How to Write Like Jane Austen

Source

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

Review in Miniature: Mister Owita's Guide to Gardening How I Learned the Unexpected Joy of a Green Thumb and an Open Heart by Carol Wall

Mister Owita's Guide to Gardening: How I Learned the Unexpected Joy of a Green Thumb and an Open Heart by Carol Wall is a memorable, uplifting, and thought provoking memoir about two people who form an unlikely friendship. If you are expecting a book about gardening then scratch this one off your list. The garden in this story is a symbolic metaphor for so much more. As People Magazine said, "...Owita teaches Wall how to find grace amid heartbreak and to accept that beauty exists because it is fleeting—as in her garden, as in life.” If you like memoirs this is a “must add” for your reading list.

I'd like to thank Penguin Group Putnam, who provided me with a reading copy through NetGalley.

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Review in Miniature: Stitches : a handbook on meaning, hope, and repair by Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott is an amazing voice in today’s writing world. She is able to capture what so many of us feel with just the right words. I’ve been a fan of her writing since reading Bird By Bird back in the 90s. I’ll also add that I am partial to her nonfiction writing, although her works of fiction are great too. So it was with great enthusiasm that I opened her latest work of nonfiction Stitches: a handbook on meaning, hope, and repair, which is out on the heels of her previous bestseller Help, Thanks, Wow. 

In Stitches Lamott explores how in these chaotic times in which we live we can recover from personal devastation and loss and find peace, meaning and wholeness in our lives. How does she suggest we do this, well in typical Lamott fashion, “..by collecting the ripped shreds of our emotional and spiritual fabric and sewing them back together, one stitch at a time.” This is classic Lamott! 

If you are familiar with Lamott’s previous works sit back and enjoy her prose. If you are new to Lamott this is a great choice to tryout the Lamott experience. 

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Riverhead Hardcover for the advanced reader’s copy of Stitches: a handbook on meaning, hope, and repair by Anne Lamott.

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Review in Miniature: Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson

My thirty plus year love affair with Mozart is in no uncertain terms insatiable. My quest to attend all of his operas and to hear as many of his other musical compositions performed live continues and my next step, as the world’s biggest Mozart fan, is to share my love of everything Mozart with my children, so when I realized that a new biography on Mozart was being published by Penguin Group: Viking I had to get my hands on a copy...pronto. I was not disappointed. Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson is a great compliment to any Mozart aficionado's collection of biographies of this great composer.

Coming in at 176 pages this work of nonfiction does not overwhelm the new to Mozart biography reader or disappoint a reader who gobbles up everything Mozart. The book focuses on Mozart and his music. Specifically the biography focused on Mozart’s ability to write music, compose music for operas, and his ability to create emotional music that captured the hearts of the common man and royals alike. His was a life filled with financial debt, loss of children, and health problems. Many may be surprised to learn that he frequently had to beg for money from friends. Let me say that these were not uncommon problems for even upper class folks of Mozart’s day. but it is always surprising to me that he also had a tough time selling his compositions, which means a steady income for the Mozart family was a constant challenge. With all the ups and downs of Mozart’s life his talent never faded. 

Sadly he died too young at just thirty-five, but through his music he still lives in the hearts of all classical musical lovers everywhere. This book will definitely whet your appetite for more about this remarkable child prodigy. 

Thank you Net Galley and Penguin Group Viking for the advance reader’s copy of Mozart: A Life by Paul Johnson.

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Review in Miniature: The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit

“I am in awe of this novel . . . The Wives of Los Alamos will be read and reread and remembered.” —Gail Godwin 

Well, praise like that is hard won and in this case well deserved. This is the story of the women who came together from all over the world to make homes and a life for the men who were working on the bomb that will ultimately be used to annihilate those living in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

Written in the collective first person plural this novel’s unique use of perspective takes the reader on a different kind of ride. Think modern Greek chorus and you’ve got the picture. Some may find this off putting, I did not. It was an innovative refreshing way to structure the story. The real question behind the “We” is could you have stomached the story once the bomb was dropped without it? I felt at that point the “We” that may have alienated some readers becomes essential to deal with the horror of what those living in Los Alamos had constructed. 

If you are looking for something different in the methodology used to tell the story give The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit a try.

Thank you Net Galley and Bloomsbury for the advance reader’s copy of The Wives of Los Alamos by TaraShea Nesbit.

