Reviews

RECOGNITIONS

3^rd Place Non-Fiction, Memoir: BookFest National Competition, Spring 2024

5 Star Review: A Readers’ Favorite

“Indie Books We Love” Website Section: LoveReading UK

5 Star Review: OnlineBookClub.org (two separate reviews)

I. “… Dr. Reno’s book [The Accidental Educator] deftly fuses his educational career with his personal life. He describes a childhood that certainly wasn’t free of troubles… Despite the author intermittently highlighting such details as places he’s lived and his mentors and influences, this memoir is primarily chronological and easy to follow. Reno occasionally includes essays or letters that, though written at different points in his life, connect to whatever topic a particular chapter focuses on. The narrative contains a wealth of historical details—Reno, who’s a white male, first entered a segregated school at age 12 (in 1954) and witnessed much racial and sexual discrimination both in and outside the workforce. It’s hardly surprising that this retired English professor’s prose is lucid and refreshingly polished…

An educator’s professional and personal lives together make for an engaging, richly detailed true story.”

     Kirkus Reviews, January 2024

II. “The writing style . . . is beautifully lyrical. In some places, the writing is stop-in-tracks insightful… As ever, there is some truly beautiful writing in the ACCIDENTAL EDUCATOR, of genuine depth and insight… Moreover, for a memoir in this form, there is great poignancy and tenderness to the writing in moments.”

Jon Curzon, Editor The WRITING Consultancy, Cambridge, UK, 2023

III. “In The Accidental Educator, Dr. Eric Reno unfolds a captivating memoir. From navigating early teaching challenges to poignant family experiences, the memoir unveils a journey in community college education filled with international adventures and cherished moments. As you turn each page, anticipate not only a glimpse into Eric’s life but also the hope that his story leaves a positive impact on your life.

The book features favorites and precious life moments captured in evocative pictures. Dive into a rich narrative that weaving together threads of a remarkable life, inviting you to join in the exploration of lessons, laughter, and lasting impressions. I really liked the vivid storytelling of the life of Dr. Eric that spans years, involving challenges, friendships, and family experiences. I must commend that the life of Eric is simply beautiful, admirable, and full of accomplishments… I could barely find anything to dislike about this book. I will rate this book 5 out of 5 stars because of its engaging and well-thought-out content… The Accidental Educator is a compelling memoir that resonates with educators, history enthusiasts, and individuals interested in personal growth. With rich storytelling, this memoir is a must-read for those seeking emotional depth and thoughtful reflection, making it a rewarding choice for a diverse audience.”

Review by Abraham Ozo, 23 Feb 2024, OnlineBookClub.org

IV. “Dear Eric: The first thing I noticed about your book was the warm tone—in many spots, I feel like the story is giving me a really good hug. Two examples are the passage about parenting on 127 (“We all do it differently, but always with love”) and the narrator’s awe (endearing!) at meeting Dave Brubeck on page 230 (“I said we would love to come over. Pat said she had never seen me so quiet.”) These kinds of moments make me want to burrow into the book and stay. Believe it or not, a genuinely warm tone can be incredibly hard for authors to accomplish. We receive a lot of attempts that fall short of a tone that’s authentic enough to be immersive. And achieving real warmth in creative nonfiction and memoir is so important. Books like yours give readers a much-needed emotional break. Please keep writing. Readers need you.”

Review by Annie Mydla, North Street Book Prize 2024

           

V. “Reno covers a multitude of topics ranging from Ernest Hemingway to baseball to education in this intriguing series of short pieces, centered on his life experiences and insights gleaned from years of interacting with the world around him. This is largely a polished, well-executed work, with occasional moments of informal prose dotting the pages. Reno’s willingness to touch on seemingly disconnected topics is a surprising strength for this memoir, as it builds expectation for readers who appreciate looking forward to what comes next.

Reno’s memoir is built on bits of writing he has crafted throughout his life, allowing readers snapshots of his innermost thoughts and feelings. Whether recalling missed opportunities with his father or doubting his abilities as a teacher early in his career, Reno’s stories reflect, for readers, the simple moments that often end up being the most powerful.”

     BookLife Prize, January 8, 2025

VI. A Readers’ Favorite Five-Star Review

“The Accidental Educator: Life-Defining Stories of Rites and Wrongs, by Dr. Eric Reno, is a memoir that explores the educational journeys of a professional educator and a lifelong learner. This book stands out for its introspective look into how formative experiences, from childhood through retirement, shape one’s philosophy and approach to life and teaching. Dr. Reno’s narrative recounts his professional life and explores the personal rites of passage that define human existence. His storytelling is replete with anecdotes from his career, thoughtful reflections on his experiences, and the broader implications these have had on his understanding of the world. Through his eyes, we see the evolution of an educator who is as much shaped by his experiences in the classroom as by the wider world.

