Upon being nudged into deciding a few more new novels to plan on reading this quarter, I began a search for some that would really capture me. My inquiries proved somewhat futile as I was recommended books that either didn't sound at all appealing or are ones that are not currently available to me. So, I began to look at the available books I could borrow, and found a couple that really excited me.
The first one was "Catch-22". It didn't catch my eye, no. Rather, I was in avoidance of the book seeing as how I've heard it was too difficult a read. I was under the impression it would be dull, actually, until someone had the courtesy of telling me otherwise. So I turned over the novel and on the back found the claim that it is "the funniest book ever written." Needless to say, I was intrigued. And after reading the first page, I decided to give it a try.
The second book I discovered is called "Dumbing Down Our Kids". The title itself yanked me towards it, as I think I am rather opinionated on America's society becoming particularly dumber. Yes, I think America is getting much, much dumber, despite whatever the Flynn Effect seems to say.
The third book I recalled I already own, and have been attempting to get to it for a while now. It is titled "The Film Club" and is a nonfiction book about a boy being allowed to drop out of school to instead watch more films more frequently. I purchased this book in the curiousity of how the experiment turned out.
I have very high hopes and somewhat high expectations for all of these books.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Independent Reading Reflection
The past nine weeks I began determined to read a collection of books I'd been hoping to get to for a very long time..The majority of which were funny, yet could not be altogether deemed juvenile. Not to say I read Shakespeare for pleasure, but rather I wasn't reading books specifically targeted for teens. This, I came to find, was a most rewarding decision, as teen books tend to pose a threat to me, in that they probably decrease my attention span due to the fact that I so quickly think them dull and cannot grant much of my attention at all to the text. I mean no ill intentions; I am not saying I am too superior for teen books, but a book about more than jocks, nerds and cheerleaders does typically prove so much more enjoyable.
With that said, I must point out that it would have been even more beneficial had I read a couple more nonfiction books, as they are so vital to ap english as I've heard. Alas, I did read one, of a topic I knew would be my very favorite. This book was about slaughterhouses, and seeing as how I am most opposed to the horrendous places, I read it furiously, and I mean that as both quickly and angrily. Yes, it incited a fury in me. And whether it was indulging to be accompanied by such rage, I only have a vague idea; anger is, obviously, an upsetting, harmful emotion. Yet, I enjoyed the book particularly because I felt my anger was shared by the author, and that was such a beautiful justice. I plan on reading a plethora of books dealing with the same subject during this new nine weeks. Most will be Ingrid Newkirk's.
But, I did excessively enjoy the other books I read. I knew at the start they would be euphoric reads, considering most were Christopher Moore's, and he is a genius of a writer, every character and story of his being both the most unimageanable and believable once you have delved into them.
Despite my satisfaction in my reading, or perhaps because of it, I didn't write much at all in my reading log. Once a good story has enveloped me, I cannot emerge enough to recall that I need to be writing about it. That was too difficult, and terribly aggravating. In my annoyance, I was reluctant to halt my stream of engulfed thoughts and attempt to trigger any new ones regarding what I could write, although I must admit it seems awfully lazy of me considering it wouldn't have been that hard to write really. It was mostly because I didn't wish to waste my reading time writing things that really wouldn't be beneficial to me. I say the reading log is unbeneficial in utter honesty and truth. Copying thoughts is not necessarily going to make them any better than thinking deeper about them alone. Time-wasting, unhelpful and annoying was the writing, so I think there is justice in having neglected my log.
But, but but but, the reading was superbly fun, educating, and worthy of my time, and I shall be reading much, much more in my near future.
With that said, I must point out that it would have been even more beneficial had I read a couple more nonfiction books, as they are so vital to ap english as I've heard. Alas, I did read one, of a topic I knew would be my very favorite. This book was about slaughterhouses, and seeing as how I am most opposed to the horrendous places, I read it furiously, and I mean that as both quickly and angrily. Yes, it incited a fury in me. And whether it was indulging to be accompanied by such rage, I only have a vague idea; anger is, obviously, an upsetting, harmful emotion. Yet, I enjoyed the book particularly because I felt my anger was shared by the author, and that was such a beautiful justice. I plan on reading a plethora of books dealing with the same subject during this new nine weeks. Most will be Ingrid Newkirk's.
But, I did excessively enjoy the other books I read. I knew at the start they would be euphoric reads, considering most were Christopher Moore's, and he is a genius of a writer, every character and story of his being both the most unimageanable and believable once you have delved into them.
Despite my satisfaction in my reading, or perhaps because of it, I didn't write much at all in my reading log. Once a good story has enveloped me, I cannot emerge enough to recall that I need to be writing about it. That was too difficult, and terribly aggravating. In my annoyance, I was reluctant to halt my stream of engulfed thoughts and attempt to trigger any new ones regarding what I could write, although I must admit it seems awfully lazy of me considering it wouldn't have been that hard to write really. It was mostly because I didn't wish to waste my reading time writing things that really wouldn't be beneficial to me. I say the reading log is unbeneficial in utter honesty and truth. Copying thoughts is not necessarily going to make them any better than thinking deeper about them alone. Time-wasting, unhelpful and annoying was the writing, so I think there is justice in having neglected my log.
