蘑菇短视频

Eric Hall sat in his mother鈥檚 North Carolina living room with one of his proudest achievements in his hands. The 蘑菇短视频 alumnus had worked on his book for years and had no bigger supporter than his mom, Beth.

As he was writing it, Beth was diagnosed with dementia, and with her poor eyesight, Eric had his son read his book to her. It wasn鈥檛 long after Eric paid that visit from Michigan to his mom that Beth passed away in May.

Beth was a devoted wife, a champion of her two sons and a lover of independent bookstores. Now, Eric has chosen to honor her memory 鈥� all across the country.

Eric set out to put his book, "Controlled Chaos: Lessons They Didn鈥檛 Teach You in Teacher School,鈥� in an independent bookstore in each of the 50 states, calling the homage, 鈥淥ne Book. Fifty States. One Tribute.鈥�

鈥淚t was unbelievable. Unbelievable,鈥� Eric said. 鈥淭he fact that out there somewhere in every state, there's a copy of that book and a store that she would walk into is just something I can't even describe. I can't put it into words. It just means a great deal to me.鈥�

A copy of Eric Hall's book inside Unabridged Bookstore in Chicago.

Eric retired from teaching in 2025 a bit on the younger side, just 49. His students asked him what he was going to do with all that time in retirement.

He didn鈥檛 have a clue.

鈥淭hey suggested I write a book about some of the crazy projects that we did in class and other stories that I had told them along the way about things that happened in my classroom,鈥� Eric said.

When the 1998 alumnus started writing down those experiences, he came up with 27 stories that correspond with the 27 years he taught. Eric called each chapter a 鈥渓esson鈥� and included reflective questions at the end of each one.

Eric wanted to write a book that was inspiring to teachers and non-teachers alike, showing educators how to make their students more engaged and those outside the field what鈥檚 going on in classrooms.

He also employed the help of former 蘑菇短视频education department head Lester Laminack to write the book鈥檚 foreword.

Laminack, who retired from 蘑菇短视频in 2005, maintained a relationship with his former student after Eric graduated, even making the trip up to Eric鈥檚 Michigan school to speak at an assembly. Laminack is an author as well, currently writing his 30th book.

鈥淎cross that time, we stayed connected easily because of social media,鈥� Laminack said. 鈥淗e'd post things about his classroom, about things the kids are doing, and I would comment on that and just keep up with him.鈥�

After a year and a half of writing and editing, the book was officially published July 8 and even had bestselling author James Patterson beat 鈥� for one hour 鈥� during presales.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 my claim to fame right there,鈥� Eric said, laughing.

Throughout the writing process, Beth was there by Eric鈥檚 side, despite her diagnosis. She was always asking Eric how the book was going. He鈥檇 tell her about a blurb or endorsement he got from a fellow author.

She鈥檇 ask a lot of the same questions. He鈥檇 answer them as if he heard them for the first time. Eric didn鈥檛 care. He just loved talking to his mom.

Before her passing, while sat together for breakfast, Beth mentioned that she ordered a book from a bookstore in western North Carolina. Eric was puzzled. She didn鈥檛 say which book. She didn't say which bookstore. He didn鈥檛 even know she was still reading.

After Beth died, Eric went to Google to look for independent bookstores in the region. The first one to pop up? City Lights Bookstore in Sylva.

鈥淚 just saw 'lights.' It just kind of stood out as something special,鈥� Eric said. 鈥淚 reached out to Chris at City Lights and said, 'Hey, my mom is Beth Hall. She passed away. Did she happen to order a book from your bookstore?

鈥淗e wrote back that she had ordered five copies of this book, and Chris named my book.鈥�

A few copies of "Controlled Chaos: Lessons They Don't Teach You in Teacher School" in Sylva's City Lights Bookstore.

Soon after that interaction, Eric鈥檚 motivation behind his book changed.

鈥�(I was) trying to sell this book to colleges and school districts and stuff. My focus shifted to, I don't want to do that anymore. I want to honor her love of bookstores,鈥� he said.

Beth was an avid reader. Eric said she read about two or three books a week and would always give her books to friends and family when she was finished with them. Her love for independent bookstores came from the community it provided.

She loved walking in and talking to employees like friends. She was always quick to recommend her favorite novels, and she loved whenever the store would bring in authors. You just didn鈥檛 get that at Barnes and Noble.

Her support for independent bookstores was unwavering. Eric knew that better than most.

鈥淲hen I was in my first year of teaching鈥� I worked Saturday and Sunday from like 8 to 5 at Books-A-Million, and when I told her that I worked at Books-A-Million, she wouldn't speak to me for a week because that's a big chain,鈥� Eric said. 鈥淵ou don't go there.鈥�

So, after planning 鈥淥ne Book. Fifty States. One Tribute,鈥� Eric sought high and low for independent bookstores across the country, particularly those owned by women, librarians and former teachers.

He reached out to each one to request that they put one copy of his book in the store. Tons of emails and Facebook messages were sent over the course of three and a half months, and in due time, Eric had his book in all 50 states.

鈥淭he response was overwhelming,鈥� Eric said. 鈥淚 ended up getting a book in one bookstore in all 50 states, and the people are sending me photos of the book on their bookshelves, and it's just been amazing to see.鈥�

In commemoration of the tribute, Eric put all 50 bookstores on a wooden, engraved plaque for his dad.

He looks upon it and sees all the names he鈥檚 seen over a hundred times that made his dream possible: Massachusetts鈥� Silver Unicorn to Alaska鈥檚 Fireside Books, all across the U.S. to City Lights Bookstore, just down the highway from WCU.

Eric saw the community his mom loved in a new light after her passing. Independent booksellers sent back notes and even shared the story behind the tribute with others.

If there was anything Beth loved more than the people in those stores, it was their stories, and now, her son has his in every state.

鈥淢y dad followed along as I was doing this, and he was just beside himself. He just couldn't believe it,鈥� Eric said. 鈥淚 don't care if I sell six books. It's the fact that I did this that makes me feel like I've accomplished something, something bigger than just selling.鈥