A Short History of the World ~ by Christopher Lascelles, 2011, history
This book gives a broad overview of the generally accepted version of events so that non-historians will feel less ignorant when discussing the past. It principally covers key people, events, and empires since the dawn of the first civilizations around 3500 BCE, making it an excellent place to start to bring your historical knowledge up to scratch.
Wonder ~ by R. J. Palacio, 2014, children's fiction
"I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse." August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting in the fifth grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid — but his new classmates can’t get past his extraordinary face.
Just finished
57. Tracks: One Woman's Journey Across 1,700 Miles of Australian Outback ~ by Robyn Davidson, 1982, 2012, memoir (Australia), 8/10Most recent Kindle purchase
"In different places, survival requires different things, based on the environment. Capacity for survival may be the ability to be changed by environment" (p. 192).
The Adventure of English: The Biography of a Language ~ by Melvyn Bragg, 2011
Here is the riveting story of the English language, from its humble beginnings as a regional dialect to its current preeminence as the one global language, spoken by more than two billion people worldwide. In this groundbreaking book, Melvyn Bragg shows how English conquered the world. It is a magnificent adventure, full of jealousy, intrigue, and war—against a hoard of invaders, all armed with their own conquering languages, which bit by bit, the speakers of English absorbed and made their own.
"Joy Is Like the Rain" being sung by children in 2010. This is my favorite piano accompaniment to the tune, especially the happy little additions tinkling between the phrases. Today, I couldn't get it out of my head, so I'm sharing it with you. If this video quits working, watch it on YouTube.
2 comments:
I thought Wonder was a terrific book! It's such a good story and kids can relate to it. If you liked Wonder, you might also like "Out of My Mind" by Sharon Draper
Funny you should mention Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. I smiled and did a search of my blog for "Draper," finding at least SEVEN times I've written about that book. I loved it! Here's the link so you can read my 2010 review and several other mentions:
http://bonniesbooks.blogspot.com/search?q=draper
If you read Wonder (2012) before the addition of "The Julian Chapter" (2014), find a copy so you can read the whole story. It begins: "There are two sides to every story. Wonder tells Auggie's story through six different points of view, but Julian's perspective is not one of them. Now, for the first time in print, hear from the book's most controversial character" (p. 311). Just so you know, that extra chapter is very long, pages 311-404, but oh so worth reading!
Have a great time on your trip! I hope some day we get a chance to meet, like maybe you'll have a layover in St. Louis on your way home from England or the Middle East.
Post a Comment