The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Muriel Spark, 1961

Brodie is an iconoclastic teacher at a British girls’ school in the 1950’s who implements progressive educational ideas on ‘Brodie’s set’ of girls.  The novel is largely told in flashbacks from these now adult girls who realize that Miss Brodie’s “prime” was never realized—Monica (good at math), Rose (famous for sex), Eunice (glorious swimmer), Sandy (small, almost non-existent eyes), Jenny (beauty and grace) and Mary (silent lump).  Miss Brodie is eventually betrayed, sacked and dies a ‘progressive spinster.”  The girl who betrays her becomes a nun.  Others die.  A quirky, wonderfully written book.