Russian History Again

I grew up in the aftermath of the Anna Anderson conspiracy, if you will. I watched Anastasia when I was younger, and read some children's historical fiction about her. I even took a Russian history course in college, I was that interested in the story. So when The Secret Daughter of the Tsar popped up on my radar, I naturally was interested.

Anna Anderson and Grand Duchess Anastasia, from website linked above. 

This fiction novel by Jennifer Laam follows the lives of three women during three very different eras. Lena, Charlotte, and Veronica are all connected to the supposed fifth daughter of Tsar Nicolaus II and Alexandra. I thoroughly enjoyed the tale that Laam wove so carefully, staying up late at last one night to keep reading. Fiction has not ben doing it for me lately, so this was a lovely change. Having read up on the Romanovs quite a bit myself, I caught on to some of the connections early on. However, there was still a surprise at the end.

I really connected with the three main characters on different levels-- Charlotte, who wanted to protect her son; Lena, who simply wanted a better life; and Veronica, a struggling history professor, hoping to get tenure and have her book published.

I would definitely recommend this book, as it was griping and relatively accurate where it needed to be. It has been really hard for me to find a good historical fiction book that doesn't have at least one scene of either brutal violence or descriptive sex (or a combination) and this book avoided both of those (for the most part). I believe if a story is compelling enough, it really doesn't need either of those things to further the plot.

Just Finished

I've spent the last few days glued to a book. A book on my Kindle, actually. Never thought I'd say that.

It's called People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks. A fun bit of historical fiction- something I haven't been able to enjoy in quite a while.  The titular book is the Sarajevo Haggadah, an apparently* famous Jewish prayer book that survived the Inquisition, the looting of the Nazis and numerous other attacks on the people of the Jewish faith through history.

The tale is woven well, though at times I wished I was holding a paper book so I could flip back and forth. The Kindle was a Mother's Day gift, and it has been extremely convenient. It fits well in my bag, and I don't have the guilty feeling that comes with using my work iPad for fun stuff.

The book has a good mix of history and fiction, though the sprinkling of Jewish and Muslim words sometimes made it hard to follow. I also felt challenged by the historical names of particular places, as Eastern Europe and the Middle East were not my strong subjects. However, having read a number of the Temperance Brennan books by Kathy Reichs (and being a fan of the lighter end of that genre in general), the investigative portions of the book were intriguing to me. The main character is a specialist in old manuscripts and was hired to examine and repair a Haggadah that had missing/hidden since WWII. As part of her process of examination, she extracts foreign objects-- fibers, scales, stains-- and each of those take the reader back in time to the place where that particle intersected with the life of the book.

I think this book has a bit of something for everyone, and I definitely enjoyed it. Surprising, after a long run of non-fiction books that didn't quite hit the spot, and fiction books that made me feel overly sensitive. Worth my time, and worth me offering up a review as well.

* I only say apparently because, as noted, I am not hugely familiar with Jewish history or E.European history

It was a Dark and Stormy Night

With the humidity we've been having, rain is a welcome change. I'm honestly hoping for more daytime rain, as our last two storms were at night.

a poorly lit doctor's office WIP photo

But even with the storms and intermittent humidity, crochet has taken place! My Hexy now has two skeins worth of Cotlin into it, and I have a third still in my stash, with several more on the way to finish up. Not the perfect stashdown project, but stash is still moving from yarn to WIP to FO.

To keep my 'theme' of project polygamy, I did start another project last night. I'm testing a baby sweater pattern for MAD Cap Designs, and so far so good. My husband made a comment about the last sweater I made-- it was a knitted vest for my brother and took 3 years to make- and I scoffed, saying that crochet plus baby equals a faster project. I really hope I'm right this time :) I was only able to get the bottom ribbing band done at craft night last night, but I am hopeful that spending some time with my DVDs will make the progress go faster.

Nothing really in exciting colors yet. Sometimes its uncanny how my colors match my mood and/or the weather. And my dear Michigan cannot decide if it wants rain or sunshine. Early early this morning when I took my husband to work, it looked like more rain. As the day goes on, it's starting to look like sunshine again. So much "wait and see" with the weather.

My reading this week is work related. If anyone ever tries to tell me that teachers don't work in the summer, I may get violent. Take a look at one-fourth of my work:

I will have 4 totally new to me classes next school year, while also being on maternity leave at the beginning of the year. Not sure if this situation is better or worse then last year's, where I had less than two weeks to plan for 2 classes-- plus a wedding. Oh well, the world of teaching is always exciting.