The memoir is enriched by student and colleague testimonials, illustrating Dr. Eric Reno’s profound impact on those he has taught and worked with. These perspectives add depth to our understanding of him as an educator and as a person, highlighting his ability to inspire, challenge, and support his students and peers. Reno’s reflections on life’s “wrongs”—the challenges and missteps—are presented with honesty and insight, offering valuable lessons on resilience and perseverance. This approach humanizes him and invites readers to reflect on their life journeys and the lessons they’ve learned. The photographs and memories strengthen the bond Reno creates with his readers. The Accidental Educator is a guide for navigating life’s complexities with grace and wisdom. The memoir is a reminder of education’s formal and informal power in shaping individuals and the communities they belong to. This memoir offers a compelling and enlightening read for those interested in the intersections of education, personal growth, and societal influence.

Carol Thompson, Readers’ Favorite Book Reviews, February 27, 2025       

VII. “Response 1: The author looks back at his life as he starts his retirement, having finished his working life as founding president of a community college in America.  He calls himself ‘the accidental educator’ as he didn’t start out intending to be a college principal, but also I think because he feels the importance of the informal lessons in his life, as well as his formal roles in education.  He pays tribute to the many people and events (both good and bad) that shaped his life and his character.  I enjoyed reading about the college aspects and how he bought his kindness into the institutions he worked in.  I found it fascinating too to read of his time in the military as a young man stationed in the UK – the differences he found between America and Britain, both of which have of course changed between then and now. An entertaining read with an amiable and interesting character.”

     Response 2: A retired community college president continues to share his wisdom through memoir. Dr Eric Reno announced his retirement after ten years of being the founding president of Northeast Lakeview College. The next week he is diagnosed with prostate cancer and a year later he undergoes open heart surgery. These experiences of serious health conditions cause Reno to re-evaluate his view on mortality and life in general. His experiences shared in this memoir offer Reno’s perspective on a life lived, with the potential for readers to take new perspectives from it.

Eric Reno lived a very varied life which was entertaining to read, without direction in his youth, Reno became a labourer before joining the Air Force, his posting in the UK unlocking a desire for adventure. Reno’s curiosity and wandering nature remains throughout his life as he moves from the military to college and into corporate life before moving into teaching. It is clear that Reno has a keen interest in people and the sharing of knowledge. The Accidental Educator dips in and out of the different stages of his life, following chronologically for the most part but dipping further back into the past later on. The writing is compelling and easy to fall into. I think this book is great for fellow curious readers with an interest in people and looking to read a range of different perspectives.”

“I hope you find this feedback helpful. Based on this feedback we would be happy to add this book to the Indie Books We Love section of the LoveReading website.”

     LoveReading UK, March 5, 2025

VIII. “Eric Reno’s The Accidental Educator is a masterfully written memoir that offers readers an introspective and richly layered journey through one man’s transformative life experiences. With a narrative style reminiscent of Impressionist art, Reno invites readers to see the deeper patterns and profound insights that emerge only when one takes a step back to reflect on life’s many moments — both big and small.

From serving as a Cold War-era intelligence analyst to engaging with some of the most influential cultural and historical figures of the 20th century, Reno’s memoir seamlessly blends personal history with larger world events. His encounters with icons like Maya Angelou, Julian Bond, and Dave Brubeck are not simply name-dropping anecdotes, but meaningful reflections on influence, growth, and the unexpected paths life can offer… It is both an engaging read for individual reflection and a meaningful resource for academic and cultural discussions.

Page Chronicles, Ltd., April 2025

IX. “Answers are difficult to find.  Sometimes they are masked by presentation, but are well worth exploration. Time spent inside THE ACCIDENTAL EDUCATOR: Life-Defining Stories of Rites and Wrongs, will be time well spent. The logic and conclusions of Eric Reno’s life-work is an example of a summary of a personal search for answers.  Whether you agree or not, the intentions and conclusions of Eric’s effort are well worth a quiet read. In a time when carefully crafted images and selected words push us to conclusions for the sole benefit of their presenter, considering the ideas and events offered in this candid work deserve a visit. Best wishes to all, and to Eric for providing individual conclusions that are likely to resonate for many from the journey of a mind intent on pursuing meaningful answers.”

Marc Paul Chinoy, founder of The Regis Group, Inc.

X. “There’s something quietly extraordinary about a life that refuses to follow a script. THE ACCIDENTAL EDUCATOR: Life-Defining Stories of Rites and Wrongs by Dr. Eric Renois the kind of book that stays with you because it feels honest and authentically human. This isn’t a polished success story or a predictable journey. It’s a candid, often funny, and deeply reflective account of how life’s unexpected turns can shape us in profound ways. It’s a kind of memoir that shows that the best stories aren’t about victories but about the stumbles that teach you how to stand.

