What Are We Reading Now?

Carl Rapisarda Vallely, Head of Middle School
Reading is the foundation of all learning. In the Middle School, we purposely continue to teach literacy as a skill to expand students' abilities. Inspired by Ms. Graves and her work integrating Nancy Atwell’s reading and writing workshop method in the English curriculum, the Middle School faculty now have “What I am Reading Now” signs outside their offices and classrooms to model lifelong reading for our students. It has been inspiring to hear both faculty and students engage in conversations about books. School administrators set the tone in a school in so many ways, and authentically promoting reading is one of the priorities of the educational leaders of the school. We also have our current and recent reads highlighted on the Brimmer website. I wanted to share some of the books I have read over the last few months that have stuck with me long after I put them down. 
 
Inspired by my trip to Greece this summer through the generous summer professional development program at Brimmer, I am currently reading Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. A beautifully written re-telling of The Illiad, the legend of the Greek hero Achilles and the Trojan War, the novel is an epic story of adventure, war, and love. Miller paints a picture with her beautiful prose, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Greek mythology and history. 
 
As many of you know, I have a deep love for musical theater. This summer, I heard about a show that would be coming to the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge called Six. The musical, which debuted in the West End and will be going to Broadway this winter, tells the story of Henry VIII’s six wives from their perspective. In preparation for seeing the show, I read The Six Wives of Henry VIII and The Children of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. While we have all heard of Henry’s wives, it was fascinating to learn more about the women behind the names, all of whom had interesting, complex lives. I recommend both books to any British history buff, and the musical was outstanding as well! 
 
Last spring, a close friend recommended that I read The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. The novel tells the stories of Yale Tushman and his group of friends in Chicago in the mid-to-late 1980s, and Fiona, a woman in 2015 who has gone to Paris in search of her estranged daughter. As Yale’s professional career flourishes, his personal life falls apart as the AIDS crisis hits his close-knit circle of friends. The novel serves as a stark reminder of the terror of the early days of the disease, the discrimination that those affected faced, and how the government’s inaction cost thousands of men their lives. The Great Believers was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in fiction, and it has stayed with me long after I read the last page.
 
Each year, the Middle School faculty embarks on a faculty read throughout the school year. We read the book in sections and discuss the readings at our Middle School faculty meetings. This year, our faculty book is Hacking School Culture by Angela Stockman and Ellen Feig Gray. The book focuses on building compassionate, student-centered classrooms where students can learn, thrive, and step out of their comfort zones in a supportive environment. I am excited to dive into the text with the faculty this year. 
As an inclusive private school community, Brimmer welcomes students who will increase the diversity of our school. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or any other characteristic protected from discrimination under state or federal law, in the administration of our educational policies, admissions practices, financial aid decisions, and athletic and other school-administered programs.