Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group discussion
ABOUT BOOKS AND READING
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What are you reading or what books have you read or heard about? (Part TWELVE) Ongoing general thread.
I got this one from Jim so maybe I am back in business. It has been a confusing time on my computer.
Great review and I left a comment under it.
A book gift from a son that I am now reading and so far it's excellent. The title, "1776" by David McCullough.
Did you teach history, Joy? You sounded like a history teacher at your review. One of my very favorite teachers was my history teacher in high school.
I had a wonderful history teacher in high school. That's why I majored in history when I got to college. However, I taught elementary school after I graduated.
One of my sons majored in History in college also.
I always found it interesting... but too over-whelming
My father loved history. I didn't like history during school years. Later on in life after visiting museums and visiting different towns and from reading books I became more interested in history. Now I sort of wish I paid more attention in school.
In high school history, we were taught the "Time Line", a line showing historic events in relation to each other, time-wise. It made history so much clearer and easier to remember. Our history teacher drew Time Lines on the blackboard so that we felt "oriented" and saw events in relation to each other. The Time Line is a wonderful tool for learning history because you can picture it. History is less abstract that way.
PS-Here's a good example:Timeline of United States history:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timelin...
On the blackboard of our high school classroom, the Time Lines were drawn horizontally instead of vertically. That seemed to make things even easier to understand, internalize, and remember. (Of course they were not as detailed as the Wikipedia Time Lines, but we got the idea.)
I remember the horizontal time lines from history in school. They're good for broad overviews, but I like the vertical ones because of the detail that's more easily read. I had one World History teacher that used to do multiple vertical ones & connect parts together with different colors of chalk to make sense of the various influences. It's still how I visualize dates a lot of times.
Yes, Time Lines are good for visualization.
I think the Timeline was very valuable but have two critiques; First, surprised that there was no mention of Washington Crossing the Delaware as that is something I definitely remember from my history lessons. Also, the timeline says Charleston was surrendered to the British and never mentions that "The Swamp Fox," Francis Marion, saved the city of Charleston after that surrender. There are many monuments, parks, statues etc in his honor in that city.
I had an American History teacher that gave some pertinent background stories for many of the characters in our history lessons. I attended a public high school in Kansas City MO and at that time Life magazine had a once a year feature that started out by saying; "Life Goes to..." etc. At that year in 1943 Life announced it was coming to our History class. However, now I need the timeline as something important happened at the same time and so the trip to our class was cancelled. But we remained thrilled that we were even chosen.
Thanks for posting. Interesting stuff!
Joy H. wrote: "PS-Here's a good example:Timeline of United States history:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timelin...
On the blackboard of our high school classroom, the Time Lines were dra..."
This is wonderful. Thanks for posting. Perhaps I and others in my class would have been interested and paid attention.
You're welcome, Linda.
Very informative. Thanks for posting TimeLine.
You're welcome, Nina.
Finished reading "1776" and agree with your review of it Joy. Very informative but did you wish to learn more as it ended? I wondered with all the difficulties how they managed to win the war
Nina wrote: "Finished reading "1776" and agree with your review of it Joy. Very informative but did you wish to learn more as it ended? I wondered with all the difficulties how they managed to win the war"No, I've lost my interest in learning more about it. Too many details.
It IS a wonder that they won the war.
I finally got around to reading Captain Blood & wished I'd done so sooner. What a fun tale. "The Pirates of the Caribbean" owes it a great deal. I gave it a 4 star review here:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Interesting review, Jim. At least I'd heard of Captain Blood.
I was very impressed by The First Americans: Prehistory-1600 by Joy Hakim. It's written for 10 year olds, but I find it a very good overview & enjoyed it. I'm a little older than that & while I can't say I learned anything new, it was a great refresher. Highly recommended. I gave it a 5 star review here:https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Good review. I saved the title as a book I might think about giving my nine year old grandson next summer when he turns ten.
You might be able to buy the books as a set, Nina. There are 10 of them. They'd make a good gift for a kid that was interested in history.
Thanks, I'll check with him first to see if he's interested
I am currently reading, "People of the Book," by Geraldine Brooks. It is long and hard to keep track of all the various characters although it almost seems as if the book itself is the main character. It involves Jewish history and is fascinating if I have the patience to finish it.
Still struggling with stress pains in my back. Hard to remember a pain free day as so far it's been over five weeks and wish I could see an end to it. Probably will have to go see a dr if this continues. Wish me luck to get better soon.
Yes, when I fell a few weeks ago it did damage to my spine that affected the muscles surrounding it on both sides of my back. Thankfully, your good wishes might have helped as I do feel better today. Tonight is very cold here and only thirteen degrees at seven o'clock in the morning.
CURRENT TEMP HERE AT 11:04 AM IS: 19°F.
GLAD YOU'RE FEELING BETTER TODAY, NINA.
I just finished reading "People of the Book," and even though it was long and sometimes hard to keep the characters straight I thought it was a very good book. I recommended it if you are in the mood to be patient.
ALSO: People of the Bookby Rachel Swirsky
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...
https://salon.overdrive.com/media/712947
Description:
"From Sholom Aleichem to Avram Davidson, Isaac Bashevis Singer to Tony Kushner, the Jewish literary tradition has always been one rich in the supernatural and the fantastic. In these pages, gathered from the best short fiction of the last ten years, twenty authors prove that their heritage is alive and well—in the spaces between stars that an alphabet can bridge, folklore come to life and histories become stories, and all the places where old worlds and new collide and change."
Nina wrote: "Yes, when I fell a few weeks ago it did damage to my spine that affected the muscles surrounding it on both sides of my back. Thankfully, your good wishes might have helped as I do feel better toda..."glad you are feeling better
Book club selection for this month is "The Blinds" but there were only 5 copies available meaning whoever received a book needs to read fast and bring back to library for next person. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
I'm awaiting the book.
Thanks for posting, Linda.
I seem to remember reading years ago a book titled, "Blind," and it was excellent.
Now reading, "Paris Exit," and don't think I'd recommend it. Just a bit too weird for my taste but interesting enough for me to want to get to the finish. Think I can guess the ending and I'm only on pager sixty five.
Glens Falls (NY) Online Book Discussion Group
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