by Richard D. Kahlenberg
“A thoroughly researched and engaging biography”
–Wall Street Journal
“A spirited and readable biography”
–Washington Post
“[A] stirring account”
–Slate
“[An] excellent new biography”
–The American Prospect
“A gripping portrait”
–Publishers Weekly
“Absolutely must reading”
–Eduwonk
“Judicious and engaging”
–The Weekly Standard
"[A] fascinating biography"
–City Journal
“A well-drawn portrait”
–Newsday
“A fine biography [and] vivid portrait”
–Jerusalem Post
“Compelling[]”
–New Leader
“[An] excellent new biography”
–The Washington Times
“A splendid read”
–The Doyle Report
“Impressive[]”
–Democracy Journal
"A Must Read Education Book of the Year"
–American School Board Journal
Daniel Treiman, "Al Shanker and the Strike of 1968," The Forward, May 23, 2008.
John B. Judis, "Recommended Books on Labor," The New Republic, April 9, 2008
Philip Dine, “Shanker, Democrats and Foreign Policy,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch Blog, February 20, 2008.
Alexander Russo, “This Week in Education,” February 17, 2008. (”thanks to Rick Kahlenberg's 2007 biography, there's no one hotter in education circles than former AFT president Al Shanker.“)
Jonathan Gyuroko, “Look Behind the Shanker Label,” Edwize, December 5, 2007.
Denis P. Doyle, “Tough Liberal,” The Doyle Report, November 16, 2007.
Michael F. Shaughnessy, “An Interview with Richard Kahlenberg About Albert Shanker,” EdNews.org, November 15, 2007.
Mike Antonucci, “Shanker Seance,” November 1, 2007.
Education Week Live Chat Transcript, “Tough Liberal: Albert Shanker and the Battles Over Schools, Unions, Race and Democracy,” October 24, 2007.
Sewell Chan, “Assessing the Legacy of Albert Shanker, 'Tough Liberal',” New York Times blog, October 16, 2007.
Alexander Russo, “How Al Shanker Blew Up No Child Left Behind,” Huffington Post, September 19, 2007.
Daily Kos, “Tough Liberal,” September 8, 2007.
Open Left Blog, “Reading Liberally Page Turner,” September 4, 2007.
Martin Peretz, “Thoughts on Labor Day,” The Spine (New Republic blog), September 3, 2007. "at once exquisitely complex and grandly contextual"
Andrew Rotherham, “Edu-Beach Reading,” August 16, 2007. “must reading”
Mike Klonsky, “Small Talk,” July 20, 2007.
Fred Siegel, “Summer Reading: Experts Pick their favorite New York Picks,” Gotham Gazette, July 2, 2007.
Sam Dillon, "New Vision Proposes Broad View for Schools," New York Times, July 14, 2008
Greg Toppo, "Sharpton, Education Plan May Tear Union Ties," USA Today, June 12, 2008
Greg Toppo,"'Nation at Risk': The best thing or the worst thing for education?," USA Today, April 23, 2008.
James Hunt and Thomas Kean, "Lesson plans for re-educating schools,"Politico, April 2, 2008.
Rebecca C. Jones, "The Top Education Books of 2007," American School Board Journal, January 2008.
Meredith Kolodner, “Shanker, Business: A Lost Partnership?,” The Chief, December 7, 2007.
“Shanker: The 'Tough Liberal,'” American Teacher, November 2007.
Bob Braun, “Sharing the blame for school failures,” Newark Star Ledger, October 25, 2007. For a response to the column see this letter to the editor.
Linda Chavez, “Why not upgrade excellence?,” The Washington Times, October 22, 2007.
Vaishali Honawar, “Shanker Biography Depicts Evolution of AFT Leader,” Education Week, October 3, 2007.
Stephen Sawchuk, “Shanker envisioned system of student accountability,” Education Daily, October 3, 2007.
Greg Toppo, “For Shanker, Education was a Labor Union of Love,” USA Today, September 27, 2007.
Inside Higher Education. Scott McLemee, “Tough Liberal,” September 5, 2007. (article and podcast)
Randi Weingarten, “Tough Liberal,” in “What Matters Most,” New York Times, August 19, 2007.
Larry Abramson, "Why Teacher Strikes Aren't What They Used to Be," Morning Edition, National Public Radio, September 2, 2008.
Phi Delta Kappan podcast, An Interview with Richard Kahlenberg about Albert Shanker, June 23, 2008.
Claudio Sanchez, “Albert Shanker's National Fight for Teachers,” All Things Considered, NPR, January 2, 2008.
Book TV, C-SPAN 2, December 15, 2007.
“New York Times Closeup” NY1, (with Sam Roberts and Joel Klein), November 3, 2007.
Ben Wattenberg, "Think Tank," PBS, October 21, 2007. To watch the show, click here.
Bob Edwards Show, XM Radio, September 6, 2007.
“Madman or Visonary?”—General Release (PDF)
Release for Education Reporters (PDF)