time which I'd previously dismissed and dated and irrelevant, such as Barry Hines's 'A Kestrel for a Knave.' I loved her descriptions of the many - often dead - authors of these books as 'shadow colleagues' who are also teachers in their own right. But arguably the real stars of the book are her pupils: Atherton is clearly an amazing teacher, and she includes many of their profound, original and witty comments which made me long to spend time in her classroom.

The book was full of moments that made me chuckle in recognition (on the name of the town in Of Mice and Men: "Miss, it says Weed! Thanks, Steinbeck") or nod in agreement, particularly the afterword where Atherton describes the many threats English faces today and makes an impassioned case for its continued importance. She is honest about the challenges all teachers face, from classroom management to handling contentious discussions sensitively with an awareness of pupils' "emotional hinterland", but also about the joys and rewards of being an English teacher. Every English teacher is going to love this book and I want to share it with all of my department, but I hope it finds a much wider audience too: I want my family and friends to read it so that they can understand a little more about the job I do and why I love it so much; I want politicians, policy-makers and commentators to read it as it offers a much-needed contribution to our national conversation about the value of different types of learning in an ever-changing world. And I know that it is a book that I will want to return to time and time again for all the wisdom it contains. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC to review.

*I received a copy of this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

"Reading Lessons" by Carol Atherton is a heartfelt manifesto that dives into the transformative power of literature in the grand classroom of life. In her exploration, Atherton serves as both guide and confidant, drawing on her extensive experience as a secondary school English teacher. She eloquently argues for the crucial role of classic texts—ranging from Shakespeare's tragedies to modern novels like "Noughts and Crosses"—in sparking meaningful dialogue and building the moral fabric of society. The book is not just an ode to the written word but also a tribute to the educators who, often against the tide of an evolving educational landscape, champion the importance of critical thinking and empathetic understanding through literature.

Despite its noble sentiments and the clear expertise Atherton brings to the table, the narrative's rhythm occasionally succumbs to a certain academic aridity, potentially dimming the luminosity of its message for readers seeking a more casual engagement with the topic. Nonetheless, the book stands as a well-articulated defense of reading's place at the core of both personal growth and social discourse. While "Reading Lessons" may not have resonated deeply with every book lover, its earnest appeal for the nurturing of literary appreciation is both a timely and timeless conversation worth having.

3.5/5

I always loved English Literature and drama in school so when I saw the description for Reading Lessons I had to read it.

Reading Lessons is like having an English literature lesson as an adult but a lot more in depth. You can tell that Carol is not only great at her job but has a life long love of literature and how the materials transcend time. I recognised so many of the texts she talked about from my GCSE's and now I wish I had paid more attention.

I love how she weaves in the opinions and feedback from her students as she describes the texts but also cross references them to topics today that I never would have thought of. When she compared the attitudes of the characters in An Inspector Calls to the attitudes of people in power during COVID my mind was blown.

I felt that sometimes I would have liked a bit more of how the lessons in the texts fitted into her personal life like the story she told in the first chapter where she visited a school friend in hospital.

It's not a read in one sitting book, in fact it's a lot nicer to read it chapter by chapter and take time to absorb the lessons (and frantically add the texts to your TBR!)

A wonderful mix of autobiography, literary criticism, and a study of secondary level teaching.
Atherton takes books that feature heavily on exam board reading lists and then looks at them via themes informing the litcrit with world views.
I love books like this and will go back to some old favourites with new thoughts and opinions.

'Reading Lessons' is a beautiful, thoughtful, vital book about the importance of stories, and I loved every page. Atherton, an English teacher with a passion for literature, has spent her life teaching students all manner of novels, and trying to imbue in them the same love that she clearly has for books. I'm a librarian (and author), and I currently manage a Secondary school library. Ink runs in my veins, just like Atherton's I suspect, and I've loved books all my life. Atherton takes us through a selection of the novels and poems she has taught over her career, and for each one she explains it's importance, and how she tried to teach this to her students. Her story is fascinating and moving and one everybody should read, but especially any teacher of English who might be wondering if there's any point to what they're doing...there's every point!

