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[Reades]

A few months ago someone on this forum suggested reading The Academic Job Search Handbook, which I found very informative, during my recent job search.  Now that I have finally landed a job, I'm wondering if anyone can recommend any books geared toward someone approaching their first semester of teaching as a TT assist. professor?

[Dr. Zarkov]

McKeachie's Teaching Tips, by McKeachie & Hofer.

[a canadian]

I dont know about the US but this is a good one for Canada that might be useful for the US. Check AAUP website for something similar.

http://www.caut.ca/en/services/newfaculty/default.asp

[anon]

this thread
http://chronicle.com/forums/careernetwork/read.php?f=2&i=13928&t=13928

[anon]

Ms. Mentor's Impeccable Advice for Women in Academia (useful for all sexes) and Ms. Mentor's column, on this site (click on link at bottom of home page)

[%sig%]

[history anon]

The AHA has a pamphlet by Melanie Gustafson called "Becoming a Historian:  A Survival Guide for Women and Men."  Much of it is discipline-specific, but some things are more or less universal.   Good luck!

[chair at small private college]

For good general advice, particularly with a full load and at teaching-oriented institutions:

Barbara Gross Davis, Tools for Teaching
Brookfield & Preskill, Discussion as a Way of Teaching

And for fun/raised political consciousness/keeping that all-important cynicism-survival level up:

Nelson and Watts, Academic Keywords

And I second the recommendation of Ms. Mentor!!

[history grrrl]

In addition to Barbara Gross Davis (Tools for Teaching) and McKeachie (Teaching Tips), definitely look at Peter Filene's The Joy of Teaching. I'm using it right now and it's already made my class prep process far more manageable.

[%sig%]

[Senior Scholar]

There's also a book with a title something like *Academic Career Guide* published a few years ago by the University of Chicago Press. I know that much because I got a free copy (along with a reader's fee) last time I read a manuscript for them -- and promptly gave it to a PhD student heading for her first job, which is why I no longer know the title. Glancing through it, however, it explained all kinds of things about appointments, renewals, grant-getting, academic politics, and so forth along with teaching.

[Fiona]

The Academic's Handbook, by A. Leigh DeNeef and others (Duke Univ. Press) is also useful for the ins and outs of academic jobs--such as what a dean does, and much more. It's the kind of bureaucratic stuff that you learn on the job, but it's a whole lot faster and easier to have a book tell  you what you need to know.

[%sig%]

[Stan]

Have a look at "The New Faculty"-not sure of author, but it's a very helpful book.

[mentored]

anon wrote:

> Ms. Mentor's Impeccable Advice for Women in Academia (useful
> for all sexes) and Ms. Mentor's column, on this site (click on
> link at bottom of home page)
>

I agree.  It's pretty great, and, while it may seem "old school" to some people, I've found it to be right on the money.

[Reba]

Robert Boice's Advice for New Faculty Members-it won't be to everyone's liking, but I found it very helpful.

[Other Senior Prof]

ZEN AND THE ART OF MOTORCYCLE REPAIR, because sometimes the best lessons for being a professor are not found in academic how-to-books . . . and then read Nancy Maveety's "The Stagnant Pool: Scholars Below Sea Level" because we all need a good laugh in that first year on the tenure track . . .

[anon]

Life on the Tenure Track: Lessons from the First Year, by James M. Lang.  He writes a column for this site--I think there's an essay in this week's issue.  The book's a great account of what life in the first year is really like, especially at a liberal arts or more teaching-focused college.  Mostly a narrative, but he gives out plenty of good, realistic advice along the way.

[%sig%]