Book All the Teachers: An Irreverent Ride Through Middle School

By James Bartlett Parry

Reviewed by D. Andrew McChesney

James Parry spent the majority of his career in education teaching middle school students in Spokane, Washington. The fact that he survived and was able to write about his experiences is testament to his fortitude. From the obviously manufactured page of “blurbs” concerning the book, ie., “Steinbeck, Hemingway, Faulkner, and, now, Parry. A remarkable book: dazzling. James Parry is a treasure. (Signed) James Parry, Author,” and, “This book better sell after all the time you’ve spent on it. (Signed) Lynda Parry, Author’s Wife,” one is immersed in the hilarity and hi-jinks that is middle school. Even the title, Book All the Teachers was inspired by a true incident. Mr. Parry arrived a school one morning to find that someone had spray painted, “(Expletive Deleted) All the Teacher Excep Parry” on the wall. As it would be sometime before a pressure washer could be obtained to remove the offending language, the custodian used his own spray paint to change the obscenity to “book.”

While Book All the Teachers is an over the top hilarious look at Middle School, it is also the story of one man’s dedication to making a difference in the lives of his students. That dedication never faltered during the entire span of James Parry’s teaching career. A must read for those who taught, attended, or want to know the truth about middle school life.

Book All the Teachers, ISBN 978-1-936178-00-1, was published by Gray Dog Press, and lists for $14.95. It is available through Gray Dog Press (www.graydogpress.com), Spokane area book stores, and at (www.amazon.com).