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Review in Miniature: The ABC's of Yoga For Kids by Teresa Anne Power, Kathleen Rietz (Illustrator), Brookes Nohlgren (Editor).

I will start by saying before I had kids I was a yoga nut. I practiced the crazy kind of yoga in a 101 degree room for 90 minutes--did I mention that I did this every single day...sometimes twice a day. I loved it, but I wanted more from life then a great yoga practice, which is where the kids come into the story. I’ve had four children in five years, my biological clock was ticking, and my personal yoga practice is sadly nonexistent.  Wait a minute that's where this book comes into the story...that nonexistent yoga practice was true until this book.  I believe in the benefits of yoga and wanted to instill this healthy practice into my children's lives, so I was very excited to discover The ABCs of Yoga for Kids by Teresa Anne Power, Kathleen Rietz (Illustrator), Brookes Nohlgren (Editor). 

Because of The ABCS of Yoga for Kids my girls and I now have a yoga practice together. It’s not the kind of practice I had five years ago, but it is a perfect fit for us as a family. I should also mention the book is geared for children between the ages of two and a half to five, which almost covers all my children that is except for the new baby.

I want to add that I received an electronic advance reader’s copy (ARC) of this book, but our family loved this book so much we purchased our own hardcover copy and the deck of 56 yoga cards that compliment the book (see pictures). Thanks Teresa for bringing yoga back into my family’s life in a most enjoyable and family-friendly way. 

I encourage anyone looking to practice yoga with young children or to practice as a family to pick up a copy of this book and start a regular practice together.

Thank you Net Galley and Stafford House for the advanced reader’s copy of The ABCs of Yoga for Kids by Teresa Anne Power, Kathleen Rietz (Illustrator), Brookes Nohlgren (Editor).

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Review in Miniature: A Marker to Measure Drift Alexander Maksik

Usually I am drawn to a novel based on its cover or its title, but neither was the case with this one. Instead what I noticed was all the advance praise, but not from other big name authors, rather from the guys in the trenches, various and sundry independent booksellers. Comments like, “I’m haunted by the power of A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik. Shattering, gorgeous, each sentence is a dagger to the heart,” were the prose used to praise this novel. Wow, with that kind of admiration from folks who are constantly bombarded by the next best book I could not help but be interested in this one, and I was not disappointed.

A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik is a novel where the author loses himself completely in the creation of someone else entirely different from himself, which is a masterful accomplishment for any writer. Then on top of that the person he creates is the opposite sex, which I think is another challenge for a writer, and to do this realistically as Maksik has is to be applauded. 

 
When you read as much as I do you need a shorthand for judging a novel and I have found that the first fifty pages usually say it all. Now, with that said, it was easy to become emotionally involved with the protagonist, Jacqueline, by page twenty-five you couldn't help but feel empathy for her suffering. Yet the pain this character has experienced and will continue to experience makes your heart ache, but yet in still, it will also keep you reading.

If my comments haven’t persuaded you to read this one let me add that this was a New York Times Notable Book and the tagline used to grab the readers attention was, “A hypnotic, spellbinding novel set in Greece and Africa, where a young Liberian woman reckons with a haunted past.” I highly recommend you travel to these exotic places and learn about Jacqueline’s past.

Thank you Net Galley and Knopf for an advance review copy of A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik.

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Review in Miniature: My Accidental Jihad by Krista Bremer

Love is a powerful thing, but love does not conquer all. Too many Americans hold fast to the belief that love is the great equalizer. Having been raised by parents from two different cultures I can say with great certainty that the love and affection that the two people who raised me had did not offset that fact that they did not see the world in the same way and therein lay the conflict of their marriage. With that said, my parents were married for over fifty years until the death of my father in 2011, but their relationship was a roller coaster ride which often hinged on cultural differences. I share all this because The memoir My Accidental Jihad by Krista Bremer repeatedly made me reflect on my life as a child of a bicultural couple. 

Although my parents cultures were not the same as the ones in this memoir the problems were very similar. Bremer writes an honest personal narrative where she bares her soul about her relationship with her husband. The author’s candidness and the refusal to avoid the uncomfortable parts of the relationship make for a compelling read.

Thank you NetGalley, Edelweiss, and Algonquin Books for the review copy of My Accidental Jihad by Krista Bremer.  As always I continue to count on Algonquin to publish quality works of nonfiction and My Accidental Jihad is just another example of the discerning choices this publishing house makes.

