My favorite books. Simple enough, right? Note: These books are in no particular order.
1.) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury - The message of this book is so compelling. It is a must-read for any literature lover.
2.) And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - Agatha Christie will always be the master of mystery.
3.) The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Sir Conan Doyle runs a close second as the master of mystery.
4.) The Elements of Style by Strunk & White - Advice for anyone who uses the English language.
5.) Animal Farm by George Orwell - Orwell is excellent.
I'm currently reading Bleak House by Charles Dickens, and I expect that it shall make this list when I'm finished.
The Best Books
Friday, February 29, 2008 at 3:56 PM Posted by Tyler
Teens are Literature Illiterate
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 11:18 PM Posted by Tyler
A survey commissioned by political activist group Common Core has found that many teens lack the knowledge to answer basic questions in Literature and History. While the group doesn't state that this is because of No Child Left Behind, they certainly don't cite the 2001 Act as helping stop this ignorance. The article, from the New York Times, states that 63% of school districts have "added an average of three hours of math or reading instruction a week at the expense of time for social studies, art and other subjects" as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act. As a recent high school graduate, I can attest to that study's findings. During my sophomore, junior, and senior years, my high school added a program that required reading "strategies" to be re-taught in every classroom, including Music, History, Science, Business, and Family and Consumer Sciences classes. The so called "reading strategies" were re-packaged third grade reading assignments that had the effect of wasting class time with little results.
I believe No Child Left Behind should be repealed, or massively overhauled. It is ineffective at improving education and it only forces schools to spend time on preparing for tests instead of actually learning the material. I am undecided about who I support for president, but as a future high school teacher, I intend to support someone who will not perpetuate No Child Left Behind without massive improvements.
"Survey Finds Teenagers Ignorant on Basic History and Literature Questions" by Sam Dillon, New York Times, 27 February 2008
(I'm not sure if this date is a misprint, or if this article is supposed to appear in tomorrow's paper. I'll get back to you on that.)
Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
Sunday, February 24, 2008 at 12:54 PM Posted by Tyler
In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis outlines the Christian faith with a new and fresh perspective. He doesn't so much give astounding revelations as he brings out what has always been at the back of the reader's mind.
His illustrations are genius. A few can be either hard to follow or lack relevance to our modern culture, but most of his illustrations are timeless. For example, he compares the search for truth to the search for an answer to a math problem. He says that only one religion can find the truth, as there can only be one answer to a math problem. However, some religions are closer to the truth than others, just as 5 is closer to the answer of 2 + 2 than 20 is.
Throughout the book, Lewis progressively hones in his topic. He starts with a broad overview of morality and religion, and he ends with a moving description of the individual's relationship with God. This book is for any Christian who is struggling with their beliefs and needs reassurance, or any new Christian that wants to discover more of what Christianity is all about. Even the non-Christian will gain something from this book; C.S. Lewis was once an atheist, and throughout the book he confronts many common misconceptions about the essence of the Christian faith.
Mere Christianity is a classic for the Christian faith, and will surely continue to encourage hope and faith for many generations to come.
O, Rejoice my Soul!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 4:49 PM Posted by Tyler
Or: Lines Composed After Finishing the Long Dreaded Paper
O, the sweet, sweet smell of freshly printed paper.
The last sentence typed,
I rejoice in my completion. What victory,
what joyful triumph. That lowly student
could conquer words, could read like the wind,
could stab the books of academia through the heart
with a silver spike. One foot I rest
on the defeated in a victorious pose.
Later, at the feasting, I rejoice some more.
Paper and pens thrown thru the air
trickle down like a refreshing spring shower.
Then I sit, in thoughtful meditation,
wondering why I am happy, for I shall have
to do it all again tomorrow.
I ignore the nagging of my consciousness:
for now I will forget all and be happy,
if for a moment only.
Apostrophe Abuse
Monday, February 18, 2008 at 7:19 PM Posted by Tyler
Tired of seeing those apostrophes where they don't need to be? Tired of not seeing them where they should be? The answer is here.
I recently discovered a blog entitled "Apostrophe Abuse." I love it. In lieu of an article spotlight, here is the link to this genius project.
http://www.apostropheabuse.com/
Caveat Emptor: Let the Buyer Beware.