Linking up with Tami & Ginny. 

Three Day Weekends

As a teacher, long weekends are a welcome, especially when the students are stir-crazy with cabin fever. (It doesn't help that my school district was one of many hit by the New Year snow storm that closed school for an extra three days. A two day week followed by a 5 day is nearly torture, because the students are so not use to being in school-- especially middle schoolers.) I hope to snuggle up with a book or two, work on a bit of crochet, and (even though it sounds dreadfully dull) get some lesson planning done.

Who can resist that ruggedly handsome guy?

I have two new books to try, too! As a fan of crime shows (sometimes), I'm a sucker for the Richard Castle books, only because I know they'll be an easy mystery read. My husband and I have been going through my Castle & Bones DVDS at a rapid pace (it's easier to watch one or two 45 minute TV shows then dedicate time to a movie), so I was excited to see the new Richard Castle book available at my local library. Trying to stay up-to-date with the library technology, I'm also trying some e-books, which I can browse on my lunch hour at school, and download straight to my iPad. Mainly I'm looking at new historical fiction, as those are the books that hold my interest most often (and I have to keep my love of history alive while I'm not teaching it every day((Say a prayer that I teach history next year!!))) On the history front, though, I do have my tales of English history book that my husband bought me back in December. Due to its size and the style of writing (lots of short stories) I'm able to read a few a night, which is exciting. So far, I've made it through Roman occupation and I'm somewhere in the Dark Ages.

Pieces, waiting assembly

I'm trying to cut down on WIPs, and right now, I have 2 bigger projects, and a handful of smaller ones. Pictured above is the start of a Huntress Vest, inspired by the costume worn by Katniss at the beginning of the second Hunger Games movie. A coworker of mine asked if I could make one- she had the pattern purchased already, so it was easy enough for me to commit to. Her daughter wanted it in black/gray instead of the movie's beige/tan, which I like better anyway. My "bigger" projects are both blankets-in-progress, and they will both take time. One is all motifs, which helps its progress, only because it can be on-the-go a bit more than the giant eventually queen sized ripple blanket I am making. 

I'm in search of a cowl pattern to use up my abundance of cute buttons, but so far, no luck. Suggestions?

A New history book! Also, yarn

I love being busy with crafting things, and these weeks leading up to the holidays are quite busy. There is one final craft show this weekend, and I am hoping to have some new items in new colors for the final shopping push to Christmas.

New things!

From my fuzzy ipad photo, you can see my new book, all with two new projects that I've started. The dark blue yarn is another infinity scarf- lion brand has put out several new colors this season in their homespun yarn, and I am taking full advantage of fun and new colors.  The lighter blue that you can
kinda see it a third slouch hat, in a similar style to the red one from last week.

My new book is a gift from my husband, for St. Nick's Day & St. Lucia Day. Traditionally, with his family, books are the gift for St. Lucia, and food or candy is the gift for St. Nick. I've never celebrated Lucia Day before


Joining up with Tami & Ginny!

New Home WIP

While I have been working on some crocheting and knitting, this weekend I've been working on a piece of furniture for my/our new apartment!!!

There are no before pictures, just halfway to step one pictures. 

On the first day, I got to play with paint stripper, a power sander, and ended with really sore hands, arms, and back. Being liberal with paint stripper (not that I have experience) was difficult, and I ended up probably doing more work than necessary. 

All the white paint is gone, but still needs work!

Day two was work on the drawers, as well as paint that I missed on day one. I also put stain on the top (the only bit that is completely sanded and stripped of paint), which is helpful in motivating me to work harder on the other bits. 

The reason for this dresser makeover? Fiancé really dislikes painted furniture. It was in a little girls room, and it needed either a new coat of paint or a complete overhaul. I counted at least 4 layers of paint, plus the most recent color. If I slapped another coat of paint, it would've needed to be touched up the next time we moved. So I'm striping all the paint, sanding, staining, and then topping it with a coat of poly. It's a lot of work, but I enjoy it. 

Even though I've been busy with home projects, I do have some yarn to share!!!

Decorating my books: a scarf and a shawl

My stack of books increased yesterday, as I decided to pursue the historical fiction section on Amazon. I didn't expect to get them all at the same time. Titles, in case you can't read them: The Age of Ice, The Light between Oceans, The Kitchen House, and Red Templar. It Starts with Food is obviously not fiction, and I'm still working through it, a bit at a time. 

And here's a close up of my crocheting, Hitchin' a Ride. 

Lovely self-striping Felici!