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Review in Miniature: The Transcriptionist by Amy Rowland

After reading the following blurb, “A stunning novel told with the same gravity as Nicole Krauss’s History of Love,” I had to read this book. What book might that be? Why, The Transcriptionist by Amy Rowland, of course.

Let me start by stating that I love books set in New York City. Authors who can make the city a character are truly gifted, which this author obviously is. I also love books about certain industries, in this case, the news biz. Enter Lena’s world and discover a very different kind of novel. From a chance encounter with a blind woman who has a fascination with lions to wonderful quotes that seem to foreshadow so much that is yet to come, watch how Rowland creates a world that is full of similarities and contrasts for these two women.

If you like novels that are different and make you think then this is a read for you. In a nutshell, what the novel boils down to is the discovery of one’s true self, “Listening doesn't make us disappear. It just helps us recognize our absurdity, our humanity.” - The Transcriptionist

Simply said this is one beautiful debut novel.

Thank you Net Galley and Algonquin Books for the review copy of The Transcriptionist. As always I continue to count on Algonquin to publish quality works of fiction and The Transcriptionist is just another example of the discerning choices this publishing house makes.

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Review in Miniature: The City by Dean Koontz

What can I say other than it’s Dean Koontz, which means you had me at Dean Koontz. And I’ll be honest this was my first Dean Koontz novel, so I don’t have any of his other novels to compare it to, which I personally feel was not a bad thing. Based on this one I’d certainly be open to reading more of the Dean Koontz backlist, because The City kept me coming back for more. 

From the moment I learned Jonah’s full name, Jonah Ellington Basie Hines Eldridge Wilson Hampton Armstrong Kirk, I was totally enthralled. I have to add that I’m the lady that gave all four of her children four names and boy did I get comments about that, so who in their right mind gives someone nine names? This bit of weirdness is just the beginning of the adventure for the reader as you journey with Jonah through Koontz’s The City.

I’d say kudos to the interesting characters Mr. Koontz has created. These relationships are the backbone to Jonah’s story. From Jonah’s mother, grandfather, best friend Malcolm, Mr. Yoshioka, Mrs. Lorenzo, and Miss Pearl each character’s interaction with Jonah’s adds layer upon layer to the protagonist. 

I have always been intrigued with child prodigies and the idea that Jonah is a musical genius makes for some interesting storytelling. Koontz’s writing weaves a tale that had me eagerly returning to discover more about this eccentric character. 

Again, I enjoyed my first Dean Koontz's novel and look forward to reading his previous works.

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Bantam Dell for the advanced Readers Copy of this novel.

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Review in Miniature: Autism Breakthrough: The Groundbreaking Method That Has Helped Families All Over The World by Raun K. Kaufman

When the book blurb reads, “This is the book that parents, professionals and educators of children with Autism have always wanted!” the book has a great deal to live up to and guess what, this one really does live up to the hype. I am an educator who has taught Autistic children in the regular classroom and I am a parent of a recently diagnosed child with Autism/Asperger’s Syndrome (February 2014), and I can tell you based on my research and reading on the topic this book is one of the best I have read on the subject to date. I say this after just having finished Tony Attwood’s The Complete Guide to Autism. Please keep in mind that Mr. Attwood is considered one of the leading Autism gurus or experts, if you will. What book am I referencing? Answer: Autism Breakthrough: The Groundbreaking Method That Has Helped Families All Over The World by Raun K. Kaufman.

Let me start by saying that Raun K. Kaufman confesses to having experienced a full recovery from Autism and let me add that this proclamation is somewhat controversial, but considering that it wasn't until 1980 that Autism was even on the research radar whose to say that it can’t be cured. I suggest laying aside the controversy that surrounds Kaufman’s Son Rise Program/ Option Institute and focus instead on the useful information that is to be discerned inside Autism Breakthrough. Information that parents, professionals and educators of children with Autism can use to help a child who suffers from Autism. This book is a tool for adults who chose to look at an Autistic child and, “...see possibilities not deficiencies,” and for those who want to create a truly safe environment where their child can grow and reach his or her full potential.

Again as an educator and parent, I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to understand and help those who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the Advance Reader’s Copy of Autism Breakthrough: The Groundbreaking Method That Has Helped Families All Over The World by Raun K. Kaufman.