But, but but but, the reading was superbly fun, educating, and worthy of my time, and I shall be reading much, much more in my near future.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Socratic Seminar Reflection
The socratic seminar was sadly something I didn't get to participate in as much as I'd liked to have, but for the duration of the one day I was present, I observed others' discussions, made a few comments and came to the conclusion that the assignment was probably the best school assignment, and by far the best english assignment, I have ever witnessed. I mean this in that the dicussion allowed not only for a student to think deeply about the things that truly matter most, the big picture, but it also granted each student the opportunity to dig deeper, search for the biggest, the deepest meaning, and to do that by interacting with other students.
As we discussed at the start of the year, substantive conversations, when increased, can increase happiness. This may be simply because of the satisfied feeling one has after a deep talk about humanity, and the satisfaction is there because one feels they have gained perhaps a clearer outlook. Also, one has shared their views and in doing so have revealed a deeper part of themselves, and feedback produces a feeling of being understood and accepted. So not only did the conversations educate, but they also enhanced mental states.
And regarding the education, discussions like these open minds to more education; they open minds to more deeper meanings in things not typically picked up on. Of course, this is the ultimate goal; to be able to see more in less.
I only wish more education could be done in this manner in which interaction has the ability to open minds, make them more knowledgeable on the big picture of life and at the same time help them feel more satisfied.
As we discussed at the start of the year, substantive conversations, when increased, can increase happiness. This may be simply because of the satisfied feeling one has after a deep talk about humanity, and the satisfaction is there because one feels they have gained perhaps a clearer outlook. Also, one has shared their views and in doing so have revealed a deeper part of themselves, and feedback produces a feeling of being understood and accepted. So not only did the conversations educate, but they also enhanced mental states.
And regarding the education, discussions like these open minds to more education; they open minds to more deeper meanings in things not typically picked up on. Of course, this is the ultimate goal; to be able to see more in less.
I only wish more education could be done in this manner in which interaction has the ability to open minds, make them more knowledgeable on the big picture of life and at the same time help them feel more satisfied.
Annotated Reading List
1.) Moore, Christopher. Fool. New York City: HarperCollins, 2009. Print. Fool is a hilarious satire of King Lear by Shakespeare. It takes place in the same setting but is told this time by the king's fool, a wee man who has a clever joke for everything and a manner most charming in its vulgarity. After Lear banishes one of his daughters, the fool, known as pocket, endeavers to retrieve her and enters a series of outrageous adventures. He is also reminiscent of his childhood, and tells the sweet, humorous tale of his old best friend, a nun, who suprisingly helps twist the ending!
2.) Moore, Christopher. Lamb. New York City: HarperCollins, 2002. Print. Lamb is the side-splitting never-before-told story of Jesus Christ's childhood as told by his best friend Biff, who's pretty pissed about the Bible having left him out. After being brought back to life by an angel, Biff tells the tale of how he tagged along with Jesus, whose name was Joshua before translated, as he embarked to discover just how to be the Messiah. They first end up with a wizard man and his many asain hooker women only to have to slay a demon and then travel on to become Buddhists and learn kung fu. With the other monks, they travel a treacherous icy path and meet an adorable but kina scary creature of pure innocence. Throughout their countless adventures, Jesus learns all he is to preach later with the help of John, and Biff...well, Biff learns sarcasm.
3.) Moore, Christopher. Coyote Blue. New York City: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Print. Coyote Blue is the crazed tale of a salesman with an unexpected past. After growing up a Crowe Indian on their Indian Reservation, Samson Hunts Alone was forced to flee upon partially-accidently killing a cop. He became a salesman at the bet of an experienced one, and changes his name to Samuel Hunter. Now, though, his past seems to be catching up; Coyote Blue, a shape-shifting trickster Indian, appears out of nowhere to ruin his life. Coincidently at the exact same time a beautiful woman named Calliope arrives, making Samuel utterly lovestruck. Yet Samuel's life is falling to pieces, and the battle to stitch them back together ensues.
4.) Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print. Brave New World is a frightening look into a very possible future, filled with new normalcies of brainwashing, drugs and sex. The novel delves into a society deeming themselves a practical utopia, with its citizens created each to be a member of a specific group to perform specific tasks that enable the perfection of functionality in their society. However, there are problems; with the absence of morality, is their society suffering? And with the constant presence of 'happiness', especially that induced by 'soma', does true happiness exist? Onto the stage appears a 'savage', who belongs to an uncivilized world, and he argues their way of functioning is terribly wrong.
