As a retired educator I was keenly interested to read John B. King Junior's Teacher by Teacher. King chronicles his steady rise from classroom teacher to Secretary of Education in President Obama's cabinet. King persevered through the untimely death of his mother, a difficult relationship with his elderly father and the struggles of a dysfunctional childhood. King did receive substantial support from his extended family and was able to recover from his rebellious teenage phase at a private boarding school in Massachusetts, to eventually graduate from Harvard.

King was a dedicated educator who typically went above and beyond to find resources for his students and at times for their families.
Teacher by Teacher is a candid account of the difficulties a man of mixed race faced in academia and in the City of Boston. Through it all King kept his focus on the kids, which is what every educator should do everyday of their teaching career.

This book will appeal to educators, however it will also appeal to anyone who enjoys a well told true story!

As someone who works in education policy and worked in the Obama administration, I was very excited to get an advanced reader copy of Teacher by Teacher from Grand Central Publishing and Net Galley.

Teacher by Teacher is a memoir, but King does an excellent job at weaving his own story in with the events of the world that impacted his trajectory. Despite knowing of King as Secretary, I was unaware of his background, and the struggles he endured - and overcame - as a child were quite remarkable and sobering. I appreciated his recognition of the mentors and teachers in his life who helped him achieve the success he had today - a reminder for all of us that none of us get where we are without a community.

I really appreciated that teachers were the key role players in this book, just as they have been in King’s life. Teachers took a front and center place here, offering an important reminder about the valuable role they play in our society as they shape and encourage future generations. It made me reflect on the teachers in my life that made an impact on me.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has been impacted by a teacher who changed their viewpoint or trajectory in life - so, everyone? - and especially to educators themselves.