Blythe Grossberg

Let’s just say, I am glad I didn’t grow up in a New York City Park Avenue family and this memoir gives me more evidence. Blythe Grossberg, a learning specialist, tutors the children of the 1%. Attending private schools, these children must excel not only in academics but often in some sport as well, ensuring from lower school on up that they will be admitted to a top-tier school. Private schools have no tolerance for learning differences. Working with ADHD and dyslexic children, she must tutor them to meet the rigorous academic standards of their schools. In this job, she must compete against heavy sports schedules as well. Kids are exhausted. There were times when parents told her because of the child’s schedule, academic tutoring may not take place until 11pm. Along the way she continually shows the different lifestyle of these kids. One boy, lives in a hotel room by himself, while his parent travel extensively. Another tries to buy a $2.00 bagel with his Gold Amex card. Throughout this, images from The Great Gatsby are interspersed and how the ultra-wealthy relate differently to it than most Americans.… (meer)