What are Divas reading?

[newboots]

Oh, you are saying the truth, @SallyCat! The recycling of ideas in education (and psychology) with new words invented to describe the long-known concepts is a time-honored tradition. Not to mention the invention of idiotic new ideas. Soooo much cr*p!

 

[bounceswoosh]

Oh, you are saying the truth, @SallyCat! The recycling of ideas in education (and psychology) with new words invented to describe the long-known concepts is a time-honored tradition. Not to mention the invention of idiotic new ideas. Soooo much cr*p!

I think this is true for literally everything, not just education or psych. See bikes; skis; fashion ...

 

[Christy]

I only recently discovered Ann Patchett--I'm late on this I know. I'm working my way through her catalog. Bel Canto has to be one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. I just finished her collection of essays and I'm picking up the Magician's Assistant from the library today.

 

[RachelV]

I know I'm way late to the party on this one, but I just read Lonesome Dove on a coworker's recommendation and it's one of the rare fiction novels that I couldn't put down. Not literary at all, but just a super engrossing, well-written story. So good. I feel the same way about Pillars of the Earth.

 

[Tvan]

I'm on Goodreads. I use it to track what I've read. I also gave up on reviews but I always give stars, mostly so I can remember which books I want to recommend to my reading buddies.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Not literary at all

Do you mean "literary" in the sense that it was poorly written, or "literary" in the sense that it's the kind of book that book snobs will accept?

I insist on well-written books, but an awful lot of well-written books are ignored by book snobs ...

 

[RachelV]

Do you mean "literary" in the sense that it was poorly written, or "literary" in the sense that it's the kind of book that book snobs will accept?

I insist on well-written books, but an awful lot of well-written books are ignored by book snobs ...

I meant non-pretentious, yeah -- not the kind of book you'd discuss in English class. Quite well-written, though, I think.

 

[SallyCat]

I think this is true for literally everything, not just education or psych. See bikes; skis; fashion

Giiiiiiiiiiiirl, education has other fields beat by miles. Education is the major leagues of snake oil and BS; all other fields are suburban little league. Shallow gender-based marketing? Diva, please. You don't even know.

Don't underestimate the "WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN" aspect of ed writing. Whomever the writer is and regardless of the merit of the claims, he or she always cares about children and if you point out that there's no research to support a claim made by an ed reformer, well...you must be a child-hating monster hell-bent on turning schools into Dickensian waking nightmares. There is no middle ground.

Here's how it works:

Ed-Reformer: "I WROTE A BOOK!"

Reviewers: "Your book is based on discredited scholarship and unsupported assumption."

Ed Reformer: "WHY DO YOU HATE CHILDREN!?"



End thread hijack!

 

[newboots]

What was the topic? I like this discussion!

 

[santacruz skier]

Just finished several books. Really enjoyed the writing, plot and intelligence/wit of "Gentleman in Moscow". Thanks for the suggestion.

I want to recommend "Under the Scarlet Sky" especially for us ski lovers. It is the true story of an Italian, Pino Lella, who at the time was a youth coming of age during Nazi occupation of Milan. His transport of a Jewish violinist escaping to Switzerland by skiing an avalanche while holding on to a Stradivarius is pure exhilaration. This book came about from a chance dinner meeting with a skier in Bozeman, MT.

Continuing on the non fiction, I am currently enjoying "Lost City of the Monkey Gods" about the real life search for a lost culture and city in the Honduras jungle. So fascinating.

Next up will be Rules of Civility and The Snowman.

LOVED Beneath the Scarlet Sky... Thanks so much for the recommendation... Have you read Lilac Girls? I could barely get through it as was so graphic but a really good read.

 

[MI-skier]

LOVED Beneath the Scarlet Sky... Thanks so much for the recommendation... Have you read Lilac Girls? I could barely get through it as was so graphic but a really good read.

Glad you enjoyed it. I read Lilac Girls this spring. It was horrifying to read the doctor's participation and refusal to accept accountability.

 

[Jilly]

I usually read beach fluff, but decided I needed some guidance..."Younger next year for women". I'm hitting one of those decade years this year and need all the help I can get. Takes a while to get into this, but now at the parts that are interesting. The science nerd is me is liking this stuff.

 

[santacruz skier]

Glad you enjoyed it. I read Lilac Girls this spring. It was horrifying to read the doctor's participation and refusal to accept accountability.

Well stated. It was absolutely horrifying and I kept thinking I didn't want to finish.

 

[newboots]

I usually read beach fluff, but decided I needed some guidance..."Younger next year for women".

Oh, I'll have to pick it up again! I bought it but the rah-rah tone (in the non-scientific part) turned me off so much I put it down again! Maybe I can skip or skim those chapters and read the parts about the research.

 

[Jilly]

Start about Chapter 5. It took me maybe 5 months to get there. Now it's so much better....

 

[newboots]

Start about Chapter 5. It took me maybe 5 months to get there. Now it's so much better....

Thanks, Jilly! I will pick it up again and follow your advice. I know there's important info in there, but I just couldn't stand the writing in the (non-scientific author's) sections.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Thanks, Jilly! I will pick it up again and follow your advice. I know there's important info in there, but I just couldn't stand the writing in the (non-scientific author's) sections.

I felt that way (but for different reasons) about Thich Nhat Hanh's Savor. So much preaching about vegetarianism. Couldn't get through it.

 

[VickiK]

The Younger Next Year exercise book is more to the point.

 

[Jenny]

Just finished Ravenbruck - Life and Death in Hitler's Concentration Camp for Women. The writing is easy to read, the subject matter absolutely not. I'm now going to be looking for another book by Sarah Helm called A Life In Secrets - Vera Atkins and the Missing Agents of WWII.

 

[SallyCat]

From a huge pile of reading to be done, I picked this today. I'm partway through and it's fascinating. Highly recommend if you're interested in a deep dive into the subject.

Racism: A Short History by George M. Fredrickson

Here's a NYT review: https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/04/books/history-of-hatred.html?mcubz=1