Update:

I implemented the strategy of "Joining" with my son and I can say it works.  He is not talking and he is about to turn four on August 2, but when I joined in with his STIM behavior we were counting out-loud to twelve in a matter of minutes.  His stacking STIM behavior was a way for him to count INTERNALLY and when I joined him and started counting the spice containers from the spice shelf OUT-LOUD he gave me a big smile and joined in OUT-LOUD.  He didn't just do this once he counted repeatedly and added more jars to our lineup as we continued to count together.  We did this for about five minutes TOGETHER.  I know that doesn't sound like much to most parents of an average four year-old, but this is a tremendous breakthrough for my son who we knew had a lot going on in his own internal world.  I also need to add that prior to reading this book when he would get into the spice cabinet we would repeatedly correct him only to have him return to the cabinet and repeat his stim behavior.

Additional Links:
NPR: Send in the Idiots: Stories from the Other Side of Autism by Nazeer, Kamran

NPR:  A Conversation with Temple Grandin

NPR:  Tracking Causes of Autism Back to the Womb

NPR:  Researchers Set Sights on Early Autism Diagnosis
NPR:  Commentary: Autism and Vaccination
NPR:  Dr. Fred Volkmar on Asperger's Syndrome

Happy Reading☮

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough: Review Part 2

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough

"This provocative and profoundly hopeful book will not only inspire and engage readers; it will also change our understanding of childhood itself." -Goodreads

PART 2:  Grit

“The idea of building grit and building self-control is that you get that through failure,” Randolph told me. “And in most highly academic environments in the United States, no one fails anything.” ― Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

What is grit?  Webster's Dictionary defines grit as showing courage and resolve- Example:  "a gritty pioneer woman".  A few synonyms offered up for Grit include: courageous, brave, plucky, mettlesome, stouthearted, valiant, bold,spirited, intrepid, tough, determined, resolute, purposeful, dogged, and tenacious.  These are great options, but I am more interested in how Angela Duckworth, an assistant professor in the psychology department at University of Pennsylvania defines it.  She defined Grit with the following analogy:  

“

Grit is living life like it's a marathon, not a sprint.- Angela Duckworth

Duckworth should know, her research subjects include students, West Point cadets and corporate salespeople, all of whom she continues to study to determine how "grit" is a better indicator of success than factors such as IQ or family income.  How did she become focoused on this type of research?  Well, she left her consulting job and decided to take a job teaching math to seventh-graders in a New York public school. Over the next few years she quickly realized that IQ wasn't the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled.  This led her into the world of academia, where she continues to study this topic, as she searches for methods that can be used to teach children to be GRITTIER.

If you are interested in the survey Duckworth developed click on over to the survey and find out your grit factor:  Click Here

SIDE NOTE

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character also led me to seek out other books which were mentioned in the text.  I have, of course, added several of them to my list of To Be Read books on Goodreads for further reading during my year of BECOMING.  An example of the books mentioned include Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, a leading scholar on the subject of positive psychology.  Check it out if my comments have sparked an interest in this topic.

Click Here to get a feel for what Grit is all about.  Also check out my post of Angela's TED talk on GRIT at my sister site The Writing Whisperings:  Click Here.

This only an example the type of gems that can be found inside the covers of this book.  As I said there is so much information to be discussed and shared I have broken it down into smaller chucks in the hopes that folks will actually read and digest some of these findings.  Check back as I continue to update you on my reflections with regard to this amazing book. 

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character was featured in an article entitled "The 13 Best Psychology and Philosophy Books of 2013" on Brain Pickings.  How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character is helping me to demystify what makes one child successful and another not. It has certainly given me clarity on the issue of how or why certain children succeed.  I have included an excerpt from the article from Brain Pickings. Read on...and if this is something that makes you go Humm...then click on over to read Brain Pickings full article or better yet pick up the book from your local bookstore or library.

"In How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character(public library) – a necessary addition to these fantastic reads on education – Paul Tough, whose writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Slate, Esquire, The New York Times, sets out to investigate the essential building blocks of character through the findings and practical insight of exceptional educators and bleeding-edge researchers. One of his core arguments is based on the work of pioneering psychologist and 2013 MacArthur "genius" grantee Angela Duckworth, who studied under positive psychology godfather Martin Seligman at my alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, and has done more than anyone for advancing our understanding of how self-control and grit – the relentless work ethic of sustaining your commitments toward a long-term goal – impact success."-BRAIN PICKINGS

Summary:

Why do some children succeed while others fail?

The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: Success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool admissions to SATs.