Linking up with Tami & Ginny!

Reading Update

Amid the hubbub of wedding preparations and moving, I've been blessed to find personal quiet time to read. Good suggestions always seem to come from pursuing the blogs that share on Ginny's weekly Yarn-Along. Two of the books I am currently looking at have come from other bloggers' recommendations.

The first, The Movement of Stars by Amy Brill, is a fiction novel that takes place in 19th century Nantucket.

As it has a historical aspect to it, I immediately sought a copy from my library system, which arrived several days later. What also intrigued me about this book is its astronomical and nautical angle. Both subjects hold some interest to me, though mostly in their relation to history. It reminds me a lot of some of the things I've learned through studying lighthouses.

I am fascinated by the Quaker community that the main character, Hannah, lives in. Many books I've read before, particularly those by Beverly Lewis, discuss similiar (to me) concepts of communities like that, especially the Amish communities.

I'm not as far as I would like to be into the book, but so far it is enjoyable.

In my possession and next on the list are 2 more books, another fiction and a non-fiction.

At the recommendation of a good friend, I am also looking into Paleo.

I'm not sure I can totally go to all whole foods, but I'd like to make an attempt. I've never really had weight issues, so it's not really about that. It would be more about getting healthy and feeling better all the time.

So, that's what I'm reading! WOOO!

Thieftaker

Thieftaker
by D. B. Jackson

A trip through pre- Revolution Boston, infused with magic, a hint of romance, and a mystery.

This is the world that D. B. Jackson skillfully weaves, creating an intriguing historical fiction novel that I couldn't put down. It's been a while since I've been so absorbed in a book, and I loved the experience. 

The characters, a mix of fiction and non fiction, were decently rounded out, a variety of types and social classes. Each contributed to the story in their own way, some not revealing their part until the very end.

The main character, Ethan Kaille, is a conjurer (aka witch) and a "thieftaker"(hired by wealthier people to recover their stolen goods). Both of his "professions" make it hard for him to keep his head down, especially in a place as volatile as pre- Revolution Boston. I'll be the first to admit that I don't really know much about the city of Boston. But I do know a fair bit about the Revolutionary War, and the events leading up to it. Jackson throws in enough historical information to make the story plausible, but the story isnt really about the history. The history, particularly the riots that could've (and did) take place all around the 13 colonies in regards to the Stamp Act and other "unfair" taxes, feeds into the story but does not consume it.

Jackson writes an interesting novel, and blends the history with the fantasy well.

I'd recommend this as a engaging book (Though I will add that I dislike people who write novels hoping to score big writing a whole series)
(And obviously, I dont really write book reviews, I just like sharing about good books I've read)

Books & Hooks

Wedding preparations are getting really busy-- just over a month left now!!

But amid all the hub-bub of bridal showers, moving, fittings, bachelorette parties, and general preparation, I've found time for my hooks.

First Love
Yarn: Knit Picks Palette fingering in Mulberry
Hook: H

Little Star Dishcloths
Yarn: Sugar'n Cream scraps & the like
Hook: I keep switching between G and H, though I like H best.
True Love
Starting this one as soon as First Love is finished!

I've also found time for new books. One was suggested by a follow Yarn-Along-er, the other by a co-worker.

Thieftaker, D.B. Jackson-- pre-Revolutionary War era

Movement of the Stars, Amy Brill-- mid 1800s

I'm enjoying the historical angle of both books, though they are from two different eras and have completely different story lines.

Linking up with WIPWednesday & Yarn-Along!

You Can Do It! CSAL

Many projects at once!

 The Cold Sheep group on Ravelry is hosting their 11th You Can Do It! Cold Sheep A-Long. I've mentioned the Cold Sheep group here before, as they have been really helpful to me in regards to de-stashing and keeping my yarn purchases to a "necessary" minimum. Now, "Cold Sheeping" isn't for everyone, but I find the CSAL very motivating for finishing projects.

Pineapples for Everyone

***

I am not a monogamous crafter. (There, I admitted it) My three "on-the-go" projects this week are the Pineapples for Everyone Shawl (Marie at Underground Crafter is having a CAL, with prizes), a commissioned hat (due for a birthday in April) and my 2nd Snowdrop shawl. I also have 2 stay at home projects, one is a blanket. I think having so many projects to work on can be both overwhelming and helpful. Overwhelming, because I have no idea where to start, but helpful because it usually means I have something small to work on.

