Just a quick one today. I start classes on Monday, so things are busy around here.
I continue to get several hits per week from people looking for information about going back to school as an adult. So here are some relevant posts-- and just to warn you, they will only be relevant if you are as terrified as I was. If you're thinking your return to school will be a piece of cake, go find someone else's blog. :-) no offense intended.
orientation
first big project as a grad student
the back to school post
back to school part 2
In spite of the complete and utter panic that I felt when I first returned to school a couple of years ago, I'm so glad I pushed through the fear and did it. It has been a terrific experience. Great professors, interesting classes, remarkable fellow students. If you're trying to decide whether or not to do it, I vote yes.
Also, the one class I'm taking this fall as I finish up my thesis is Teaching Young Adult Literature. It looks like the best class-- I'm really excited about it. A couple of people have asked me what we're reading, here is the list:
Alexie, Sherman: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Cisneros, Sandra: House on Mango Street
Bacigalupi, Paolo: Ship Breaker
Rosoff, Meg: How I Live Now
Green, John: Looking for Alaska
Haddon, Mark: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Hiaasen, Carl: Hoot
Hesse, Karen: Out of the Dust
Ingold, Jeanette: The Big Burn
Krakauer, Jon Into the Wild
Le Guin, Ursula: Gifts
Myers, Walter Dean: Monster
McLaughlin, Lauren: Cycler
Stead, Rebecca: When You Reach Me
Yang, Gene Luen: American Born Chinese.
Not a single classic in the lot-- which is a bit disappointing to me, since I've never read any of these (although I already owned five of them). But then on the other hand, I've never read any of these. Yay! It will be like that Jane Austen class-- dangit, I have to spend the weekend reading Persuasion. :-)
It occurs to me that "classic" is relative, since Mango Street was written in 1984 and is probably considered a classic now. I just meant that none of the books that I read as a kid are on the list, because I am way older than that! I got married in 1984. ;-)
ReplyDeleteIf you're interested, I think I have the audiobook for 'The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.' It's absolutely hilarious as Sherman reads the whole thing.
ReplyDeleteHi, Clayton-- I'm planning on listening to several of them as I'm driving back and forth so that would be great! Thanks!
DeleteOut of all of those I have only read "Into the Wild". I might have to add more books to the ever expanding "to read" database.
ReplyDeleteI've read Into Thin Air, but not that one. Dean and MadMax have read it, though.
DeleteMy daughter keeps telling me I should read Looking for Alaska. I read one other of his books and thought it was really well written.
ReplyDeleteI never commented on the annotation post because I just couldn't decide. Sometimes I want pop-ups, sometimes I want another page, sometimes I don't want anything at all. Not very helpful, I know.
Well, I will tell you what it is like. Probably in more detail than you wanted to know.
Deletere: annotations-- I know, I have the same problem. It depends on the situation, the mood I'm in, the reason why I'm reading the book, etc. So I'm no help either. :-)
"I never commented on the annotation post because I just couldn't decide. Sometimes I want pop-ups, sometimes I want another page, sometimes I don't want anything at all. Not very helpful, I know."
ReplyDeleteMe too.
Your class sounds terrific!
I hope so! I'm sure you will hear all about it... :-)
DeleteI've only read the Sherman Alexie and loved it. And I read Krakauer's Everest book which was nail biting. Stop giving me more books to want to read!!
ReplyDelete