Thanks giving Day 17

Today I’m thankful for books. Oh, books, how I love thee. (Can thee be plural? I think it can.)

I just finished Nurture Shock by Po Bronson, which I feel like I’ve been reading FOREVER. But it’s really exceptionally good, and it’s probably a good thing that I didn’t read it all in one fell swoop, because I had more time to absorb all of the different elements.  It’s a book I think all parents would benefit from reading – the chapters on lying and sleep (being two separate chapters,  not about lying and how it connects to sleep)   are seriously fascinating. All of it is, really.

I also finished Soulless: The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger, in much less time that Nurture Shock took. It was a delightful read, exactly what I wanted it to be. There were indeed vampires and werewolves and dirigibles  as promised, though it was a bit light on the dirigibles.  But the story of a 25 Victorian spinster who happens to have no soul and who finds herself embroiled in a mystery of appearing and disappearing supernatural entities was really pitch perfect. It did run slightly into romance novel territory, but only barely.  (There’s a scene at the end that might offend sensitive sensibilities, but the rest is ok.)  On the whole it was witty and highly amusing. I’m thrilled there’s a sequel coming in March. Brandy, I think you would LOVE it.

Right now I’m reading 100 Top Picks for Homeschool Curriculum by Cathy Duffy, which is incredibly well put together. It has you consider not only your own thoughts about how teaching/learning should take place, but also the learning style of your child, and other factors (time, energy, monetary resources), and then, with brilliant charts, guides you to the curriculum style that combines all of those factors.   I think it might be magic.  I’m only part way through, but it’s already confirming that my instincts toward Charlotte Mason were solid.  (And that Z’s apparent learning style is actually really well suited to Charlotte Mason, whew!)  What surprised me, however, was that apparently my mindset also lines up with unit studies and the Classical approach.  I would not have guessed that in either instance, so I’m going to have to take a longer look at them and see what I think.

I’m also reading the behemoth that is Jesus the Christ, and am behind and need to catch up! (But I just found out that it’s available on the haunted kindle – for 99 cents, no less! – which means it’s available on my phone! Woo hoo, catching up!)

Anyway, I’m thankful for books, for the wealth of information and knowledge they provide, for the escape they can be, the fun, the joy. I’m grateful to live in a country where we have freedom of the press, freedom to write and freedom to read. I’m thankful for libraries, for bookstores, for Amazon, and for the ability to partake in each of those copiously.

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