Giant Granny

***

Back to the CSAL. I find that attempting to reach a goal with a bunch of other Ravelers is much more fun than reaching a goal by myself. There are milestones for your first 500 yards, and then in 1000 yards up to 5000 yards. And you can get up to 5 entries to win prizes! It's super awesome, and definitely an encouraging environment.

Sorry for the dark image. 

***

I'm reading a new book this week!! One of my co-workers got to it first, and says it's really good: A Natural History of Dragons, A Memoir by Lady Trent. Even though I don't quite have time to be reading fiction books for pleasure, I think I'll be able to squeeze it in this week, with my teaching schedule of all sorts of standardized tests (which leaves me with only 2 proper classes of students at the high school-- no chance of getting out of teaching the middle school hooligans). And with the testing, I'm hoping it also means more time to crochet during the day... Maybe, just maybe.

***

It's really Wednesday again. So I'm linking up with Work-in-Progress Wednesday @ Tami's, and with the Yarn-Along over at Ginny's.
((This post was intended for Wednesday, March 6, but time got away from me, and I'm sharing it today instead.))

Papercrafting and Last Minute Orders

My FOs this week are mixed media-- I have crochet, like normal, but also papercrafting. You see, I have been on the hunt for a circular paper punch, with the little scalloped edges, for several weeks. However, the stores don't seem to be re-stocking, so they've never had the size I wanted. Yesterday, my JoAnn's had the one I wanted, and it was on sale. I used it as soon as I got home, make new ornaments for our Jesse Tree. So now, my family is celebrating a mix of old and new as we prepare for Christmas and the birth of Christ.

new paper punch!

my ornaments for next week

this week's, up close

ornaments from years past

our Jesse Tree, preparing us for Christmas

I have made some crocheting progress, though sadly not with Christmas gifts. I had a woman who had purchased one of my scarves at a craft show contact me (2 months later?!) and wondered if I had any left. (I really wanted to tell her to go away, but business is business, right?) So I graciously offered two of my WIP scarves, since I would have the rest of the week to finish them. Those are now finished, and I'm waiting to hear back from her. For those of you who work craft shows, is there any good way to let people know that you won't take orders after a certain time? Because, I update that information on my Facebook page regularly, and people still think they can order stuff the week before Christmas. Like, I made the FB page so people could find me later, and contact me. Am I doing something wrong?

two new scarves

I'm looking forward to the weekend-- we're cutting our Christmas tree tomorrow morning, have a party in the evening, and on Sunday I'm going dress shopping with my flower girls. Anyone else have exciting plans?

Anyway, linking up with Tami for FO Friday.

Wednesday!

Wednesdays are fabulous days, especially when my semester is OVER!! It's been a really stressful semester, but it's over and I get to spend next semester with a variety of high-school students, teaching them about my favorite subjects: Government and History!!! All while planning a wedding and looking for a house and a job in a different city. Yay me!

In Progress

But for now, I'm in a Christmas gift-making frenzy, hoping to finish orders for a few close friends (who ordered ages ago and deserve to have their stuff finished) and FINALLY spending time with some books.

One done, 2 to go!

Even though I swore off infinity scarves, I actually am supposed to be making some for people. So, I have more Lion Brand Homespun in my bag for my 5 hour shift at work. It's okay though, because I like the mindlessness of making them.

For my reading, our priest recommended I look for something to read and reflect on as I prepare for marriage. So off to the bookstore I went yesterday, and found Chosen and Cherished: Biblical Wisdom for your Marriage, by Kimberly Hahn, which reflects on Proverbs 31. It looks really good, and since Fr. Dan told me not to look for stuff about being a mother, and go more towards reading about being a wife, I thought this would be a good fit. Though I am totally open to other suggestions, if people have them.

Excited to be reading new things!

My other 2 reads are also non-fiction: In the Garden of Beasts (about the US Ambassador in Germany pre WWII) and Six Armies In Normandy.  As you can tell, I'm on a WWII kick. I'd welcome some historical fiction, but 1) I haven't actively searched, and 2) I don't have that much free time.

I'm hoping to have a few more interesting crochet projects soon, so stay tuned for those!!

Linking up with Tami and Ginny today!

No Longer Overwhelmed!

Last Wednesday, I posted a huge list of the things I was working on. On Friday, I shared a finished project.

On Monday night, I finished another project that I will share on Friday. I started a few more projects, but I feel less overwhelmed than I did last week.

