Everything About Books and Writing and More...
The Outsider, Hoot, Out of the Dust, Langston Hughes, Thank You M.am, Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, A Christmas Carol, A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley, Israel Horovitz
The Things You Can Read welcomes you and thanks you for your readership. We, here at The Things You Can Read, ask your help, if you visit our site regularly, please follow us either via email or Google Friend Connect. Launched on June 7, 2012, our site has already attracted a great deal of attention. One of the goals of the site is to feature reviews of Children's Picture Books, Young Adult novels and Adult Literary Fiction/Nonfiction. A second goal for the blog is to be a resource for teachers of English and writing--with examples of student created writing, writing tips, resource links, and the opportunity to pick the brain of a seasoned English teacher. To spice things up...every now and then, we'll also include random quotes and thoughts on education and life in general, but our ultimate goal is to reach out into the blogosphere and be a "Book Whisperer" and "Writing Whisperer" to children and adults of all ages. Thank you for your readership. Here is to a lifetime filled with reading and writing.
Here is yet another list of classics. This one is a list of classics you read or should I say were suppose to read in college that you should revisit as an adult. Head on over to Bustle.com and check out their list. Which ones did you read in college? Have you revisited any as an adult? Our favorite on the list of revisits is Flannery O'Connor's Everything That Rises Must Converge. If we were to add a novel to this list we'd add To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Share your thoughts on classics that should be reread as an adult. What classic would you add?
Happy Reading & Writing☮
The Things You Can Read!
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here
If you are a Jane Austen fan click over to Qwiklit.com and check out their article entitled, "How to Write Like Jane Austen." Click back and let us know what you think. Would you like to write like Austen? What's your favorite Austen novel? We're partial to Persuasion. Here's a peek at what you'll learn about Austen:
For all the praises that literary scholars and countless book clubs put on Jane Austen, one of the most virtuosic novelists in English literature is still misunderstood today. Some see her novels as dinner-party rabble and the relics of the British Empire at its most stodgy. What most people overlook is that Austen, iconoclastic and quiet in the tempestuous social circles of the day, saw through the veneer slow rural life and pointed out the frailty of human existence while also portraying its most redemptive aspects.-Qwiklit.com
Enjoy the delectable world of Jane Austen this weekend!
Happy Reading & Writing☮
The Things You Can Read!
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books & Writing!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I am an educator with over 25 years of teaching experience; I currently teach English in the public school system of Virginia. In my spare time I am an avid reader. writer, reviewer, blogger, writing/art journaler, beekeeper, grad student, and MOTHER. - See more: Here
"There's nothing quite like the feeling of having your heart metaphorically ripped out of your chest," the Huffington Post stated in their post dealing with, "the biggest heartbreakers in literature." We loved their choices, but we started to think about what we might add to the list, but we drew a blank, so we thought we'd put it out there in the blogosphere: What would you add to their list? Let us know here at The Things You Can Read.
Our personal favorite: Gone With the Wind
Happy Reading☮
The Things You Can Read!
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!
In Huffington Post a recent article shared seven life lessons to be learned from reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy. According to the article:
The author's wisdom is apparent in much of his nonfiction, particularly his short, piercing essay, "What is Art?" His fiction is full of life lessons too, both intended by the author or gleaned by modern readers.
To read the seven life lessons from one of Tolstoy's classics, Anna Karenina click on over to Huffington Post.
Having read this classic, we found the lessons to be on target. What do you think? Let us know here at The Things You Can Read.
Happy reading to all! ☮
Happy Reading☮ The Things You Can Read! Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!
If you'd like to join in on a Read-Along of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee sponsored by Roofbeamreader.com click on over and sign-up. Still not sure, then checkout the description below!
One book that appears on almost every “Best of” or “Must read” list, but which I did not particularly enjoy when I first read it, is Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. Now, because it is such an important work, and because I’ve recognized this pattern in myself, I have decided to give it a second chance. But I’m hoping I’ll have some company!
This will be a simple read-along. If you want to join me in reading (or re-reading) this very important piece of American literature, I’ll be glad to have you! I’m planning to read it from July 15th – August 1st. Nothing insanely special planned (it’s jammed between my Beats of Summer and Austen in August events); I think conversing with others about the book will be eventful and interesting enough, but if anyone does want to provide a guest post, giveaway, or what not, please feel free to get in touch!
Let us know if you decide to join us!
Happy Reading
The Things You Can Read!
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!
In your opinion, what title is the worst? We think Trimalchio in West Egg has to be one of the most atrocious. Let us know your thoughts here at The Things You Can Read.
Happy Reading and Happy Blogoversary to The Things You Can Read
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!
For someone who shuns publicity, here is an upsetting article connected to many reader's favorite classic, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee...read on...
