Stuff we're reading / watching / listening to

[Squirrel]

That's cool! Thanks for sharing, Digit! No wonder dogs stick their noses in everything- maybe it's not only to smell, but to see?

[Digit]

Interesting article with a guest who posits that our network architecture is shrinking the economy and impoverishing the middle class.

[Digit]

This is a 13-year-old kid's blog?! (says he was born October 1999) Most of those YouTube videos look like graduate-level math and physics. There sure are some smart kids in the world.

[wryness]

I finished Jane Eyre a couple of days ago. I've never read it before and was considering using it with 12th-grade English classes this fall. I liked the book, but I don't think I'll use it with my classes.

[Katya]

I finished Jane Eyre a couple of days ago. I've never read it before and was considering using it with 12th-grade English classes this fall. I liked the book, but I don't think I'll use it with my classes.

Why not?

[wryness]

To be honest, I think I'm mostly just afraid to use it, Katya. I'm going to be working as a first-year teacher at a Title I school, and I think this book might be over some students' heads. To be even more truthful, though, I'm just not sure how I'd approach using it in class, since it's so long and I've never read it before or seen it taught. We'd probably have to do most or all of our reading in-class, as well, which doesn't increase my enthusiasm, either. I think I might try tackling this book later on in my career, but since I'd be starting from square one, it seems like teaching it this first year will be more work right now than I'm willing to handle.

Good book, though. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.

[Katya]

To be honest, I think I'm mostly just afraid to use it, Katya. I'm going to be working as a first-year teacher at a Title I school, and I think this book might be over some students' heads. To be even more truthful, though, I'm just not sure how I'd approach using it in class, since it's so long and I've never read it before or seen it taught. We'd probably have to do most or all of our reading in-class, as well, which doesn't increase my enthusiasm, either. I think I might try tackling this book later on in my career, but since I'd be starting from square one, it seems like teaching it this first year will be more work right now than I'm willing to handle.

That seems entirely reasonable. (And I don't necessarily think it's a must-read for high school students, but it seems like a commonly assigned book, so I was curious to hear your objections.)

[Whistler]

I started reading This is How You Die (the short story compilation edited by my favorite webcomic authors with the Machine of Death stuff). So far I like it, but reading the author bios just makes me wish I were cooler.

[thatonemom]

I finished Code Name Verity last night. Liked it about as much as I thought I would, which is very much.

I liked that one, too! (bit of a slow start, though) She has a new book coming out this fall that's supposed to be similar, called Rose Under Fire. (Also, I may have peeked at your blog and now think we should be book buddies. I've read a lot of those, too)

[C is for]

I've just finished the second episode of Whodunnit? on Hulu.

[Genuine Article]

I started reading This is How You Die (the short story compilation edited by my favorite webcomic authors with the Machine of Death stuff). So far I like it, but reading the author bios just makes me wish I were cooler.

Machine of Death was so good I can't wait to read this.

Also, I tried to get my RS book club to consider MOD and was shot down by one very controlling member who only wants to read super-clean lighthearted stuff. And then she wonders why no one comes to book club.

[Whistler]

yeah, sometimes book clubs suck why do (seemignly) none of my neighbors share my good taste in literature?

[TheBlackSheep]

I have had this problem in every book club I have tried to join ever. Le sigh.

[Katya]

yeah, sometimes book clubs suck why do (seemignly) none of my neighbors share my good taste in literature?

Move back to Provo!

[Giovanni Schwartz]

One of my friends (or acquaintances) wants to start a book club. But the books he wants to read are all from here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/t ... -ever-read

It just doesn't seem worth it, after reading the summaries and the excerpts.

[Whistler]

One of my friends (or acquaintances) wants to start a book club. But the books he wants to read are all from here: http://www.buzzfeed.com/louispeitzman/t ... -ever-read

It just doesn't seem worth it, after reading the summaries and the excerpts.

whaaa some of those books are really good and not THAT bad. Baudrillard is one of the most approachable philosophers in my book (come on! he uses disneyland as an example!). Also Cloud Atlas is totally worth reading and not too difficult.

[mic0]

100 Years of Solitude is the only one on there that I've read, though there are a few more on there that I want to read. It's long and the same names are used over and over, but it is beautiful and has magical realism which is awesome.

Currently I'm watching "Life of Birds" with David Attenborough on Netflix. It is pretty cool.

[Portia]

100 Years of Solitude is the only one on there that I've read, though there are a few more on there that I want to read. It's long and the same names are used over and over, but it is beautiful and has magical realism which is awesome.

Currently I'm watching "Life of Birds" with David Attenborough on Netflix. It is pretty cool.

Currently reading 100 Years... and Love in the Time...

I prefer the latter, although I just got to a part which will probably knock a star off.

[mic0]

I liked Love in the Time of Cholera way more than 100 Years! It is just beeeaautiful. I don't know what part you mean, though. :/

[Portia]

I liked Love in the Time of Cholera way more than 100 Years! It is just beeeaautiful. I don't know what part you mean, though. :/

His relationship with his 14-year-old ward is just hard for me to dismiss, cultural and time period differences notwithstanding. :-|