I've nearly finished the stockinette section on my Oaklet shawl, and I am in love with the yarn I am using- Three Irish Girls Glenhaven Cashmerino sock. It is absolutely amazing. It was gifted to me in a swap, and I was intending it for a Summer Flies but I thought the color might be too busy. And then I remembered that Ginny made the Oaklet a while back, and I had browsed the FOs and loved how it looked in a variegated yarn. I really hope to finish it in the next week or so, because the weather here is perfect for a cozy shawl.

The Orchid House, by Lucinda Riley, was an amazing book. It was on my stack last week, and after abandoning my non-fiction book, I picked it up. I believe I mentioned that I had started it a month or so ago, but had to return it to the library. There was no such problem this time. I had a bit of a free weekend, so I mostly read this book. I loved the multiple layers to it, and I was fascinated by the history of Thailand and WWII that was injected into the storyline.

That's all for me today! Be sure to stop by on Friday to see what I finished!!
Check out Tami's and Ginny's for more WIPs this week!

Too Little Progress, Too Many Projects

I am terrible at project monogamy. When something gets too big to stay in my bag, it stays at home and I start something else. And then there are the projects that I can only work on when certain people aren't watching.

"In Progress":

Citron

Homespun Infinity Scarves

Autumnal Afghan 

Smorgasbord Mish-Mash

Azzu

Age of Brass and Steam

Toothless Hat

Plus, a dinosaur hat and a pair of fingerless gloves-- neither of which have a photo.

3 of the projects are knitted. The other 5 are crocheted. And these are the projects that I can see in my room right now. A few of them just need a bit of finishing-- mainly the hats and the infinity scarves. My Azzu needs more yarn. Age of Brass and Citron are both knitted in lace-weight yarn, so they are taking FOREVER. I just need a few more squares to finish the Autumnal Afghan, but I don't want to weave in ends on the squares that I have finished, so why should I make more? It's a toss up, which of the above projects I will finish first.

I think I just overwhelmed myself making this list. But then, you need to see my stack of books. That's overwhelming too.

It's been modified slightly since it was photographed. Swap out Slave Ship for Civilization: The West and The Rest, and add The Orchid House. I'm currently stuck on my 2 non-fictions, and really want to finish at least one of them before I start on one of my fictions. But, the only books that are NOT library books are the ones I am reading for school, so they all have a time limit on them. The DVDs on top are Castle Season 4 and Downton Abbey Season 1-- I'm getting geared up for the new seasons- a bit early for Downton, but Castle starts next week!! I know, I don't often talk about TV here, but if I were to pick my favorites, they would be Castle, Bones and Downton Abbey.

Enough of me-- head over to Tami's and Ginny's to see what everyone else is up to this week!

School interferes with Crafting.

The first week of school can be so chaotic. Trying to figure out the time it will take to get to class, making sure you are taking all the right classes- it's nuts. Monday, I ran around campus, trying to get papers signed, making sure I was still on track to finish my degree in time. It all worked out, but it was an exhausting day. Tuesday I had 2 classes, and was out at school for 6 hours. Even with all the chaos, it looks like I have a good semester ahead of me.

Because of the chaos, I have been trying to keep my projects small and travel worthy. I have been working on making Lucy's Star Decoration work for my purposes, and so far, so good. It's an excellent little project for little bits of leftover yarn.

The other thing I've started working on (despite my long list of WIPs) is a Rapunzel hat. This is part of the hat order for my boyfriend's sister. Her oldest daughter is 7, and very much enamored with "Tangled". I've seen numerous designs for this hat, and am attempting my own.

I'm reading quite a few things right now, as I am trying to balance my school work with pleasure reading. Still working on Lady Almina, as well as Theology of the Body for Beginners, plus working my way through the Granny Square Book to fill out my Autumnal Afghan more quickly. The other two books are for my politics classes. One for Religion and Politics, and the other for Comparative Politics. I am thrilled about neither.

I'm linking up with Ginny and Tami as per usual this week- be sure to venture over there!

New books, more hats

My top priority this week has been my large hat order. I know I talked about getting some bigger projects done, particularly my 2 blanket projects, but technically business comes before pleasure. So even though my 2 blanket projects are cluttering my room, I have been crocheting hats.

Currently, I have 2 adult sized bases complete, waiting for embellishment. I have one child sized hat nearly complete, also waiting for final embellishment. I have 2 baby hats nearly done, which leaves 2 more child sized hats with yarn available, I just haven't started hooking them yet.

