Two Lives: The Story of a Teacher by Terrence Doran

Courage and Conformity Collide in Terry Doran’s New Memoir

"I think if I had to put a finger on what I consider a good radical education, it wouldn't be anything about methods or techniques. It would be loving people first.”—Myles Horton, founder, Highlander Folk School

TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN—Mission Point Press announces the release of Two Lives: The Story of a Teacher, a new memoir by Terrence Doran.

In the late 1960s, Doran, who had just embarked on his education career, was teaching classes at a high school in rural Indiana, when a series of unsavory rumors resulted in his termination. Though none of the talk was actually true, American culture at the time dictated that conforming, even to a known lie, was safer than daring to oppose authority. 

Doran, however, never believed that. 

In Two Lives, readers follow Doran’s—and his students’—dogged fight for the truth, from the accusation that got him fired (and the twisted chain of events surrounding it); to the subsequent high-profile court proceedings; and, the culmination of it all, the sit-in protest his students organized in opposition of his suspension. 

Set against the backdrop of a crumbling school, an old farmhouse occupied by a three-legged dog named Daevus, and the raging devastation of the Vietnam War, the book explores key themes of stoking fear to gain institutional power, seeking truth as the antidote to that fear, and how treating others with respect is the only way to build a better society. 

Through Doran’s vivid historical account, the memoir considers questions of moral fortitude (especially when one’s job is called into question), perseverance in the face of injustice, and the standard we set by standing up to authority, even when we know we might not win.  

Readers interested in period pieces, social politics, and lovers of stories like The Catcher in the Rye and Dead Poets Society may find particular resonance in the book’s exploration of fostering autonomy and the importance of deconstructing societal norms. Through Doran’s meticulous attention to detail, readers are invited to use the United States’ tumultuous past as a litmus test for the present. 

“Two lives, I live two lives. One is Mr. with a tie. The other’s me without the lie.”— Terrence Doran

Though rooted more than 50 years in the past, Doran’s searing commentary on societal demands and the impact of united resistance rings just as loud and true today. Both inspirational and incisive, Two Lives is a testament to hope, to courage, and most importantly, to the power of what we can achieve when we stand together. 

Advance Praise

"Terry Doran's story is that of a true teacher—a person dedicated to affirming the self-worth and autonomy of every young person he encountered. He taught principled resistance in high school, self-discovery and self-expression at the Folk School, and public discourse through Theater for Ideas. With this memoir, he continues to teach.” —Isabel Nunez, Dean of the School of Education, Purdue Fort Wayne

“Terry Doran's rediscovery of a manuscript he wrote in the late 1960s has now become this insightful and inspirational book about what it really means to teach and to overcome the institutionalization that opposes it. His life exemplifies education that opens doors to spectacular journeys, revives wonder and imagination, shapes learning within dreams and strengths that recreate self and community, dwells in the soul of goodness, and acts in the world with relentless improvisational artistry. The book is not just a period piece; it is a treasure of past strivings and a beacon to present needs. I urge you to read it.”  —William H. Schubert, Professor Emeritus of Curriculum & Instruction, former University Scholar, and Director of Graduate Studies, at the University of Illinois Chicago.

The Author

Terrence Doran is an educator, author, producer, and guest speaker from Fort Wayne, Indiana. He is the author of A Road Well Traveled: Three Generations of Cuban American Women, and his writings have been archived at Yale for their historical significance. Doran’s work has been featured in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Curriculum Studies. He created the Women’s Studies degree program at Purdue Fort Wayne, and he was recognized as Educator of Distinction by the Coca-Cola Foundation. He is the producer of five award-winning documentaries and his life and work were the subject of the documentary, Portrait of a Pioneer. Two Lives is Doran’s memoir of his time teaching in rural Indiana during the 1960s.

The Book

Two Lives: The Story of a Teacher

Terrence Doran

230 pages, 6” x 9”, B/W

Biography & Autobiography/Educators, Social Science/Activism & Social Justice, History/War & Conflicts/Vietnam War, Education/Philosophy, Theory, & Social Aspects

Hardcover: ISBN: 979-8-950817-09-0, $24.95

Softcover: ISBN: 979-8-950817-10-6, $17.95 

Publication Date: November 25, 2026

Mission Point Press

Copies are available for preorder at Bookshop.org, Amazon, and other online retailers. On its publication date, it will be available for purchase wherever books are sold.

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