What are you reading?

[DeadPoet]

Cabbage or Shredder? I am not much into the writings of former German executive heads (though I may make an exception for Otto v. B.).

Me neither, but a friend of mine who tries to convince me to join the SPD since 30 years offered it to me  ... I wouldn't have spent money on that crap.

I was somewhat interested in what he says about his foreign policies, since I happen to have worked in that sector during his reign (still do). But that wouldn't have been worth the money ...


I'm actually reading "Crime and Punishment" by Dostoevsky.

[Sibling Chatty]

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.

The neighbors have their developmentally delayed granddaughter for the week, while Mama and Daddy take a week vacay since Daddy's back from Afghanistan, and neighborlady had to go to the doctor today, so I stayed with Beth. Beth is 8, and they said she'd never learn to read. She's reading the very basic Dr. Seuss, and some first grade literature.

She's solid on her alphabet, has a grasp of phonics, phonetics, et cetera, and is not THAT far behind on reading! Her math skills are amazing. She adds, subtracts, multiplies and divides. Imagine what would happen if they'd bother trying to teach her math!! Her school is just beginning to go beyond counting with her, and they're freaking out that she's been able to do this for over a year.

Tomorrow, we will read Hop on Pop. And maybe, if we're good, Go, Dog, Go. (Go, Dog, Go has a lot of subtext about social behavior and manners that we'll have to discuss, so it may need a whole day to itself.)

I could never have kept teaching school, but I might have done well in a one-on-one situation.

[Swatopluk]

I wonder whether this book may be worth a look.
http://www.amazon.com/Science-Evolution-Myth-Creationism-Knowing/dp/0976023652/sr=1-1/qid=1166014452/ref=sr_1_1/104-0277183-8975902?ie=UTF8&s=books
The Science of Evolution and the Myth of Creationism: Knowing What's Real and Why It Matters (Paperback)
by Ardea Skybreak
Can't of course judge by the cover alone whether it could be just a long polemic in the Dawkins mold (mould?).

[beagle]

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish.
Beth is 8, and they said she'd never learn to read.

I have a healthy skepticism of the accuracy of the educational assessment of young children. About that age they told my parents I'd probably never be able to do any public examinations. That turned out to be slightly pessimistic, but only after my father had taught me to read, tell the time, and do the times table.

-------

I'm reading Sun Certified Programmer for Java 5 Study Guide. Think I'm almost certifiable now .

[Sibling Chatty]

Beth is a Down Syndrome child.

That said, she can program a DVD player, VCR or a replacement remote control as if she were linked into the signaling system. It's scary. You read the directions, she nods her little head, then just--it's done.

I'm almost over feeling hugely inferior to an 8 year old, no matter what they say about her mental capabilities. Her Daddy's teaching her XHTML as she's learning to read. Why can I not remember it??

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

She sounds like an amazing kid. I really do think that the medical and educational establishments underestimate those with mental disabilities, especially autisitic and Down Syndrome kids. I used to know a really great DS kid who the teachers treated like a cabbage.


Reading:
Tyranny of the Status Quo--Milton and Rose Friedman
The Human Comedy--William Saroyan
The Secret Agent--Joseph Conrad

[DeadPoet]

I'm reading half a dozen status reports Berlin has sent me; that makes about 3000 pages of text I have to swallow till Friday. And that means I need more coffee...

[Vita Curator]

 The Shape Shifter by Tony Hillerman

[Aggie]

A Hat Full of Sky

[Swatopluk]

A Hat Full of Sky

What happens if you turn a fat man into a quite small animal?

[Aggie]

You don't need a grinder to make hamburgers!   

I miss the double-entendres of regular 'adult' Pratchett in the Tiffany Aching stuff, though. 'Specially with the Feegles involved.

[Griffin NoName]

Grief Counselling and Grief Therapy - J William Worden
Grace and Grit - Ken Wilber
Dicing with Death - Chance Risk and Health - Stephen Senn (statistics)
Vital Lies, Simple Truths - Daniel Goleman

and a novel...
Private Papers - Margaret Forster

I have a very short attention span so flit from one to another.

In normal health I devour minimum six books a week and have done all my life; until I find I can do that, I don't really need a diagnosis to tell me I am unwell !! On the plus side my shelving problems have slowed down.

[Swatopluk]

I always have lots of books in the state of being partially read. Some are on the fast lane (e.g. all Pratchetts) other may take years to complete.
Some are ideal for certain situations (bathtub books for example: not too big and not too expensive) others are simply to big in nature to read in one go (not necessarily big as in many pages but as in complexity).
It's similar with movies btw. Some DVDs stand very long on the shelve unwatched because the mood is wrong or the time slot doesn't fit (I hate to not watch movies in one go and the longer ones can be difficult to fit in the daily schedule).

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

Well, I've gone and done it.

I noticed a while ago that I didn't know anyone who was only moderately interested in golf; those who played it took it to a level bordering on obsession.

I think I've seen something similar with Terry Pratchett.  I don't know anyone who only likes his stuff a little bit.

Despite this, I went out on Boxing Day and found a sale at the bookstore... I left with a copy of The Colour of Magic.

I knew what I was getting into, so whatever happens is my own fault.   

[The Meromorph]

A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage, It's fascinating so far. A little like Jared Diamond...
He makes a reasonable case that the actual personal decision for hunter gatherers to settle down to farming was probably to ensure the regular supply of beer!