Harper Lee filed a lawsuit Friday in federal court in Manhattan to re-secure the copyright for To Kill a Mockingbird, the Associated Press reported. The suit, which seeks unspecified damages from Samuel Pinkus, the son-in-law of Lee's former literary agent, and companies he allegedly created, claims that he "failed to properly protect the copyright of the book after his father-in-law, Eugene Winick--who had represented Lee as a literary agent since the book was published in 1960 through the firm McIntosh and Otis--became ill a decade ago."-Shelf Awareness
We have such a great appreciation for Mark Twain, A.K.A. Samuel Langhorne Clemen, so it was with great interest that we read BrainPickingsrecent article entitled 10½ Favorite Reads from TED Bookstore 2013.Again,BrainPickings is such a great source of unusual literary information, if you haven't visited them you are really missing out on a great wealth of eclectic literary findings. Here is what theyhad to say about Mark Twain and his children's story, Advice to Little Girls :
"In 1865, legendary satirist Mark Twain did something unexpected – he penned a children’s story, in which he challenged kids to digest the intelligent humor he was, and still is, known for among his adult audiences. Nearly a century and a half later, beloved Russian children's illustrator Vladimir Radunsky and Brooklyn independent publisher Enchanted Lion (♥) are bringing Advice to Little Girls (public library) to life, envisioned in the style of the scrapbooks and small albums that children of Twain’s era used for doodling and collecting various curious ephemera." BrainPickings
We are big fans of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carrolland we love to use it to teach English. Currently, we are reviewing the concept of irony and here is one of our favorite poems, which contains several examples of irony. On a more personal note, we are currently re-reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the big surprise is that we are enjoying it more as an adult than we did as a child. Has this ever happened to you? Well, take a stroll or a retro-moment with a "favorite to you" children's classic, and see what happens.
“What classic has most surprised you so far, and why?”
In my classics reading journey the classic that has most surprised me is Atlas Shruggedby Ayn Rand. Well, let me say, you either love or hate Ayn Rand's body of work. So the first thing you must do is separate your personal feelings with regard to Ayn Rand and/or her philosophy, and simply look at this novel separate and apart from the person or Objectivism. Let me also say, I loved The Fountainhead, but I loved Atlas Shruggedeven more. Why? Published in 1957, the novel is prophetic. That is what is so surprising. We are living in Dagny Taggart's world. The question is...what will become of us? Dystopian societies don't have to be fictional.
“She did not know the nature of her loneliness. The only words that named it were: This is not the world I expected.” ― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
“Do not let the hero in your soul parish, in lonely frustration, for the life you deserved but never have been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is yours.” ―Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
Happy Reading! The Things You Can Read
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!
Interesting Note: The renowned economist, Martin Armstrong, stated in a recent blog post:
They [the government] are destroying the productive class just as in Atlas Shrugged and where this leads is not a very pretty place.
“One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth the doing is what we do for others.” ― Lewis Carroll
“Do you think I've gone round the bend?" "I'm afraid so. You're mad, bonkers, completely off your head. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
“Begin at the beginning," the King said, very gravely, "and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
“But I don’t want to go among mad people," Alice remarked. "Oh, you can’t help that," said the Cat: "we’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad." "How do you know I’m mad?" said Alice. "You must be," said the Cat, or you wouldn’t have come here.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to." "I don't much care where –" "Then it doesn't matter which way you go.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass
Do you have a favorite Lewis Carroll quote? If you do, please feel free to share. We love to here from our readership!
Happy Reading! The Things You Can Read
Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!
As we all look for unique ways to share our love of books this holiday season we, here at The Things You Can Read, have been scouring the Internet to locate unusual gifts for book lovers to give children and adults of all ages. We didn't have to look very far for this one. Here is a great gift idea that we posted about back in September 2012. In September we, here at The Things You Can Read, signed up for the Classics Challenge, so with our serious commitment to read the Classicsin mind, we are reminding everyone out in the blogophere that a new annotated edition of Emma by Jane Austen has been released. Now, Shhh...don't tell any one, we purchased this one for ourselves for Christmas, and it is on its way to us in the mail as we write this post. But wait, here is the best part, this is one of three annotated Austen books.Persuasion, and Pride and Prejudicewere already available to Jane Austen fans.
We love Jane Austen and we encourage anyone out there who is a Jane Austen fan or a Jane Austen Wanna-be fan to check this one out, and possibly give this one as a gift and spread the Jane Austen love!
Don't forget to check out our Classics Challenge Page, which lists all the classics we plan to read between September 14, 2012 and September 14, 2017.
Emma, perhaps the most technically accomplished of all of Austen’s novels, is also, after Pride and Prejudice, her most popular one. Its numerous film and television adaptations testify to the world’s enduring affection for the headstrong, often misguided Emma Woodhouse and her many romantic schemes. Like the previous volumes in Harvard’s celebrated annotated Austen series, Emma: An Annotated Edition is a beautiful and illuminating gift edition that will be treasured by readers.
Stimulating and helpful annotations appear in the book’s margins, offering information, definitions, and commentary. In his Introduction, Bharat Tandon suggests several ways to approach the novel, enabling a larger appreciation of its central concerns and accomplishments. Appearing throughout the book are many illustrations, often in color, which help the reader to better picture the Regency-era world that serves as the stage for Emma’s matchmaking adventures.
Whether explaining the intricacies of early nineteenth-century dinner etiquette or speculating on Highbury’s deliberately imprecise geographical location, Tandon serves as a delightful and entertaining guide. For those coming to the novel for the first time or those returning to it, Emma: An Annotated Edition offers a valuable portal to Austen’s world.
Here is yet another list of classics. This one is a list of classics you read or should I say were suppose to read in college that you should revisit as an adult. Head on over to Bustle.com and check out their list. Which ones did you read in college? Have you revisited any as an adult? Our favorite on the list of revisits is Flannery O'Connor's Everything That Rises Must Converge. If we were to add a novel to this list we'd add To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Share your thoughts on classics that should be reread as an adult. What classic would you add?
.jpg)
![[santaheadquaters2.jpg]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir9XPddISTY4mgDzdooh_nKuy88ayDXFecRg5pu-uCAAgkj_dt6lQOTjDAh6YpYks51K-5xvIPcevCGdYYEwJuCkJ0HlM5w_6BRHSfytFDRU-X4PxDZToT6SRmguV8x8sdbBSYxAgy08g/s400/santaheadquaters2.jpg)