But in "How Children Succeed," Paul Tough argues for a very different understanding of what makes a successful child. Drawing on groundbreaking research in neuroscience, economics, and psychology, Tough shows that the qualities that matter most have less to do with IQ and more to do with character: skills like grit, curiosity, conscientiousness, and optimism.

"How Children Succeed" introduces us to a new generation of scientists and educators who are radically changing our understanding of how children develop character, how they learn to think, and how they overcome adversity. It tells the personal stories of young people struggling to say on the right side of the line between success and failure. And it argues for a new way of thinking about how best to steer an individual child – or a whole generation of children – toward a successful future.

This provocative and profoundly hopeful book will not only inspire and engage readers; it will also change our understanding of childhood itself. -Goodreads

Food for thought:

“The part of the brain most affected by early stress is the prefrontal cortex, which is critical in self-regulatory activities of all kinds, both emotional and cognitive. As a result, children who grow up in stressful environments generally find it harder to concentrate, harder to sit still, harder to rebound from disappointments, and harder to follow directions. And that has a direct effect on their performance in school.” ― Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

Resources:

Six Must See TED Talks from 2013:  Click Here

Six Must See TED Talks from 2013:  Click Here

How to Foster Grit in the Classroom:  Click Here

True Grit: The Best Measure of Success and How to Teach It:  Click Here

‘How Children Succeed’ — Q&A with Paul Tough:  Click Here

One Little Word℠ Introductory Video:  Click Here

NPR: MacArthur 'Genius' On Grit, Self Control And Success: Click Here

NPR: Is Having Grit The Key To Success?  Click Here

One Little Word℠ Word List: Click Here 

Grit Angela Duckworth's TED Talk:  Click Here

Happy Reading☮ 

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough: Review Part 1

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough

“What matters most in a child's development, they say, is not how much information we can stuff into her brain in the first few years. What matters, instead, is whether we are able to help her develop a very different set of qualities, a list that includes persistence, self-control, curiosity, conscientiousness, grit and self-confidence.” ― Paul Tough, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character

As I posted earlier, I chose to read How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character as one of my first two reads of 2014.  Why?  Because this book fits into my quest to not only be a better parent, but to also be a better teacher, which is a direct result of  having joined a growing movement called One Little Word℠.  This movement has its participants choose a word that will guide them as they journey throughout the year.  My word is BECOMING and in my year of focus on BECOMING this nonfiction book is a  perfect fit (Click Here for more information).  As I stated earlier this particular book has been on my radar for awhile, but when one of my favorite sites to visit out there on the Internet, Brain Pickings, had it listed on their best of list for 2013, it moved up to the top of the pile.  I am now about 40 percent done, however I realized I was highlighting so much information that I needed to break up my review into parts, so here is part one. 

PART ONE:

Let me setup my remarks with a personal anecdote, when my twins were born back in  2010, one of our nurses noticed how much my husband was holding our son.  Each and every time our new baby cried his father picked him up, and this medical professional sternly reprimanded us saying that our son would be "spoiled rotten" if we continued to respond to his every cry.  Well, we both totally disagreed with what she said, but we had nothing to base our intuitive feelings with regard to her advice, and her comment always stuck with us.  My husband and I, on occasion, remember that moment when we reminisce about the twins birth  This shared parenting moment came flooding back, in what some might call an "aha moment", while reading this book.  Specific research performed by Ainsworth and Bowlby was sited that proved what my husband and I had known instinctually:

Babies whose parents responded readily and fully to their cries in the first month of life were at one year, more independent and intrepid than babies whose parents had ignored their cries. In preschool, the pattern continued-the children whose parents had responded most sensitively to their emotional needs as infants were the most self-reliant. Warm, sensitive parental care, Ainsworth and Bowlby contended, created a 'secure base' from which a child could explore the word."-How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character by Paul Tough

 After reading this I felt vindicated as a parent for not letting someone disrupt the positive bond my husband and I were establishing with our son during his first days of life, and the best part was that we had research on our side, and didn't even know it.  This is only one such gem that can be found inside the covers of this book.  As I said there is so much information to be discussed and shared I have broken it down into smaller chucks in the hopes that folks will actually read and digest some of these findings.  Check back as I continue to update you on my reflections with regard to this amazing book. 