On the book front, I've been scratching the surface of my history books for class this semester, but was side-tracked by a biography on my supervisor's desk at work. My mom, sister and I have been quite absorbed in the PBS/BBC TV series "Downton Abbey". Season 3 is currently in production, but won't be released in the US until January next year. We watched the first 2 seasons in rapid succession, and are now more slowly going through them again (now that we own them). The book that I just started reading is Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle. Highclere Castle is the building that  provides the exterior for the fictional Downton Abbey. Written by the current Countess of Carnarvon, it discusses the woman who lived at Highclere during the same period as the TV series "Downton Abbey". I'm not very far in yet, but from what I can tell, the real story of Highclere Castle is just as dramatic as the story of Downton Abbey.
I'm still listening to Harry on audiobook- nearly done with the Half-Blood Prince already!

my Mish-Mash progress

Linking up with Work-In-Progress Wednesday @ Tami's and Yarn-Along @ Ginny's. I hope you stop by on Friday-- I should have a few hats completely done!

Books: A History of The World in 6 Glasses

I'm on spring break (yay!) and I actually have time to read.
My current, non-boring, non-fiction read is A History of the World in 6 Glasses, by Tom Standage.
It's divided into 6 parts, each about one of the beverages that was important during a pivotal point in world history. I'm enjoying it mainly because it isn't bogged down with tons of facts about one time period. It goes through the timeline quickly, and it peppered with witty lines and quotes from ancient (and less ancient) writings.
I've mostly been amused by the little facts that imply why alcohol consumption used to be good for people- beer was 'liquid bread', and helped stabilize the diets of the ancient civilizations; rum, when mixed with sugar and lime juice to make "grog" helped to fight scurvy in sailors.
I'm halfway through the section on 'spirits', which closes out the first half of the book. The second half does not focus on alcohol, but rather tea, coffee, and cola.
I would suggest this if you are a history person. If you are a beer/wine/liquor person, you might enjoy those sections. It's a fun and interesting read- I bet you'll learn something new!

Slow but steady

I've had a busy week, both with school and with my crafting. I get my fieldwork placement today, so that's what I'll be doing for most of the month of March. We are required to get something like 24 hours of time in the classroom- 4 observing, 20 teaching (or some similar combination, I can't quite remember).
Since spring break is next week, I've had a big project to finish for every single one of my classes. My spring break won't be as exciting as last year's (I went to Paris last year), but I do have a subbing job for 3 days as well as an appointment for a massage.

But onto my WIPs this week. I'm joining up with Tami's Amis and Ginny's Yarn Along.



I've been working on the Lattice Lace Wrap for a few weeks now, and it's only taking me this long because it is a hard project to carry along with me. The skein finally looks like it's getting smaller, which means I am getting close to the end. I've made a few mistakes at the ends of the rows, but they aren't terribly noticeable, as the yarn is pretty fuzzy.

I'm also working on another button cowl, as I liked my first one so much. However, this one is crochet instead of knit, as the knitting wasn't doing it for me. I'm using a K hook, with a DK-ish yarn held double. It's nice and squishy, with a front-post treble crochet detail. I'm thinking that when I'm done with it, I'll make a matching hat or headband.  Thoughts?

I'm actually reading a new book right now: A History of the World in 6 Glasses. It basically goes through the 6 drinks (other than water) that are important to history. I've only just started, but the author's insight on beer is fascinating. I like how he mentions different traditions that we still have that relate to various places in history.

That's all for today!

New Semester Equals New Books

A new semester of school always brings a new selection of books to my fingertips. Most of the time I groan because college textbooks are so expensive. But this semester, along with my groans came the hope in the back of my mind that some of the books would actually be enjoyable.
I'm taking 5 classes this semester, 4 in person and one online.

Teaching Reading: Do I really Have to Teach Reading? Power Tools for Adolescent Literacy
Adolescent Psychology: Adolescence Adolescent Portraits
Classroom Assessment: Classroom Assessment: What Teachers Need to Know
Curriculum: The Students are Watching
Teaching Social Studies: Teaching Geography Social Studies for Secondary Schools Teaching History Through Film

I'm most excited for my Social Studies class, as the books seem to be pretty fun. I've already started to read the Assessment book, as that was my first assignment due, and it's not too bad. Since I'm going to be a teacher, I might as well get used to that sort of thing.
Also, the professor for my Reading class seems really cool and down to earth- I'm hoping that the rest of the semester continues to be like the first class.

With all these new and exciting books, I'm not going to have as much time for pleasure reading, but I do have Suzanne Collins' The Hunger Games checked out, so hopefully I'll have a chance to read it before it's due. (If not, it's assigned for my sister's college English class, so I'll borrow it from her)