dum de dum de - oh, hello! must be time for my weekly post!
Fortunately slackblog.com (tm) has been assisted this week muse-wise by Purple Mark , who has tagged me with a book meme.
I did a slightly different book meme a little while ago.* Apologies to my fellow LBJ nerds Mark and The Currency Lad (and your bloody feed's still crook, Lad), but I couldn't finish the goddam Dallek I was reading then. For not-yet-LBJ-nerds, there are two major histories of LBJ, Dallek's and one written by Robert Caro, a journalist-turned-historian. Dallek's is in my view undoubtedly the better historical biography. Having read more about LBJ than is common or actually necessary, I can tell you that the economy with which Dallek explains and illustrates his arguments is really quite outstanding. But. But Robert Caro writes a frickin' ripper psychological dissection. It's less contextual, and more conjectual, than Dallek. But it's a really good story. And it doesn't have to go back to the library. And I'm only reading for kicks.
I am continuing my Roth project too, having finished Operation Shylock and started The Ghost Writer yesterday. After I decided to read all his books, I couldn't decide on how to go about it. I even paid a visit to the Philip Roth Society website. Oh, it's a real giggle there. They have this magnificent troll called "helge normann nilsen". Helge's as good a troll in her way as EP is in his, although sadly she is Norwegian, not Swedish. I tried to put her through some cheap internet translator so I could meanly make fun of her, but I was foiled by the utter humourlessness of everything it had to say. Except "very much to the point post" which is Norwegian for email. Heh.
Helge appears to be a Professor of something (which I can't work out) and her iss-ewe with his latest novel The Plot Against America boils down to "Roth's novel is contrafactual." I know, outrageous! He made his novel up! Anyway, here is a link even though you will never read a more poorly designed forum in yer life. But you never know who's keen do you? And I have finally settled on an innovative plan for Roth reading, by getting whatever ones are there in the library when I take the last ones back.
* I only just realised, going back to get the link, that I never pulled up Fyodor on his ridiculous comment: "Darcy is a pompous, parasitic snob who never earned anything in his life." Any savage can tell you that Darcy earned the respect and affection of an intelligent and beautiful woman, which is about as good as it gets, Fyodor. You go right ahead and tell me how I'm wrong if you don't believe me.
Anyhoo, back to the meme. You already know what I think, so it's time for crazybrave's first ever guest post, by Sage Salvador aged 2 3/4:
Total number of books I've owned:
There are nearly 100 in my bookcase in the lounge room and at least that many in my bedroom, but I'm asleep so Mum's not checking. Mum has thrown out some that were crap and made squeaking noises of various kinds.
The last book I bought:
I don't yet operate in the cash economy directly, but the last book Mum bought me was "Kipper's Monster" by Mark Inkpen. She got it from the secondhand book shop because she's tight like that.
It's a top read. Kipper's friend Tiger has a new torch, and you can shine it on stuff and make shadows that are sometimes scary. After cracker night I have a new torch too. Anyway, Kipper and Tiger get freaked out in the woods by a monster noise, but it's just a wise old owl and they go and camp in Tiger's bedroom and read stories. I think monsters are very cool, and I like to hide from them under my blue blanky.
The last book I read:
Hairy McClary's Rumpus at the Vet by Lynley Dodds
The olds get right into the rhythm of this one, and I love to watch the animals go nuts. It's more fun than trying to make my animals go nuts, because Mum and Dad get cut about that.
Five books that mean a lot to me:
The Sneetches and Other Stories, by Dr Seuss
While all of the stories in this book are excellent, "What was I scared of?" is the best story ever. It has got spooky pale green pants which do stuff even though there is nobody inside them. In the end the little furry kind of guy makes friends with the pants, which is cool. There is also a "snide field" which always cracks Mum up.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle
This book has groovy collage animals that are different cool colours, like a blue horse and a green frog. If Mark still needs a gravatar, he could do worse than the "purple cat, purple cat".
Welcome Home, Little Bear by Maurice Jones & Anna Currey
My Mum is clever. She can read this whole book to me with her eyes shut. It's about a little bear who gets lost and has to look in lots of caves until he finds the other bears. Then they all have a cuddle. Mummy and I always have a cuddle in that bit, too. This is a very good story. My Granny bought it at the academic remainder bookshop in Fyshwick 'cos she's tight like Mum.
Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox & Judy Horacek
This is just about the perfect book for a toddler like me. Colours, action, rhyme, pattern, rhythm. It's a miracle of pre-literate learning, I think. Well actually, that's what Mum says. I like it because it's funny and it's got sheep in it and because I get to throw up my hands in an adorably faux-crazy-jew fashion every time Mum says "Where is the green sheep?"
Mighty Machines by the mysterious authorless phenomenon that is Dorling Kindersley Children's Books
This book has tops pictures of big rigs, racing cars, tractors, fire engines and so much more! This is my best book for making noises too.
I am tagging:
Bumblebee, Liam, Charlie, Olle, Dash and the little Dude.
Update:
How cool this turned out to be! I really love good kid's books, and it's important to me that Sage finds reading easy - whether it turns out to be something that is a major interest in his life is another matter, but I'm doing what I can. The other parents tagged have done beautiful posts which show how much they love reading and their kids too, and you should go read them:
Bumblebee is 8
Liam is 3
Charlie is 2
Olle is 6
Dash is 2
and the Dude is 2.