The memoir recounted Dr. Reno’s unconventional journey from an uncertain adolescence to an unexpected career in education. A path shaped more by life’s detours than deliberate plans. The book takes us through the author’s childhood with a pilot father he admired and his family’s struggles when illness changed everything. His teenage years were relatable in their awkwardness. He moved to a new town, felt out of place, and struggled to find his footing. It was a phrase many of us remember. After high school, he worked odd jobs before joining the Air Force; the experience changed everything. The years in the Air Force taught him resilience and the quiet moments of self-discovery that eventually led him to teaching.

He didn’t paint himself as a hero. He admitted to his mistakes, his fears, and the moments he’d rather forget. He shared funny moments, hard lessons, and the people who shaped him along the way. His love for jazz music was very evident. He discussed how stories and books (especially Hemingway’s) helped him understand his own life better. The concluding chapters of this book, where the author discussed the initiative he took to make community colleges better for students and his thoughts on religion and racism, were thought-provoking. The author’s journey made you think about your own path and the unexpected ways we all grow.

What makes this book truly special for me is its lack of pretense. The author isn’t trying to sell a lesson. He’s simply telling his story, with all its imperfections, and for me, that’s what makes it worth reading. The author has a way of making his personal experiences feel universal, making the readers feel utterly relatable. He writes with a sincerity that makes every moment feel important, and his ability to find meaning in ordinary experiences adds depth to the book.

I particularly admired how the author put together different phases of his life into a flowing narrative. His story taught me that when you’re lost about your career and an opportunity comes, no matter how much you fear that you may fail the role, you should always take it. Because you never know what unexpected doors that opportunity might open for you. His insights about teaching and mentorship are especially poignant. The author’s take on sensitive topics like racism, religion, and lack of support for non-traditional students did leave a mark on my mind. The memoir’s structure keeps you engaged with its authenticity and humorous nature. Dr. Reno’s storytelling feels like sitting across from a wise person who’s lived enough to know that the best stories aren’t about victories but about the stumbles that teach you how to stand.

I couldn’t find anything to critique… I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. It’s a book for anyone who’s ever wondered how their own struggles and detours might eventually make sense.”

Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of “THE ACCIDENTAL EDUCATOR: Life-Defining Stories of Rites and Wrongs” by Dr. Eric Reno, 18 June 2025, reviewed by Nazma P.

XI. “There are many careers in life that are rewarding, satisfying, and enriching for people to take on, in addition to being well respected in society. Yet one profession which has time and again been both recognized as a necessity and beloved profession, also under appreciated by many, is the field of education. From elementary school teachers to college administrators and so many more, the education profession shapes so much of the world and understanding the struggle and evolution of what the education profession has become is vital to growing and cultivating a society built on the morals society attempts to live by. It is through that field that author Eric Reno brings readers to the book The Accidental Educator: Life-Defining Stories of Rites and Wrongs…

The sheer wealth of information, detail, and heart poured into this book was both memorable and engaging as a reader to behold. The life experience the author had from a young age, sharing life in a segregated school and the harsh realities of racism and sexual discrimination, as well as the history the author lived through and engaged with both during his time in the Air Force and back home as an educator is so rich and vibrant that the reader was easily swept away in the author’s life.

The writing style of the author’s work is memorable, in many ways coming across almost lyrically and creatively, and yet sharing a warmth that is very conversational in direction, almost as if the reader and the author are in a heartfelt dialogue with one another. Any reader who enjoys non-fiction memoirs, especially with a focus on education, history, culture, and even the development of community colleges specifically, will absolutely love this book… The respect and insight paid to both the good and the bad events which shaped his own life, and the wisdom those experiences brought to life, made this a worthy and engaging book to delve into.”

Anthony Avian, Hollywood Book Reviews, 26 June 2025

XII. “Author Dr. Eric Reno offers a close-up view of his personal history, intertwined with global events, sociocultural explorations, military involvement, academic and organizational achievements, eventually to include numerous awards for his work with an advocacy for America’s community college system in his book, The Accidental Educator: Life-Defining Stories of Rites and Wrongs… Readers both familiar with and new to some of Reno’s experiences and exploits will appreciate – and wish to share – the episodes of what he designates as his “journey” – informative, sometimes stressful, often amusing, always intriguing, and inspiring. This book is more than a memoir, The Accidental Educator is a masterclass in resilience and redemption. Dr. Reno reminds us that life’s wrong turns often lead to the right. destinations. A must-read for anyone who has stumbled into their calling.”

Barbara Bamberger Scott, Pacific Book Review. 26 June 2025