The
Published:
"The
Campus Curmudgeon's Compendium," by Joseph M. Joeb (iUniverse, $11)
Joseph
Joeb, known as Teacher Joe around here, is one of the Bay area's more colorful
characters. Of course, I am afraid he'll define "local book editor" in
his next compendium. Such are the dangers in this hazardous profession.
Joeb
teaches high school gifted/honors classes. He also, according to his bio, is a
"classic curmudgeon" who "coordinates Tampa Bay Mensa's Gifted
Children's Program when he isn't busy being grumpy."
His
grumpiness is on display here in all its wicked glory.
Joeb
offers unique definitions in this unusual dictionary. For instance,
"achievement": "That which is supposedly measured by any of a
battery of standardized tests, each of which reduces time for classroom
instruction thus reducing that which is being measured for the next time it is
measured." Take that, Jeb!
Here's
one for "acerebral": "Without a brain (see bureaucrat,
ideologue)."
And
all should heed his definition for "fast food": "Speeds the need
for a cardiologist."
We
could go on and on, but that's Joeb's job, and it's well-done (and
illustrated!). The book is available at the usual online retailers; information
is at www.teacherjoe.com.
("Local
book editor": "Man of unquestionably discerning taste, seeing as how
he liked my little book.")
Kevin
Walker