Reading, Writing, and Murder
What novel presents a realistic, comprehensive, laughâ€"untilâ€"youâ€"almostâ€"pee look at an urban elementary school in a middleâ€"class neighborhood in New York City through the eyes of a retiring principal? The answer is Reading, Writing, and Murder.
Here are some of the subjects in the school curriculum:
How to Murder a Teacher in School
How to Conduct an Adulterous Affair
How to Deal with Disruptive Pupils
How to Deal with Complaining Parents and Teachers
How to Dissuade a Pupil Threatening to Commit Suicide
How to Save a Parent Having a Heart Attack
How to be Classified as a Pedophile
How to Celebrate a Principal's Retirement
How to Reminisce on the Good, the Bad, the Ugly
How to Solve a School Murder
Only someone with thirtyâ€"fiveâ€"andâ€"aâ€"half years as teacher, assistant principal, and principal in New York City elementary schools could tell it like it is.
-- Alan Druckman