Reseña del libro "The Cult Teacher: Teaching In New Orleans (en Inglés)"
A middle aged Hare Krishna retiree struggles with his own artistic bipolar personality while teaching English in an unsympathetic New Orleans public school. He must deal with disrespectful hyperactive students who go unchecked by administrators while he endeavors to teach the sincere and gifted students who appreciate him.The Cult Teacher presents the story of a dedicated teacher battling depression who finds teaching in New Orleans to be both challenging and rewarding. Abraham and Theresa are a couple in New Orleans. As the story begins, they are driving through the city in search of the "School Board of Orleans Parish". While they have not been together very long, they fell in love "at first sight." Theresa loves Abraham's "poetry, which he could spin with the swift consistency of a caterpillar weaving its cocoon of tenuous yet uninterrupted silk." Abraham and Theresa arrive at their destination and Abraham lands a job as a substitute teacher at John McDonough Senior High School. After his interview, Abraham takes Theresa to a restaurant in the city and the two talk about Abraham's interesting past. He tells her all about being imprisoned for being a follower of Hare Krishna. He talks about the torture he endured as a prisoner and Theresa asks him to try to forgive those who hurt him. The first day of school is tough for Abraham, but he handles the students with a mix of toughness, compassion, and finesse. He is even propositioned by one student who offers to sell one of his girls to the new teacher for sex. You write, "For this first day, at least, Abraham was able to control the class. Some days it would not be possible." His diverse student body is a mix of African American, Vietnamese, and white teenagers. Abraham asks each of his students to write small essays about themselves. You include those short vignettes to inform the reader about each person's background. As time goes on, Abraham grows disenchanted with his job and seeks mental health help at Northlake Hospital. He tells the intake clerk, "I became depressed at work. I lost all sense of motivation and will to continue." With Abraham in the hospital, you take the opportunity to delve into his past. You discuss his college days, the importance of his education, and his attraction to the spiritual side of life. Eventually, Abraham returns to school and finds himself disappointed when some of his students make poor choices in life. When Trinh - a brilliant Vietnamese student - decides to move to California with her boyfriend, Abraham is more upset than he thinks he should be. In the end, Abraham continues to battle with his depression, finds solace in music, and moves on to a new position when his job at McDonough High School comes to an end. Your manuscript may be of interest to readers who enjoy stories about unconventional teachers whose spirituality trumps depression and social ills.
