Hour Game by David Baldacci
Genre: mystery, thriller Rating: (out of 10): 7
I read this book while at the house in Italy. They had a neat book exchange program, and I wished I had brought a paperback rather than just class reading. I have read a few of Baldacci's books. They aren't great literature, but they are a quick read. He managed to surprise me in this one, too!
Ecofeminism by Maria Mies and Vandana Shiva
Genre: Ecology, women's studies Rating: (out of 10): 7
This book was very readable. I enjoyed the articles in it that were well supported and disagreed with some others, but it was all good food for thought. I'm keeping this one.
Tales of the Field: On Writing Ethnography by John VanMaanen
Genre: Research writing, informational Rating: (out of 10): 5
I learned what I needed to learn from this book. Not terribly interesting, but it did help me organize my thoughts about informational writing.
Ways that Work: Putting Social Studies Standards into Practice by Tarry Lindquist
Genre: Teaching, Social Studies Rating: (out of 10): 9
I am doing an independent study with a professor at EMU this spring to help me develop the social studies curriculum for my district. I'm in charge of the new standards in 3rd and 4th grade. This book gave me some great ideas about relating social studies to kids' lives and how to organize the new curriculum. Highly recommended.
Social Studies at the Center: Integrating Kids, Content, and Literacy by Tarry Lindquist & Douglas Selwyn
Genre: Teaching, Social Studies Rating: (out of 10): 7.5
I skipped parts of this book that didn't relate to the 3rd and 4th grade standards. It was also, though, full of good strategies and positive messages about how and why to effectively teach social studies.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Ugh.
Environmental Culture: The Ecological Crisis of Reason by Val Plumwood
Genre: Ecology, women's studies Rating: (out of 10): 0.5
Ugh. This was tough to read, making the subject matter tough to understand when it shouldn't have been. Definitely a sell-back.
Genre: Ecology, women's studies Rating: (out of 10): 0.5
Ugh. This was tough to read, making the subject matter tough to understand when it shouldn't have been. Definitely a sell-back.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
800 Pages in 24 Hours
I feel like myself again... reading has been a priority in my life for the past week. :) I guess there is a plus side to unnecessary snow days.
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 10
I enjoyed the character development again, and felt as though she did a wonderful job of making the audience empathetic to Bella's pain. The conflict and suspense made this edge-of-your-seat reading.
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 8
I read this book in one day. The rating is only in relation to the other two books... I personally liked them better than this one. I thought this one was a little more predictable.
I am looking forward to a new book in the series in August and the movie of Twilight as well!
Inkheart and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke (read in '07)
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 6.5
I had high expectations from Funke because I really enjoyed The Thief Lord. The world she creates in the story is fascinating, but there were times in reading both that I was dragging.
New Moon by Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 10
I enjoyed the character development again, and felt as though she did a wonderful job of making the audience empathetic to Bella's pain. The conflict and suspense made this edge-of-your-seat reading.
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 8
I read this book in one day. The rating is only in relation to the other two books... I personally liked them better than this one. I thought this one was a little more predictable.
I am looking forward to a new book in the series in August and the movie of Twilight as well!
Inkheart and Inkspell by Cornelia Funke (read in '07)
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 6.5
I had high expectations from Funke because I really enjoyed The Thief Lord. The world she creates in the story is fascinating, but there were times in reading both that I was dragging.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
I tried to put it down...
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 9
I made fun of Dave when he read this book because he got it off the 'Teen' rack at the bookstore and described it as a vampire love story. It is. But it is also very well-written, has a lot more realistic elements to it than I thought, and is a quick 500 page read. Less than 24 hours. I will hopefully be able to delay reading the next two... I also agree with him that there is great character development.
