Good-Bye, Mr. Chips

An all too-short, or mayhap perfectly paced, journey through an ordinary life in a time now lost to us. Its age - published in 1934 - gives it a dated charm as it refers the “90s” while referring to the 1890s. But its social commentary on change, on how generations both leave each other behind while journeying forward together, remains as relevant as ever.

It's the gentle story of a man who taught in a British private boys' school for many decades. I love the way Chips starts out as a very average sort of person and teacher. It's the experiences of life—the death of his wonderful wife, the tragedies of the war, the days, years spent teaching children—that transform Chips into a thoughtful, clever, and exemplary human being.