Mark Mullin's book gives us all admission to the world of private secondary education. To read it is to make a new friend...[this] book is proof that a life well led can produce laughter, insight, adventure, and a loving family. His teaching career is far from over, and this effort will make him a 'favorite teacher' for anyone who reads ... Read moreit.
Tom Laporte, Assistant Commissioner of Water Management, the City of Chicago Mark Mullin's fascinating account of his life and ministry is so reflective of the Mark Mullin I know: authentic, deeply committed to the dual life of priest and teacher, a devoted family man, and a lover of irony and laughter. The pages of this book ring true to the person Mark is, and the reader will be inspired by this engaging model of what education, in its fullest sense, is all about.
Daniel Heischman, executive director, National Association of Episcopal Schools Mark Mullin deftly takes you into his world with a heart-thumping description of a scholar athlete running a record-breaking race, as a young priest and headmaster experiencing the joy (and challenges) of helping to mold young boys' characters; and his bewilderment when his career is shattered when he collides headlong with his combative board of governors. Mullin shares through vivid vignettes how his strong faith and the deep love of his wife and children sustain him as he outdistances his demons and crafts a second successful career as a headmaster. The Headmaster's Run is a wonderful story, full of life lessons, beautifully told.
Fredrick Hauck, NASA astronaut, commander, space shuttle Discovery A gifted storyteller, Mark Mullin has written a poignant and delightful book about growing up—and about continuing to grow after having grown up. He writes compellingly about the challenges and joys of running—of running track, of running one of the nation’s leading schools, of running a busy and productive life enriched by family, treasured friendships, unexpected events, and moments made special by Mullin’s determination to make them so. I would recommend this book to any person trying to figure out which races in life they want to run and how they want to run them. It will also be enjoyed by those who are heading down the home stretch toward the finish line.
Christopher Wadsworth, associate executive director, International Boys' Schools Coalition Upon reading just the first few pages of experiences relayed in this remarkable book, I was reminded of Huxley's quote that 'Experience teaches only the teachable.' Reading on, I found personal stories not only of Aldous Huxley, but also Ernest Hemingway, B.F. Skinner, Paul Tillich and countless other teachers and writers. Mark Mullin's experience as a leader in education demonstrates that he has been both teachable and 'reachable' by both students and faculty. From quiz kid to track star to headmaster, Mark Mullin has run the good race, generously sharing the lessons that he has learned along the way.
Gregory Saathoff M.D., executive director, Critical Incident Analysis Group, University of Virginia School of Medicine In The Headmaster's Run, Mark Mullin has given us a brilliant anecdotal memoir—one that reveals a life which has blended the classical Greek zest for excellence with Christian compassion and very secular Irish mischief. It is a case study sampler of how to cope with challenge and opportunity in education; as much about leadership as about teaching, as much about love of family and friends as about pride in personal achievement, as much about fun as high standards. How many headmasters do you know who set the Ivy League record in the mile run for Harvard, attended Oxford on a Marshall Scholarship, married a lively redhead, became an Episcopal priest, served in a remote corner of Alaska, and went on to great success in elite private school circles? I chuckled at the wit and nodded at the wisdom from end to end. A must for educators. A delight for anyone.
Dennis W. Stiles, vice president, America by Foot, Inc. Mark Mullin created at St. Albans an island of excellence and value in a town where both can be hard to find.
Chuck Hurley, CEO, Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD) The value of a book like The Headmaster's Run is inestimable because it is filled with hope. Mark Mullin has run the good race. This thoughtful recollection of stories from a graceful life—as a student, athlete, scholar, husband, priest, father and educator—could rest on the author's abundance of successes. But it does not lose its thirst for finding the good in others; it is always seeking that which fills lives with green growing hope. From his first runs, outpacing the Dorchester Gang of his youth, setting records at Harvard, to a triumphant graduation run down the National Cathedral's aisle with his St. Albans boys, Mullin lives the words of the St. Albans School Hymn, 'in work or game or play, suppress all fear and hate; show forth a spirit, generous, true, for God and for the State.'
Roger Bowen, former head of school, St. Stephen's Episcopal School, Austin, Texas Mark Mullin's warm, engaging memoir, The Headmaster's Run, is a remarkable story of a man's love affair with life—with family and community, with education and independent schools, with humanity and the sacred. Few of us can speak of a life lived by goals set out at age 13 - to run a four-minute mile, to become a priest, to marry a redhead - and commitments sustained through victories and rare defeat. Mark Mullin is blessed. Through vignettes and reflection drawn from his own experience, he extends to us, his readers, the blessings of courage, humility, and faith that inspire transcendence. He made me laugh out loud with him and cry tears of joy for his extraordinary run, a life well lived.
Robert C. Vaughan, III, president, Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Any student, teacher, or parent will cherish reading Mark Mullin's hysterical and touching vignettes of his time as an educator. From blithe stories about Princess Diana, Norman McLean, and the KGB, to thoughtful discussions about struggles in his own career, Mullin gives us not only a rare bird's-eye view of life in the headmaster's chair, but also a glimpse into the esoteric nature of leadership.
Walker Lambert, St. Albans School '97 Show Less