So much to talk about today--I keep seeing more and more things this week that I want to share. Good thing Sunday is finally here.I live in Nebraska. I'll pause here to let you all laugh for a bit...there now, have you gotten it out of your systems? Let me just say that living in Nebraska is not as bad as you all may think--it is not all flat, we have some of the greatest sunsets, and, for the most part, people here are great. I did not really choose to live here. Nebraska was the choice of my great-grandparents. My choice was to live near family. I know some of you move away from your families as soon as you have that high school diploma in hand. I know some of you have awful in-laws. And I know I'm very, very fortunate when it comes to family. My husband and I long ago decided that we would stay near our families so that our children would always have family near by. And there is rarely a day that I regret it. This week I was reminded, once again, why I am so happy to be here. My niece was having a bad week, a really bad week. My daughter suggested they hang out last night. I suggested that we make it a girls night and include the moms. She agreed to it but primarily she wanted to be with my daughter because they "get each other." And they do; despite some very big differences, they are great friends, not just cousins. So the four of us went out to dinner. Where, I am happy to say, I was able to make my niece laugh so hard that she snorted. Afterward, the four of us went to see "Julie and Julia." The girls spent the entire car ride home doing the hand thing that Julia and her sister did in the movie.
Today I got a link from someone I follow on Twitter about a school in Toronto that has removed "To Kill A Mockingbird" from it's 10-grade English classes. Because one parent complained. One. Parent. Is there some reason that person's child could not have done an independent project during while the other students read "Mockingbird?" Is it ever right for schools to cave in to parental pressure? I personally think that high school-aged students are old enough to deal with almost any subject you throw at them; treat them like adults and that is likely to be what you'll get back.The L.A. Times reviewed Lizzie Skurnick's "Shelf Discovery" this week. This book is getting a lot of great P.R. in the blogosphere. I've got the book and I thought I might be the only person on the planet that didn't love it. Until I saw this review. I feel so much better now.
Another great link I found through twitter is this post showing great libraries of the world. How great are these? Now I know why libarians have a reputation for insisting on quiet. Can you imagine how much these places echo??
The thing about the book being removed from the curriculum is just ridiculous! Why do some parents feel the need to treat teenagers as babies? No wonder they all go crazy once they start college!
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking about re-reading John Irving lately. It's been awhile. He is so good!
ReplyDeleteAnd hey -- everyone has to have a day job. Me, too! I teach writing, edit other people's books. Wish I could just write. But at least you get to listen to good books. I think that's great!
I think it's wonderful to have family nearby. That is why I enjoyed Bridge of Sighs so much. The lure of family, the security of knowing what you will be doing many years down the line... that appealed to me.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I enjoyed Julie & Julia. I want to get some of her cookbooks now :)
I guess I'm going to have to go see Julie and Julia. Have you read the book?
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm shocked about the Mockingbird thing. That is ridiculous! I hate how society has devolved into a "let's not offend or make anyone uncomfortable" kind of place.
Isn't it just great the way family and friends can make the bad stuff fade away long enough to make everything seem ok? That is too cool that they were doing the sister thing from J&J. Wow...who knew one parent could have so much power. And that is awful for the other students. My daughter read To Kill this past school year for 7th grade literature and she said it has been one of her favorite reads of the year.
ReplyDeleteLori, I haven't read the book "Julie and Julia" yet but I've got a copy coming and now I'm really looking forward to it.
ReplyDeleteI love Nebraska, enjoyed living in Omaha and love to get back to visit. (which will be Labor Day but we'll be in Beaterville (Beatrice). The book banning thing will always astonish me but if I was a parent, I would prob encourage my kid to read the book and discuss it (and it's likely any kid of mine would suggest it first but who knows) Lots of stuff here in your post to comment on! I'll stop now.
ReplyDeleteYou are lucky to live near family - I've been a vagabond all of my life and never really know what to say when someone asks me where I'm from.
ReplyDeleteYour comment about your daughter and her cousin reminded me at once of a wonderful novel I finished a few days ago for the Japanese Literature Challenge "Good by Tsugumi" by Banana Yoshimoto. It centers on the friendship of two female teenage cousins.
ReplyDeleteNebraska, huh? I've got some relatives in Lincoln, but they're not close enough for me to move there! Fortunately most of my immediate family is in the beautiful Pacific Northwest (if not gallivanting in Mozambique or Cambodia)...
ReplyDeleteI agree on the idea of letting the one child do something else, rather than detracting from every other kid's education!
So many things to say!
ReplyDeleteJ&J: sounds like a wonderful night, I saw this movie for a second time yesterday and again there was clapping! This time throughout the entire movie. The movie doesn't follow the book closely so I will wait for your review...
Shelf Discovery: Thank you... I was going to buy this tonight but didn't make it to the book store. I will pass on this one.
Can't wait to hear your thoughts of A Reliable Wife...
I'll have to check that out, Mel. I think you probably need to read any book written by someone named Banana!
ReplyDeleteDrop "To Kill a Mockingbird" for grade 10? Suggesting the content is too much for 15 to 16 yr olds, are they serious? Or is it misguided zealots thinking it is somehow racist because it uses the "N" word? How could anyone reading it not see it as one of the cleverest condemnations of racism ever?
ReplyDeleteSome people make me very mad.
Oh no, don't feel jealous! I didn't read 4 books over the weekend - I finished book # 4 in a series. I've been re-reading the Outlander series for a month or two now :-)
ReplyDeleteI get so upset when people (aka annoying, fearful for no good reason parents) get books banned. I just do not get it. If something offends them about the book, they can talk to their child about it at home. They don't need to ban the book for everyone else. So absurd. If you like to talk about banned books, a great blog that does this is
ReplyDeleteThe Dangerous Pages Review
I stopped by to pass you an award
ReplyDeletehttp://publish--or--perish.blogspot.com/2009/08/dread-award.html
I think Nebraska sounds lovely! And it must be since you live there. :-) We're going to Wyoming next week for vacation, which I know is not near Nebraska but both are far from New York where I live and both are very rural and - well, I thought you'd like to know that people enjoy vacationing in places that are rural -- like Nebraska!!! xo
ReplyDeleteI HATE when books get banned. I think sometimes parents and other adults are clueless on what kind of things that high school kids go through. They should be adult enough to talk about adult issues and read adult book with good issues in them like To Kill a Mockingbird.
ReplyDeleteGlad you loved Julie and Julia. I saw it with my mother, and we both absolutely loved it. Died laughing, too. Great post!
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