Wisenheimer:AChildhoodSubjecttoDebate

Whoknewbigwordsandknewhowtousethem?Washeacharmeroraninsufferablesmartaleck—ormaybeboth?MarkOppenheimerwasjustsuchaboy,histalentforlanguageacurseasmuchasablessing.Unlikemathormusicprodigies,hehadnowaytoshowcasehisuniqueskill,excepttospeaklikeaminiatureadult—atricksomefoundimpressivebutothersfoundirritating.Frustratedandisolated,Oppenheimerusedhispowersforill—hebecameawisenheimer—pushinghispeersandteachersaway,actingoutwithprankphonecalls,andworse.Butwhenhegottohighschool,Oppenheimerdiscoveredanoutletforhisloquaciousness:thedebateteam.Thissmart,funnymemoirnotonlyrevealsastrange,compellingsubculture,itoffersabroaderdiscussionofthesplendorandpower(includingthehealingpower)oflanguageandofthesocialanddevelopmentalhazardsofbeingagiftedchild.Oppenheimer’sjourneyfromlonelinesstofulfillmentaffordsafascinatinginsidelookattheextraordinarysubcultureofworld-classhigh-schooldebateandatthepoweroflanguagetochangeone’slife.