bookgazing (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bookgazing) wrote2009-12-01 09:30 am
bookgazing) wrote2009-12-01 09:30 am
Discussion, deliberation and donating
I’m about 200 pages from the end of ‘Young Bloods’ by Simon Scarrow, which is the rather large first volume in his quite enjoyable Napoleon/Wellington series. It’s also the second book I’m reading as I attempt to read some of the bigger books that are just sitting on my parents bookshelves, waiting for my attention. My mum patiently holds on to anything I say I want to read, but as she reads four times faster than me and I have my own books covering every available surface in my room her shelves sometimes begin to get too full for new books (not that she let’s that stop her on her trips to Waterstones). My new reading goal is to try and read a few of the books that are over 400 pages, or are big hardbacks so that she and my dad will have a little bit more space for the books they get for Christmas.
I sort of think I should have mentioned this when I started the first chunky book (‘Shashenka’), as big books mean less reviews, less posts in general probably as I crack on with some reading. But then I expect you’re all so busy with Christmas things and your own reading, to say nothing of general life stuff that you’re glad for less long review posts in your reader. Ok I will stop fishing for compliments now ;)
Instead of a review let me offer up a couple of titbits for discussion.
First I’m getting steadily angrier about a teacher in Kentucky, US, who may lose her job for exposing her students to young adult literature. Risha Mullins has been talking to students in an advanced college preparation class about some young adult novels, as well as teaching her students about the classics they’ll be examined on, with the hope of encouraging students to develop a love of reading. She’s actually going beyond her remit as a teacher, by drawing up optional suggested reading lists and including extra content so that these students can do more than pass a test.
Some parents and Mullins’s school superintendent aren’t happy about these books being included in an advanced class. They’re pulling the ‘not challenging enough for this course’ card, but since one author notes that these books had already been challenged for containing ‘racy material’ (seriously have we gone back to the time of flapper girls?) and since the superintendent can’t quite resist taking a dig at the fact that one of the books Mullins used ‘depicts sexual activities between two eighth grade girls’ I think it’s plain to see what this is all really about. Parents who think their kids shouldn’t be reading something, want to win an argument. (I found out about this via Chasing Ray, which also links to a great overview of the situation) .
Second did anyone in the UK see the final instalment of the ‘Women we loved’ series on BB4 last night? I thought their examination of Margot Fonteyn, who I knew nothing about, was the strongest program yet, even if the love affair element has never been substantiated. However, I wonder why all the women profiled had to be ones with such unhappy endings, specifically endings which tarnished their careers. Enid Blyton is accused of not writing her own books, Gracie Fields is called a traitor and falls from favour with the British public and Margot Fontaine is forced to dance well past her peak and dies in poverty. Could the BBC find no British creative women who ended their lives with their professional reputation intact? I know, conflict and adversity is what makes for an exciting story and probably no-one have really watched three programs about women who had brilliant careers and happy lives, but couldn’t the series have included at least one women who made it and kept it?
Just time for a quick charity spotlight. A few months ago I heard about Michelle, who has created a library for her community, using her own money. This month The Story Siren has set up an excellent contest, with the help of a few authors, to encourage people to donate books to her project. Basically donate a few books for kids 1 - 18 (new, or used) and you get entered to win other books. Read Michelle’s story about why she was motivated to create a space for these kids to read and maybe you’ll find something you can donate.
Right it’s time to return to the swashbuckling and class debates of the 1700s. Hope to visit you all soon in blogland.
I sort of think I should have mentioned this when I started the first chunky book (‘Shashenka’), as big books mean less reviews, less posts in general probably as I crack on with some reading. But then I expect you’re all so busy with Christmas things and your own reading, to say nothing of general life stuff that you’re glad for less long review posts in your reader. Ok I will stop fishing for compliments now ;)
Instead of a review let me offer up a couple of titbits for discussion.
First I’m getting steadily angrier about a teacher in Kentucky, US, who may lose her job for exposing her students to young adult literature. Risha Mullins has been talking to students in an advanced college preparation class about some young adult novels, as well as teaching her students about the classics they’ll be examined on, with the hope of encouraging students to develop a love of reading. She’s actually going beyond her remit as a teacher, by drawing up optional suggested reading lists and including extra content so that these students can do more than pass a test.
Some parents and Mullins’s school superintendent aren’t happy about these books being included in an advanced class. They’re pulling the ‘not challenging enough for this course’ card, but since one author notes that these books had already been challenged for containing ‘racy material’ (seriously have we gone back to the time of flapper girls?) and since the superintendent can’t quite resist taking a dig at the fact that one of the books Mullins used ‘depicts sexual activities between two eighth grade girls’ I think it’s plain to see what this is all really about. Parents who think their kids shouldn’t be reading something, want to win an argument. (I found out about this via Chasing Ray, which also links to a great overview of the situation) .
Second did anyone in the UK see the final instalment of the ‘Women we loved’ series on BB4 last night? I thought their examination of Margot Fonteyn, who I knew nothing about, was the strongest program yet, even if the love affair element has never been substantiated. However, I wonder why all the women profiled had to be ones with such unhappy endings, specifically endings which tarnished their careers. Enid Blyton is accused of not writing her own books, Gracie Fields is called a traitor and falls from favour with the British public and Margot Fontaine is forced to dance well past her peak and dies in poverty. Could the BBC find no British creative women who ended their lives with their professional reputation intact? I know, conflict and adversity is what makes for an exciting story and probably no-one have really watched three programs about women who had brilliant careers and happy lives, but couldn’t the series have included at least one women who made it and kept it?
Just time for a quick charity spotlight. A few months ago I heard about Michelle, who has created a library for her community, using her own money. This month The Story Siren has set up an excellent contest, with the help of a few authors, to encourage people to donate books to her project. Basically donate a few books for kids 1 - 18 (new, or used) and you get entered to win other books. Read Michelle’s story about why she was motivated to create a space for these kids to read and maybe you’ll find something you can donate.
Right it’s time to return to the swashbuckling and class debates of the 1700s. Hope to visit you all soon in blogland.