“on the road to finding out” – ya book – about a high school senior – but very readable for middle school – best of all? running is involved – really a great book for gifted girls – about what you do when your plan a goes wrong – even your plan a from your senior year – the one you have all your eggs in a basket for – but, the beauty of books, the story works well even for old teacher men b/c our plan a’s go wrong all the time:)

“1929 bunion derby” – for two years in a row, a cross the country run was made – the men would run for 40-50 miles a day – or, at the end of this 1929 run, 60-70 miles a day – just an unbelievable story – including one about an African-American from b’ham – who lived in seattle later – and one of the great things about book, I realized this guy (eddie gardner) should be recognized in the state’s sports hall of fame – and those nominations are something ordinary people like me can do – so the cool thing about that book was that I could do something with it

so two running books for the week, but the first one was YA so I feel like I’m still somewhat contributing to the class – occasionally – maybe not – oh, well, at least I have my Corbo stories

maf

ps – it bugged me until I finally remembered – I read “teenagers matter” – yes, rich irony that I’d forgotten that one – but good book – I wrote to your parents about it friday

the sad thing is none of my eighth grade blog so no one can fill everyone else in on the wonders of the Golden Dragon… 🙂

“five brothers and a million sisters” – let’s just start with the best book I read this week – a bio on the NKOTB – new kids on the block – I guess take whatever band you’re currently loving, and let’s assume it’s a group of guys about 10 years older than you – and have that group fall off the face of the earth five years from now, only to resurface 15 years later awesomely – and then get the chance to read their story, you might then understand the joy I had reading this book – just great – I guess my favorite fact is that four of the five went to elementary school together

“the barack Obama story” – this was the major book I finished this week – great biographer, david maraniss, who basically wrote the story of the president’s life to Harvard grad school – the biographer started with barack’s great-grandparents – in Kansas and in Kenya – just an amazing story to me b/c even as the president grew up, no one could see the path his life would take him – just a remarkable story in the sense that you never know what the things you go through now are preparing you for later in life

“quiet” – I was disappointed in this book – but I think it was b/c I read a book in the summer, “quiet kids” that pretty well gave me most of this book as well – introverts rule the world, regardless!!! and this book further proves that point (I mean, I think it now annoys me that all the workers at publix have to speak to me – I’m like, “just leave me alone – I don’t have the energy to shop AND tell you hello…”

“the year of living biblically” – this book was sad to me – the author spent a year trying to follow a bunch of rules – eight months with the OT and four with the NT – and, very predictably, and the end, he decided that while an agnostic, he was now a more spiritual agnostic for having done this – so basically, one man’s search to find God on man’s terms – which is to an extent all of our stories unless we believe God actually makes an attempt, or THE attempt, to find us and we have just one path to follow – the gimmickness of the book distressed me

happy MLK tomorrow
maf

okay, read two books and working on a monster one:)

“flapjacks” – something about them in the title – anyway, a very remarkable, well-written story about a british rower that overcame quite a lot to win a silver medal – and the unusual thing to me i guess, and to her, was just how remarkable and worth telling the story was – despite the fact we live in an age seemingly devoted to “winning” autobiographies – the title had to do with her mom’s world famous recipe for flapjacks (which was share – always a boost to have a biography serve a duel purpose – in this case, a cooking book:)

“game change” – story of the 2008 election – i read much of it during our delayed starts – and oh, how i’d forgotten some of the stories of edwards, palin, the clintons, and obama – well, he didn’t really have great stories – the others did though – very enjoyable book – i guess – on the other side, very disturbing book if these are the people we elect to office:)

maf

so the best think I did arts-wise last week was watch the 1970s musical “Godspell” – I’m a sucker for musicals anyway – and so that was a fun one to watch – high energy and everything

as for the reading, lots of it, just not sure how much of it was “great”…

“Christianish” by Steele – book about labels – and what it means to be considered a follower of someone – the author has a wry sense of humor so that was an added plus

“Nearing Home” by Graham – book on aging – on how to age properly – I think we all age – obviously – but Graham pointed out – very well – that we have a choice how we approach the process – and most people just tend to complain about all they can’t do anymore – the book was a great encouragement – made me thing about the old man I want to be one day:)

“Runner’s Book of Rules” – I got the awesome book as a Christmas gift – I read it in a day – it was that good – helped me learn that I shouldn’t go without a shirt next Sunday when I run Mobile – that’s against the book’s rules – but it is okay to pass gas while running in the group next week – that was okay – and stay away from ninja runners – I thought about wearing all black this morning so I could scare the running hobo in Chelsea park – but, alas, he wasn’t out there (or was he, and just in all black?)

“A Nice Little Place on the North Side” – YEAH for books on baseball – Cubs baseball in this case – Wrigley turns 100 this year – this book celebrates – and laments – the Cubs history – which is a good mix of celebration/lamentation

“Running Scared” – book on fears – and how to address them – like, I’m worried school will be uncanceled but this book helped me realize that’s a ridiculous fear – so there:)

probably four journals next week – so get started good people

maf