89 Days

by Billy Lawrence

Like his character Jack Tortis in the novel The Punk and the Professor, author Billy Lawrence dropped out of high school for 89 days. This book provides reflection on both the novel and the author’s real life experiences as a dropout, a returning student, and then later as a teacher. 89 Days continues the novel’s examination of family, school, and community. This collection also serves as a great introduction to the novel for those who haven’t read the book yet. Included are two nonfiction essays, three new chapter outtakes cut from the final novel, five story excerpts from the novel in revised formats, and a preview chapter from the sequel.

Genres: Short Stories, Education, Nonfiction

143 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2019

About the author

Librarian Note: Also writes under the pen name William K. Lawrence.

Reviews

[Tony Sunderland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this collection of short essays extremely well written. Lawrence gives the reader a genuine insight into the machinations of youthful rebellion and also a pathway for future redemption. However, these stories are not for the faint hearted. They take us back in both time and context. For me it bought back memories of lost love, wasted time and lost opportunities. At the same time, I could also relate with the deeper themes the Author conveyed regarding the importance of teachers in the lives of those entrusted in their care.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent personal story along with some short fiction. The story "Music class" was crazy! I liked that he included the allegory of the cave too.

[Dawn Wells · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome essays