Teaching English is not an enviable gig in some ways - children, and in particular, teenagers, can be difficult to wrangle and to work with. What is needed behind this is emphasised beautifully in this book - the passion behind teaching and caring for what you read. There are so many lessons to be learnt from literature, and I do think that we sometimes ignore the things that lie within - cheapening older texts as redundant.

Atherton breathes a lovely new life into these texts, and I can only hope those who need to read them most find this book and are inspired to look into them again. The wonder that accompanies reading so many of these titles for the first time is captured beautifully in this book, and it forms past of this brilliantly.

I do think it would have been nice to include a couple of left field books that aren't school studies- there would have been some fantastic scope to see some of the lesser known titles that are frequently circulated in schools. It would have also been great to see a bit more in terms of the titles discussed - but all in all this is a lovely book that is clearly written with a great deal of passion, and it shows.

So excited to have had the chance to read this book early - such a fascinating and thought-provoking read!

At first I thought this might be a book I enjoyed slowly over a few weeks, dipping in and out, but in fact I inhaled it in a couple of days.

In “Reading Lessons”, Carol Atherton, a secondary school English teacher, looks at many of the books, poems and plays typically covered in high school, and explores each of these in turn, talking in particular about the lessons they teach us as we grow up with them.

She touches both on the impact these had on those of us who were at school in the 90s and 00s, not shying away from some of the hardest-hitting themes, and also on the one they have on the children of today, looking at how these classic texts’ messages find meaning in the present day culture.

There were so many texts covered I’d read at school and so enjoyed reading and reminiscing about, and some I hadn’t read that have gone straight on my list! I found myself really looking forward to seeing what was next and found this so readable and so fascinating.

With thanks to Netgalley for the early copy of this book.
I loved this book. I wish Carol Atherton had been my English teacher! This book was really easy to dip in and out of which was helpful as I often needed a period of reflection after each essay. I would really recommend it to anyone who loves books and likes to read books about books.

Thank you Penguin, Carol Atherton and Netgally for the ARC. Reading this book has been an honour and a privilege!

Stumbling onto “Reading Lessons” was mere chance and scrolling through upcoming titles, that if I hadn’t stopped to click it because of the title and cover, I would have missed probably what will be in my top 10 books of 2024. A nonfiction book, too! I went into this book expecting a dry literary analysis of the works students all over the world study in English Literature, and I ended up in tears only after chapter one. There were other moments in the book where I either got teary-eyed or straight up had to stop reading so I can stop crying, and then went back to reading and crying some more. Last chapters and afterword, I’m looking at you! Even after I got the approval email from Netgalley I didn’t immediately start “Reading Lessons”, I was burned out and disappointed from the books I was reading before that, but once I started “Reading Lessons”, I couldn’t stop. The writing and voice of the author are so captivating and inviting. I wanted to know more about the world and English Literature through the eyes of the author. About them as a person and as a teacher, how they tackle different topics and books, and difficulties in the classroom.

Even if you’re not familiar with a literary work or author,Atherton gives you a good summary of both what the work is about and what are the major themes and points of interest. They also offer - at least for me - different interpretations on these literary works. For examples, I hadn’t thought of this analysis of Lady Macbeth or the whole of “Macbeth” before this. This book also made me want to reread “Great Expectations”, and I had the worst time having to read Dickens in university. Now I’m craving revisiting Pip’s journey.

“Reading Lessons” was a pleasure to read, very insightful and a delight. I myself am an English Major and I love reading and studying literature but teaching is not for me. Yet I have nothing but respect and admiration for teachers. The reason why I did an MA in English Literature is because I had an inspiring professor in university, who supported me through my MA. It’s abundantly clear that Atherton both loves her job and is great at it. I am envious of the students who got to learn under her, and got to experience first hand what was described in the book.

This is a nonfiction book about literature and literary analysis, both in and outside the classroom. It offers an insight of the educational system (primarily in the UK), but this is also a great, beautifully written memoir. I recommend this book wholeheartedly, and hope it encourages more people to read and enjoy books, or reevaluate the role teachers play in our lives and society.