Saturday, February 16, 2008 at 9:43 PM Posted by Tyler
In December, my family attempted to purchase a Canon Powershot digital camera from the Circuit City online store. The camera looked excellent, and we had tried it out in the store first. However, it was out of stock there, and Circuit City had a special price that was about $20 cheaper than other stores. So, on about December 18th or so, we bought a digital camera. We received free shipping with it, and the website said it would be at our home by December 24th.
December 24th came and went. I checked the tracking info regularly online. Our package was sent from Dallas, TX, to Wisconsin, to Earth City, MO (wherever that is), and finally to our home in Lincoln, AR. We got it on the morning of December 31st. We opened the package, expecting to finally have our camera that we had been waiting on for a week. The Canon Powershot box was inside, but it was opened, and felt very light. I opened the lid, and the camera and cables were gone, but the manuals and CD were there. Upon further inspection of the shipping box, we discovered that the original tape had been ripped off and stuffed in the box, and it had been quickly re-taped. In short, our Camera had been stolen en-route, probably by someone at one of the arbitrary shipping detours.
So, we called Circuit City, hoping that they would give us a refund or replacement. We called, and we got a customer service representative in India who could speak little English. To make the story shorter, they repeatedly told us that a replacement camera had already been shipped, and then they called us back a few days later to explain that it could not be shipped, and that they would issue a refund. Five or six customer service calls later, we finally got a person that could speak English with some proficiency, without relying on buzzwords that they had obviously been taught in one hour customer service training seminar. This person told us that a refund would be issued in 7-14 days, which we had been told several times before. We were not expecting the refund to come through this time either, but it finally did on Monday, February 11. Over a month since we'd received the empty package. A month would not be bad, if only the customer service representatives had understood as, and we them.
I'm sure that this sort of problem is not limited to Circuit City, but after this experience I doubt I will ever shop with them online again. The problem: poor customer service.
It's not that I have anything against workers in India. However, it is common sense that customer service representatives should be able to speak the language of the country they are providing services for. If Indian customer service people are providing customer service to other Indians, that is fine with me. If Indian workers are providing other corporate services to US businesses, that is fine with me. However, when they are dealing with English speakers, they need to be able to speak English. This is not neuroscience. In my opinion, the decision to move customer service to India is the most idiotic decision ever made by corporate America.
John Grisham on Literature
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 9:42 PM Posted by Tyler
Here's another article spotlight. This one is from the Chicago Sun-Times, and it's an interview with John Grisham. Grisham offers some encouraging words to me as a writer in this article; he states "I'm not writing literature, I'm an entertainer." This goes along with what the last article spotlight said about genre versus literary writing. Also, Grisham gives encouragement to struggling writers by relating his own rise to author-dom through committing to write every day. I have resolved that I should eventually read one of his novels; however, given the length of my reading list, the US may leave Iraq before I get around to it.
"John Grisham: I'm not writing literature, I'm an entertainer" by Douglas J. Rowe, Associated Press, 5 February 2008
Sleep Denied
Monday, February 4, 2008 at 9:34 PM Posted by Tyler
To avoid any confusion, yes, this is meant to be over-the-top. Inspired by a true story.
Eyes droop, muscles ache. Skin sags, feet twitch.
Lying here, the soul yearns for that eternal rest that is sleep. In it all is forgotten, memories slip into nothing. Thoughts of present trials and stresses float from the mind and into the abyss.
Oh, that such a rest is denied by neighboring spirits. Electric guitars and off-key voices besiege my ears. Guitar Hero echoes through halls and intensifies into a haunting din.
Sleep, sweet sleep. Comfort from heaven, God given escape. The body is left for a moment, sinking into the mattress. The denied joy.
Tossing, turning, tossing again, longing for release. The noise is louder. Quicker. Faster. Growing. Louder, slowly louder.
Sudden silence. Could it be? Has the final level been cleared?
Silence for a moment longer. Can it be true?
Hope springs eternal! No more sound, the annoyance has vanished. The gentleness of the atmosphere invades my mind.
Eyes close, muscles relax, and I drift away.
On Genre
Sunday, February 3, 2008 at 2:52 PM Posted by Tyler
Here is a great article to read from The New York Times. It talks about "highbrow," or literary, writing versus "lowbrow," or genre, writing. This article displays a lot of what I believe about literature: it shouldn't be some sort of exclusionary club, but it should be available and accessible by everyone. If I become a writer, I want to be a "lowbrow" writer, in the sense that I want my writing to be enjoyed, not philosophized or kept to a private group of readers.
"Great Literature? Depends Whodunit" by Charles McGrath, The New York Times, 3 February 2008
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