Thank you to our diverse community of reviewers who shared constructive and thoughtful insights!
To our new readers ~ we value your feedback, and you can share a review for TAUGHT here.
“An unflinchingly honest portrayal of the student-teacher relationship that reminds us that history is never finished. A must-read for educators, parents, and all who believe in the power of truth-telling and the transformative impact of education.”
– Dr. Michaele C. Samuel, Educator & Psychotherapist
“In these pages, I found a mirror and a map—an invitation to reimagine our relationships, repair what has been broken, and reconnect with the parts of ourselves that are most alive.”
– Caroline Hill, 228 Accelerator Founder
“These are the protagonists throughout time that stick with me. JB reminds me of a grown-up Holden Caulfield.”
– Richard Reyes-Gavilan, DC Public Library, Executive Director
“TAUGHT will take you on a riveting, honest journey with Malik and JB. Their experiences challenge our notions about race and society in this fast-paced, emotionally charged story.”
–Jordan Lloyd Bookey, Beanstack Co-Founder & Reading Culture Podcast Host
“TAUGHT offers brave and poignant commentary on the continual learning and unlearning of educators, especially during a time of racial reckoning.”
– Lynsey Wood Jeffries, Higher Achievement, CEO
“Thought-provoking and unique…there’s a lot to explore here.”
– Neils Ribeiro-Yemofio, Author & Nonprofit Leader
“Laid bare the painful, complex legacy of our country’s history and the virulent racism that has never gone away through characters I really cared about.”
– Tara Libert, Free Minds DC Book Club & Writing Workshop, Executive Director
“TAUGHT reminds us that we can never truly understand each other and the threads of a lifetime that shape how we experience the world. A powerful reflection on race and identity in America.”
– Scott Rechler, LearnServe International, CEO
“I can’t remember the last time I came across a cliffhanger in a book that had me consider skipping ahead to find out what happened…”
– Cosby Hunt, Center for Inspired Teaching, Director of Youth Programming
“TAUGHT pulled me in and kept me interested from beginning to end. I felt connected not only to the characters but to the broader themes of history, struggle, and resilience. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking and it left me with so much to reflect on long after I finished.”
– Jessica Haber, Author of Roll With The Punches
“A powerful story you’ll think about long after the last page. Excellent writing befitting a novel of our difficult times.”
– Mat Edelson, Author and Pulitzer Prize-Nominated Documentarian
“TAUGHT is a bold and unforgettable novel that challenged me to reflect deeply on race, education, and the hope for transformation in America.”
– Dr. Lynda Reid, Educator, Coach, and Author ofLittle Book of More
“Eric Goldstein leverages his experience as a teacher, and his skill as a writer, to give us a story that centers the influential relationship between a teacher and their student—and the power of that connection to change them both. TAUGHT will surely teach you something, too: about what connects us, and what nourishes us, and why we need each other so urgently as we navigate the rough terrains of our lives.”
– Sam Chaltain, Filmmaker & Author of American Schools & Our School
“Terrific suspense and thoughtful dialogue in a rapid page-turner.”
– Mary Carpenter, Health Columnist & Author
“TAUGHT doesn’t shy away from the messiness of race and education, but it also doesn’t leave us there. Instead, it invites us into dialogue, offering a springboard toward healing and understanding. Through the journeys of JB and Malik, we see how systemic racism, relationships, and the search for truth collide in a way that feels both timely and timeless.”
– Mark Chabus, Author of Remembering Your Spirit.
“A rewarding, immersive dive into the challenges and triumphs of 21st century teaching.”
– Nicole Burton, Playwright and Author of Adamson’s 1969
“A complex story of coming of ages and of ages that are coming. Using vivid descriptive portraits of people and places, the novel chronicles lives dissolving and perhaps starting to be rebuilt. A thoughtful read that provides a final lesson to the reader: empathy lets one glance into another’s life, but never truly live it.”
– Dr. Jeanne Simonelli, Professor, Activist, & Author of Uprising of Hope
“The characters’ thoughts and dialogue were honest and raw and empathetic and it truly is a beautiful work.”
– Mike Di Marco, Horizons Greater Washington, Executive Director
“A masterful study of contrasts that define the American experience of hardship and humanity.”
– Dr. Jesse B. Bump, Harvard University, Executive Director of the Takemi Program in International Health
“…an opportunity to understand what it takes to be authentically antiracist.”
– Brianne Nadeau, Washington, DC Councilmember