5.) Moore, Christopher. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. New York: HarperCollins, 2004. Print. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove is a story of, you guessed it, a giant lizard monster arriving into the area of a town called Pine Cove. The town psychiatrist, after feeling guilty for one of her patients committing suicide, replaces all the her pateints' antidepressants to placebos, in hopes of truly bettering them with therapy. In turn, the local bar's business grows greatly, and a bluesman is brought in to play guitar. Unfortunately, it is his guitar playing that seems to have attracted from the sea this giant lizard with a hunger for humans and an ability to morph into a trailor. The town's "crazy lady" falls in love with the lizard, naming him Steve, but Steve still can't be too friendly with the rest of the town, and must be gotten rid of before everyone's been eaten.
6.) Eisnitz, Gail A. Slaughterhouse: the Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment inside the U.S. Meat Industry. Amherst, NY: Prometheus, 1997. Print. Slaughterhouse is the nonfiction collaboration of interviews Gail Eisnitz has done with workers at the biggest slaughterhouses in the country. The book reveals the most shocking and disturbingly unimagineable scenes that occur constantly in every slaughterhouse. Not only is it true that an animal properly going through a production line is most rare, and many are skinned alive and/or boiled alive, but the conditions alone of a slaughterhouse, the prevalent roaches, maggots, feces and urine, are enough to make any reader feel like projectile vomiting their lunch. Slaughterhouse, too, tackles the fact that meat-packing is the most dangerous industry and job in America, and its effects on workers is devastating. Killing an animal, or at least trying to, every three seconds all day long is both psychologically damaging and horribly dangerous. This book is a gauranteed change to vegetarianism to anyone I would hope.
2.) Moore, Christopher. Lamb. New York City: HarperCollins, 2002. Print. Lamb is the side-splitting never-before-told story of Jesus Christ's childhood as told by his best friend Biff, who's pretty pissed about the Bible having left him out. After being brought back to life by an angel, Biff tells the tale of how he tagged along with Jesus, whose name was Joshua before translated, as he embarked to discover just how to be the Messiah. They first end up with a wizard man and his many asain hooker women only to have to slay a demon and then travel on to become Buddhists and learn kung fu. With the other monks, they travel a treacherous icy path and meet an adorable but kina scary creature of pure innocence. Throughout their countless adventures, Jesus learns all he is to preach later with the help of John, and Biff...well, Biff learns sarcasm.
3.) Moore, Christopher. Coyote Blue. New York City: Simon & Schuster, 1994. Print. Coyote Blue is the crazed tale of a salesman with an unexpected past. After growing up a Crowe Indian on their Indian Reservation, Samson Hunts Alone was forced to flee upon partially-accidently killing a cop. He became a salesman at the bet of an experienced one, and changes his name to Samuel Hunter. Now, though, his past seems to be catching up; Coyote Blue, a shape-shifting trickster Indian, appears out of nowhere to ruin his life. Coincidently at the exact same time a beautiful woman named Calliope arrives, making Samuel utterly lovestruck. Yet Samuel's life is falling to pieces, and the battle to stitch them back together ensues.
4.) Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World. New York: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2006. Print. Brave New World is a frightening look into a very possible future, filled with new normalcies of brainwashing, drugs and sex. The novel delves into a society deeming themselves a practical utopia, with its citizens created each to be a member of a specific group to perform specific tasks that enable the perfection of functionality in their society. However, there are problems; with the absence of morality, is their society suffering? And with the constant presence of 'happiness', especially that induced by 'soma', does true happiness exist? Onto the stage appears a 'savage', who belongs to an uncivilized world, and he argues their way of functioning is terribly wrong.
5.) Moore, Christopher. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove. New York: HarperCollins, 2004. Print. The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove is a story of, you guessed it, a giant lizard monster arriving into the area of a town called Pine Cove. The town psychiatrist, after feeling guilty for one of her patients committing suicide, replaces all the her pateints' antidepressants to placebos, in hopes of truly bettering them with therapy. In turn, the local bar's business grows greatly, and a bluesman is brought in to play guitar. Unfortunately, it is his guitar playing that seems to have attracted from the sea this giant lizard with a hunger for humans and an ability to morph into a trailor. The town's "crazy lady" falls in love with the lizard, naming him Steve, but Steve still can't be too friendly with the rest of the town, and must be gotten rid of before everyone's been eaten.
6.) Eisnitz, Gail A. Slaughterhouse: the Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment inside the U.S. Meat Industry. Amherst, NY: Prometheus, 1997. Print. Slaughterhouse is the nonfiction collaboration of interviews Gail Eisnitz has done with workers at the biggest slaughterhouses in the country. The book reveals the most shocking and disturbingly unimagineable scenes that occur constantly in every slaughterhouse. Not only is it true that an animal properly going through a production line is most rare, and many are skinned alive and/or boiled alive, but the conditions alone of a slaughterhouse, the prevalent roaches, maggots, feces and urine, are enough to make any reader feel like projectile vomiting their lunch. Slaughterhouse, too, tackles the fact that meat-packing is the most dangerous industry and job in America, and its effects on workers is devastating. Killing an animal, or at least trying to, every three seconds all day long is both psychologically damaging and horribly dangerous. This book is a gauranteed change to vegetarianism to anyone I would hope.
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