first things first – no sixth grade, you don’t have to blog this week – and if you do, i will take your points and put them in the salvation army pot… 🙂

as for my week, productive – way, way too productive in reading – i think i’m retiring from books – anyway…

“we’ve got a job to do” – by levinson – wonderful book – recommending it for BOB next year – story of the ’63 children’s march downtown (b’ham – not columbiana) – captures the drama and tension in the city – great adaptation to YA – well-researched too (interviews with those that marched)

“essayists on the essay” by klaus and stuckey-french – collection of writers about essays – which, believe it or not, some people think are the best things since twilight (in their defense, these writers don’t have to write five-paragraph essays) – i booked a few pages to read to ya’ll – from 400 years back to present, lots of good insight to why essays are special – and what makes them memorable

“making democracy work” by breyer -supreme court justice – great book after the first 100 pages – the court cases i knew but when breyer got into how the court fits in a democracy, the book got really good – he closes with an appeal to justices to work on educating the public – and i agree, such is needed

“idea man” by paul allen – co-founder of microsoft – and a billion other things (including an education site coming in 2015 that i’m most anxious to see) – the computer terms were beyond me, but his enthusiasm and drive for innovation wasn’t – he even mentioned the father of one of my former professors – but he ripped her dad so i figured i wouldn’t e-mail that professor with the news:)

happy final-ing – i’m going to work on my christmas cards

sincerely,

maf