SIDE NOTE

How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character also led me to seek out other books which were mentioned in the text.  I have, of course, added several of them to my list of To Be Read boks on Goodreads for further reading during my year of BECOMING.  An example of the books mentioned include Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman, a leading scholar on the subject of positive psychology.  Check it out if my comments have sparked an interest in this topic.


Part Two of my review/reflection will cover the idea of Grit and its importance to a child's success.  If you are interested in testing your own Grit Level take Angela Duckworth's GRIT Survey:  Click Here to get a feel for what Grit is all about.  Also check out my post of Angela's TED talk on GRIT at my sister site The Writing Whisperings:  Click Here.

As I said, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character was featured in an article entitled "The 13 Best Psychology and Philosophy Books of 2013" on Brain Pickings.  How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character is helping me to demystify what makes one child successful and another not. It has certainly given me clarity on the issue of how or why certain children succeed.  I have included an excerpt from the article from Brain Pickings. Read on...and if this is something that makes you go Humm...then click on over to read Brain Pickings full article or better yet pick up the book from your local bookstore or library.

"In How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character (public library) – a necessary addition to these fantastic reads on education – Paul Tough, whose writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Slate, Esquire, The New York Times, sets out to investigate the essential building blocks of character through the findings and practical insight of exceptional educators and bleeding-edge researchers. One of his core arguments is based on the work of pioneering psychologist and 2013 MacArthur "genius" grantee Angela Duckworth, who studied under positive psychology godfather Martin Seligman at my alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, and has done more than anyone for advancing our understanding of how self-control and grit – the relentless work ethic of sustaining your commitments toward a long-term goal – impact success."-BRAIN PICKINGS

Summary:

Why do some children succeed while others fail?

The story we usually tell about childhood and success is the one about intelligence: Success comes to those who score highest on tests, from preschool admissions to SATs.

But in "How Children Succeed," Paul Tough argues for a very different understanding of what makes a successful child. Drawing on groundbreaking research in neuroscience, economics, and psychology, Tough shows that the qualities that matter most have less to do with IQ and more to do with character: skills like grit, curiosity, conscientiousness, and optimism.

"How Children Succeed" introduces us to a new generation of scientists and educators who are radically changing our understanding of how children develop character, how they learn to think, and how they overcome adversity. It tells the personal stories of young people struggling to say on the right side of the line between success and failure. And it argues for a new way of thinking about how best to steer an individual child – or a whole generation of children – toward a successful future.

This provocative and profoundly hopeful book will not only inspire and engage readers; it will also change our understanding of childhood itself. -Goodreads

Six Must See TED Talks from 2013:  Click Here

How to Foster Grit in the Classroom:  Click Here

‘How Children Succeed’ — Q&A with Paul Tough:  Click Here

True Grit: The Best Measure of Success and How to Teach It:  Click Here

One Little Word℠ Introductory Video:  Click Here

One Little Word℠ Word List: Click Here 

Grit Angela Duckworth's TED Talk:  Click Here

Happy Reading☮ 

The Things You Can Read!

Believe In Truth, Beauty, Freedom, Love, and the Power of Books!

Coming Soon: Review for Guests on Earth by Lee Smith

Coming Soon to The Things You Can Read

Review:  Guests on Earth by Lee Smith

Looking for a signed copy of Guests on Earth by Lee Smith? Contact Fountain Books

Summary Courtesy of Publisher:

Evalina Toussaint, the orphaned child of an exotic dancer in New Orleans, is just thirteen when she is admitted to Highland Hospital in Asheville, North Carolina. The year is 1936, and the mental hospital is under the direction of the celebrated psychiatrist Robert S. Carroll. His innovative program of treatment for mental and nervous disorders and addictions is based on exercise, diet, art, and occupational therapies—and experimental shock therapy.

Evalina finds herself in the company of some notable fellow patients, including Zelda Fitzgerald, estranged wife of F. Scott, who takes the young piano prodigy under her wing. Evalina becomes the accompanist for the musical programs at the hospital. This provides privileged insight into the events that transpire over the next twelve years, culminating in a tragic fire—its mystery unsolved to this day—that killed nine women in a locked ward, Zelda among them. At all costs, Evalina listens, observes, remembers—and tells us everything.

Guests on Earth is a mesmerizing novel about a time and a place where creativity and passion, theory and medicine, fact and fiction, are luminously intertwined by a writer at the height of her craft.

Does  Guests on Earth by Lee Smith grab your attention? Is it a Southern historical fiction novel you'd be interested in reading? 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!