You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
Group Themed Reads: Discussions
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March 2012 Theme - Learn Something New Every Day
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Lara, Judy, thanks to both of you for sharing in such detail. Two very different choices, but both seem terrifically interesting and valuable.
I read
Genesis by Bernard Beckett- what did you learn? That sentience is not easy to define. Meaningful thoughts, creativity, self-awareness, intelligence; all markers of consciousness, can be replicated in beings that are not homo sapiens.
- why is it significant to you? I expect that this debate will always go on. Yet, reflecting on the arguments is very necessary when pondering my stand on scientific ethics.
So the question still is: “What does it mean to be human?”.
My Review
I read All the President's Men by Carl BernsteinWhat did you learn?
The breakdown of events that led up to the Watergate trial in 1972 and the consequent investigation of then President, Richard M Nixon, as told from the point of view of two Washington Post reporters. To summarize, the Nixon administration was heavily involved in "dirty politics", diverting re-election campaign contributions to fund said "dirty politics" (which included wiretapping, break ins, sabotage of democratic campaigns and espionage.), and then covering up the scandal through bribes and perjury.
Why is it significant to you?
These events occurred in my early childhood (age 4 to 6)and were not covered in my highschool history curriculum, or at least not fully covered because all the facts were not yet realized.
What could others get from this book?
My first thought was that Former President Clinton should have taken a huge hint from this and not perjured himself just twenty years or so later! Perhaps Watergate was not in his history book either. LOL. Seriously, it's a big lesson in learning from history, understanding how power can corrupt and realizing that no one is above the law.
Good to know that All the Pres. Men is still worth reading!
I actually changed my mind and decided to use my read of
. I think it gives a nice little insight into the life of a Las Vegas Motorcop. It was interesting and funny at times. Not a bad read for a kindle freebie. I definetly feel sorry for all the officers who are on motorcycles in the uniforms all day in the sweltering summer suns.
I think people could learn a little something about the lives of police officers by reading it. They are people too and they have good and bad days.
I like how this was a memoir that didn't take itself too seriously.
Oh Gaeta, if you tell me I have to DO to learn something and not just READ - I'm in deep trouble! I admire you for taking your experience to the next level. :)
Learn to Knit - its not just for Grannies! Helen Crapnell was my (very short) read for this. More to be added ....
I'm going to strive very hard to finish my book for this theme by tomorrow night. It may be difficult as I am moving this weekend. Cross your fingers for me!!
Janice wrote: "I'm going to strive very hard to finish my book for this theme by tomorrow night. It may be difficult as I am moving this weekend. Cross your fingers for me!!"Good luck on the move Janice! I have my fingers crossed that you can finish your book and the move goes smoothly.
Janice wrote: "I'm going to strive very hard to finish my book for this theme by tomorrow night. It may be difficult as I am moving this weekend. Cross your fingers for me!!"x'd!
I love planes, to be honest. Finished Adam's Tongue: How Humans Made Language, How Language Made Humans in the plane and read my Sherlock Holmes book. Yay for planes!I am now in Sydney, and the person here has a fantastic colection of books (i.e. they're not romances or pulp fiction mysteries/crime). YAY!
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I learned not only about Animal Communication Systems (referred to as ACS because, let's face it-- Animal Communication Systems is ten syllables and ACS is just three), a bit more about bees than I'd previously known, and a great deal about Chomsky (a linguist) and his ideas. Not only did I learn about the amazing properties of bone marrow and an engrossing account of how language may have evolved (and after reading this book I'm certain it was something very much like what Bickerton proposes), but I also learned that humans are a bit like ants.
All this is significant because I am creating a world, and as such it contains language. One of the reasons I selected this book was because I could probably figure out a way to make a more realistic language if I knew the background-- just like one can create a more realistic character by knowing more about his or her life.
If you've read this book, what did you think of his theories and the others described therein? Do you think it's a plausible explanation for the evolution of language?
The review:
Click!
Oh, now I *really* want to read this!!
Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Oh, now I *really* want to read this!!"Enjoy it! It was actually really interesting.
Janice wrote: "I'm going to strive very hard to finish my book for this theme by tomorrow night. It may be difficult as I am moving this weekend. Cross your fingers for me!!"I didn't finish it. Waaaa!
No, Janice! *hugs* You will be able to do it next month!
Maria wrote: "I love planes, to be honest. Finished Adam's Tongue: How Humans Made Language, How Language Made Humans in the plane and read my Sherlock Holmes book. Yay for planes!I am now in Sy..."
That book looks super interesting to me I'll be checking it out from the library!
Kimberly wrote: "Maria wrote: "I love planes, to be honest. Finished Adam's Tongue: How Humans Made Language, How Language Made Humans in the plane and read my Sherlock Holmes book. Yay for planes!..."
XD I'm kind of amazed so many people find it sounds interesting. I was pretty sure everyone would think... "Whoa. Weird book choice." I hope you can find it, as it wasn't in my library system.