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy Rating: (out of 10): 9
I made fun of Dave when he read this book because he got it off the 'Teen' rack at the bookstore and described it as a vampire love story. It is. But it is also very well-written, has a lot more realistic elements to it than I thought, and is a quick 500 page read. Less than 24 hours. I will hopefully be able to delay reading the next two... I also agree with him that there is great character development.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Mid-Winter Vacation Reading
The Appeal by John Grisham
Genre: Fiction Rating: (out of 10): 6
I protested, but Mom got me this book as I was leaving Las Vegas. And I finished it, instead of doing the work I had to do over the past 24 hours. The story was well-written with a great twist at the end, but I wish it were a happier book.
The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology and the Scientific Revolution by Carolyn Merchant
Genre: Science, Women's Studies Rating: (out of 10): 1
This was a painful book to read. It was dry and very historical. After reading my assigned chapters several times, I was able to figure out what to write about in my paper. I think that I could have gotten what I needed from this book in one chapter instead of 13.
Genre: Fiction Rating: (out of 10): 6
I protested, but Mom got me this book as I was leaving Las Vegas. And I finished it, instead of doing the work I had to do over the past 24 hours. The story was well-written with a great twist at the end, but I wish it were a happier book.
The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology and the Scientific Revolution by Carolyn Merchant
Genre: Science, Women's Studies Rating: (out of 10): 1
This was a painful book to read. It was dry and very historical. After reading my assigned chapters several times, I was able to figure out what to write about in my paper. I think that I could have gotten what I needed from this book in one chapter instead of 13.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Nothing to Write Home About
Legends, Lies & Cherished Myths of American History by Richard Shenkman
Genre: History, Revisionist History Rating: (out of 10): 5
This is the only book I've read for fun recently. Parts of it were very interesting, such as Harvard's way of ranking students (based on wealth). Overall, there wasn't anything earth-shattering in this book, and instead of breadth I would have preferred a little more depth on the stories.
The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler
Genre: History, Women's Studies Rating: (out of 10): 8
So I am taking a class called EcoFeminism... a woman's studies class was required for my master's and I have been dreading it. We have to read 5 books, this being the first. I loved this one! How to describe it... its thesis is that before recorded history, women and men were equal in most societies. After that, things went downhill... This book made me think and I enjoyed that.
First Fieldwork: The Misadventures of an Anthropologist by Barbara Gallatin Anderson
Genre: Anthropology Rating: (out of 10): 8
Another book for a (different) class. This was a quick read, and it was easy to get a good feel for what anthropologists do and what their time in the field is like.
Genre: History, Revisionist History Rating: (out of 10): 5
This is the only book I've read for fun recently. Parts of it were very interesting, such as Harvard's way of ranking students (based on wealth). Overall, there wasn't anything earth-shattering in this book, and instead of breadth I would have preferred a little more depth on the stories.
The Chalice and the Blade by Riane Eisler
Genre: History, Women's Studies Rating: (out of 10): 8
So I am taking a class called EcoFeminism... a woman's studies class was required for my master's and I have been dreading it. We have to read 5 books, this being the first. I loved this one! How to describe it... its thesis is that before recorded history, women and men were equal in most societies. After that, things went downhill... This book made me think and I enjoyed that.
First Fieldwork: The Misadventures of an Anthropologist by Barbara Gallatin Anderson
Genre: Anthropology Rating: (out of 10): 8
Another book for a (different) class. This was a quick read, and it was easy to get a good feel for what anthropologists do and what their time in the field is like.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Quick Update
Yikes...
I've read a lot for my classes.
I read some books for fun- including Phillip Pullman's Golden Compass trilogy. I loved it, and think that the critics of the books are ridiculous. He does not kill God. There are some anti-organized religion undertones in book #1. I don't think that is so terrible, seeing as the number of wars that have been started as a result of religion.
I've read a lot for my classes.
I read some books for fun- including Phillip Pullman's Golden Compass trilogy. I loved it, and think that the critics of the books are ridiculous. He does not kill God. There are some anti-organized religion undertones in book #1. I don't think that is so terrible, seeing as the number of wars that have been started as a result of religion.
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