I did a slightly different book meme a little while ago.* Apologies to my fellow LBJ nerds Mark and The Currency Lad (and your bloody feed's still crook, Lad), but I couldn't finish the goddam Dallek I was reading then. For not-yet-LBJ-nerds, there are two major histories of LBJ, Dallek's and one written by Robert Caro, a journalist-turned-historian. Dallek's is in my view undoubtedly the better historical biography. Having read more about LBJ than is common or actually necessary, I can tell you that the economy with which Dallek explains and illustrates his arguments is really quite outstanding. But. But Robert Caro writes a frickin' ripper psychological dissection. It's less contextual, and more conjectual, than Dallek. But it's a really good story. And it doesn't have to go back to the library. And I'm only reading for kicks.
I am continuing my Roth project too, having finished Operation Shylock and started The Ghost Writer yesterday. After I decided to read all his books, I couldn't decide on how to go about it. I even paid a visit to the Philip Roth Society website. Oh, it's a real giggle there. They have this magnificent troll called "helge normann nilsen". Helge's as good a troll in her way as EP is in his, although sadly she is Norwegian, not Swedish. I tried to put her through some cheap internet translator so I could meanly make fun of her, but I was foiled by the utter humourlessness of everything it had to say. Except "very much to the point post" which is Norwegian for email. Heh.
Helge appears to be a Professor of something (which I can't work out) and her iss-ewe with his latest novel The Plot Against America boils down to "Roth's novel is contrafactual." I know, outrageous! He made his novel up! Anyway, here is a link even though you will never read a more poorly designed forum in yer life. But you never know who's keen do you? And I have finally settled on an innovative plan for Roth reading, by getting whatever ones are there in the library when I take the last ones back.
* I only just realised, going back to get the link, that I never pulled up Fyodor on his ridiculous comment: "Darcy is a pompous, parasitic snob who never earned anything in his life." Any savage can tell you that Darcy earned the respect and affection of an intelligent and beautiful woman, which is about as good as it gets, Fyodor. You go right ahead and tell me how I'm wrong if you don't believe me.
Anyhoo, back to the meme. You already know what I think, so it's time for crazybrave's first ever guest post, by Sage Salvador aged 2 3/4:
Total number of books I've owned:
There are nearly 100 in my bookcase in the lounge room and at least that many in my bedroom, but I'm asleep so Mum's not checking. Mum has thrown out some that were crap and made squeaking noises of various kinds.
The last book I bought:
I don't yet operate in the cash economy directly, but the last book Mum bought me was "Kipper's Monster" by Mark Inkpen. She got it from the secondhand book shop because she's tight like that.
It's a top read. Kipper's friend Tiger has a new torch, and you can shine it on stuff and make shadows that are sometimes scary. After cracker night I have a new torch too. Anyway, Kipper and Tiger get freaked out in the woods by a monster noise, but it's just a wise old owl and they go and camp in Tiger's bedroom and read stories. I think monsters are very cool, and I like to hide from them under my blue blanky.
The last book I read:
Hairy McClary's Rumpus at the Vet by Lynley Dodds
The olds get right into the rhythm of this one, and I love to watch the animals go nuts. It's more fun than trying to make my animals go nuts, because Mum and Dad get cut about that.
Five books that mean a lot to me:
The Sneetches and Other Stories, by Dr Seuss
While all of the stories in this book are excellent, "What was I scared of?" is the best story ever. It has got spooky pale green pants which do stuff even though there is nobody inside them. In the end the little furry kind of guy makes friends with the pants, which is cool. There is also a "snide field" which always cracks Mum up.
Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Eric Carle
This book has groovy collage animals that are different cool colours, like a blue horse and a green frog. If Mark still needs a gravatar, he could do worse than the "purple cat, purple cat".
Welcome Home, Little Bear by Maurice Jones & Anna Currey
My Mum is clever. She can read this whole book to me with her eyes shut. It's about a little bear who gets lost and has to look in lots of caves until he finds the other bears. Then they all have a cuddle. Mummy and I always have a cuddle in that bit, too. This is a very good story. My Granny bought it at the academic remainder bookshop in Fyshwick 'cos she's tight like Mum.
Where is the Green Sheep? by Mem Fox & Judy Horacek
This is just about the perfect book for a toddler like me. Colours, action, rhyme, pattern, rhythm. It's a miracle of pre-literate learning, I think. Well actually, that's what Mum says. I like it because it's funny and it's got sheep in it and because I get to throw up my hands in an adorably faux-crazy-jew fashion every time Mum says "Where is the green sheep?"
Mighty Machines by the mysterious authorless phenomenon that is Dorling Kindersley Children's Books
This book has tops pictures of big rigs, racing cars, tractors, fire engines and so much more! This is my best book for making noises too.
I am tagging:
Bumblebee, Liam, Charlie, Olle, Dash and the little Dude.
Update:
How cool this turned out to be! I really love good kid's books, and it's important to me that Sage finds reading easy - whether it turns out to be something that is a major interest in his life is another matter, but I'm doing what I can. The other parents tagged have done beautiful posts which show how much they love reading and their kids too, and you should go read them:
Bumblebee is 8
Liam is 3
Charlie is 2
Olle is 6
Dash is 2
and the Dude is 2.
posted by Zoe at 7:38 pm
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