My library has it! I'm interested because I've a great love for anthropology/archaeology/history/animals/language & Evolution, it comes from many a year parked on the couch (often against my will when I was really young) to watching The Discover Channel, The History Channel and Nova as a child with my Dad. So yep, the library has it and I've just put it on hold :D
Fantastic! I hope you enjoy it.Do you have any books to recommend? Because they sound like my interests-- at 10-12 I was devouring every book about animals I could get my hands on, most of them being from the adult section.
Also... a really interesting facet of the North Bondi neighborhood we're now in... there is a huge bookshelf, according to the rest of my family, on the corner of the street, with books and DVDs "for the community". It's basically a book exchange... and All The President's Men was there. I'll be reading it after The Lovely Bones. I'm so excited!
Oooh, where did you go on the first visit? We'll be staying in Sydney 16 days, flying to Melbourne for... a week? Flying to Alice Springs, taking a jeep with a tent around the area, renting a camper van to drive to Darwin, and then flying out of there to BALI... where we re-meet the nice Australians we met in Thailand. XD
Kimberly, Maria, I'd like to put that theme up in a poll for a Themed Group Read. Then I'll nominate Adam's Tongue to fit it. I'll also be looking at your bookshelves... :)I want to visit Australia, too, but doubt I ever will as I haven't flown since 9-11 and don't want to.
Judy, I really hope you can visit. There's always a cheap airplane ticket somewhere or other, and it's nice to see the water in the drain spinning the other way. XDCheryl, that sounds awesome. I'll be nominating a few other books I have in my Kindle library.
As to flying, apart from heightened security measures, everything's pretty normal. They're so paranoid I doubt anyone's going to get hurt.
Yes, but I don't want to get to the airport two hours early just so I can go through a humiliating search... I'm not old and cantankerous for that stuff.Maybe we should try again to have a themed group read on aging or generation gaps, something like that.
I guess it depends on perspective. I've been through airports all over the place, and even when they do a physical body search at the metro (i'm talking those pat-downs), it's not humiliating. The high tech x-ray body scanners they're using now show a generic diagram with a square for possible dangerous items. I think of it like a necessary routine. There's no humiliation involved.That idea makes me laugh because it makes me think of a book I saw in NZ at one of the book exchanges... about menopause. For a full thirty seconds I was thinking about how fascinating it would be to read it, then considered that there were a COUPLE of limits, as I'm still legally minor. XD
That said, it sounds fantastic. I'm definitely up for it.
You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
All the President’s Men (other topics)The Lovely Bones (other topics)
Adam's Tongue: How Humans Made Language, How Language Made Humans (other topics)
Adam's Tongue: How Humans Made Language, How Language Made Humans (other topics)
Adam's Tongue: How Humans Made Language, How Language Made Humans (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Helen Crapnell (other topics)Bernard Beckett (other topics)
Dorian Amos (other topics)
Jacqueline D. Stanley (other topics)
Donald Woods (other topics)
More...
What did you learn?
This book describes the way we need to provide stress or exercise to challenge and strengthen, but equally important is the need to rest. This process is not just for physical health, but also for mental, emotional and spiritual health. If we don't challenge ourselves, we will atrophy. If we don't rest, we become ineffective and unhappy. The authors have worked with a variety of people, from professional athletes to salesmen, on improving the balance in their lives. The system they have developed is individually-based in each person's values and how they should drive that person's behaviors.
Why is it significant to you?
In many ways I felt that this book described me. My energy levels tend to fluctuate widely, and I feel I struggle to respond consistently to my responsibilities. At the same time I feel always "on" mentally and emotionally, I rarely find the time or energy to take care of myself physically, and have struggled to retain my sense of purpose and excitement in life.
What others could get from this book
This book is not a one-size fits all model. The methods are consistent, but the advice is personalized. For instance, The first step is to determine your key values. These values should provide the basis for your choices and behavior -- self, family, work, others. Taking care of yourself physically, through good diet, exercise, hydration and sleep is also important. They also recommend not working on anything longer than 90 minutes before taking a break.
Building in rituals and habits to remove the need to make decisions about healthy behaviors (challenge or rest, physical or not) can make these changes simple and reinforcing. This particular point brought home to me the research I've read about decision-fatigue. It states that our brains only have so much ability to function without a break or some fuel. If we don't take one then we'll make the default choice, which isn't always the best one. By creating our own defaults, that support our personal goals, then we will be more likely to make positive choices even when tired. It will become habit and won't require a decision.
Overall, while there is some promotion (website, celebrity clients, full consulting services), the lessons are important ones that are of benefit to those of us living hectic lifestyles. Now I just have to get myself started. As the authors recommend, one step at a time. Figure out where to go, then make a couple of small changes. When those are habitual, add a couple more. While I have a lot going on in my life, this week is spring break and I have an evening free. I think that's a good time to do a bit of thinking and planning.