A beautifully written book, part memoir, part meditation, part user's manual—all the parts held together by the personality and reflections of the author who is by turns exuberant, anxious, triumphant, rueful, and always immensely appealing. Anyone who has ever taught will find waiting on the pages of this book the shock, and pleasure, of recognition.
(Stanley Fish, University of Illinois at Chicago 2005)
With humor and pathos, Jim Lang tells a powerful story of his first year as a college teacher, offering a wealth of insights that will help graduate students and new faculty—and maybe even not-so-new faculty—learn to survive and flourish as good teachers. I came away with a renewed appreciation of the very real challenges and opportunities we face as educators.
(Ken Bain, author of
What the Best College Teachers Do 2006)
Jim Lang's account of the ups and downs of his first year of college teaching make me wish I had taken notes during my own first contact with the other side of the desk. That year was longer ago than I care to mention, but I found it suddenly before me with a vividness that I can only attribute to Lang's evocative writing.
(Dennis Baron, University of Illinois 2006)
May become the 'bible' for graduate students and new faculty. Lang's descriptions and analysis sparkle with warmth, humor, goodwill, and honesty. I found myself rooting for him, and viewed him as a mentor, turning the page looking for his very thoughtful advice. I would enthusiastically recommend this book to graduate students, adjunct professors, tenure-track and tenured faculty, and administrators.
(Lynn Sacco, University of Tennessee 2007)
Jim Lang is a great guide whose warm, honest, funny, and poignant book will give advice and comfort to all panicked souls standing in front of a class for the first time, or wondering whether to speak at department meetings with senior professors who seem to know everything.
(Emily Toth,
Ms. Mentor from the
Chronicle of Higher Education 2007)
Lang is a wonderfully engaging writer... he's obviously deeply committed to the craft of teaching and the craft of writing.
(Dr. Erica Dreifus
Adjunct Advocate )
Faculty at all levels will recognize their own experiences somewhere in this short, perceptive, and ultimately entertaining account of academic life.
(Rebecca Manley
Academic Matters )
Lang demonstrates that there are many largely universal survival struggles and self-doubts which are shared in common by most of us embarking on a new career in the academy.
(Alan E. Bayer
Journal of Higher Education )
Offers a lively report on how it looks and feels to shoot the academic rapids today.
(Mary Taylor Huber
Change )
I would not be surprised if [ Life on the Tenure Track] became one of the texts distributed by teaching and learning centers to new assistant professors at orientation workshops. It would serve them well.
(Patricia Donahue
College English )
An interesting and accessible narrative.
(Mark Hulsether
Teaching Theology and Religion )
