Another marking period past? Yes, for a week now... And I am finally getting to writing this post. Can it be possible that my nonfiction title count is not only higher than my fiction but also more than its double? Seriously, what has happened to me? It's hard to remember that there was once a time when I was so vocal not liking nonfiction. And now here I am with so many problems to be tackled that I can't imagine not turning to it. Here are all the titles:
Between the World and Me by Ta Nehisi Coates
Rising Strong by Brene Brown
How to Raise an Adult by Julie Lythcott-Haims
"Doing School": How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed Out, Materialistic, and Miseducated Students by Denise Clark Pope
Reclaiming Conversation by Sherry Turkle
Mindsets in the Classroom by Mary Cay Ricci
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
Big Brother by Lionel Shriver
Bad Mother by Ayelet Waldman
The Good Girl by Mary Kubica
Never Broken by Jewel
The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer
The Beautiful Struggle by Ta Nahisi Coates
Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertelli
Reflection #1: The PLN Has Influence
Six of these fourteen titles were recommended by people in my PLN. That includes Twitter, my school's Shelfie Wednesday Group on Schoology, and keynote speakers at the CEL National Convention.
Reflection #2: Good Books Are Often Nested Within Other Good Books
Three of the books on my list were referenced by Brene Brown in Rising Strong. Some of them were well worth my time, while others passed the time.
Reflection #3: Available and Geographically Desirable Books Aren't Always Bad
The remaining four books were available and convenient. They filled the gap of time between when I finished a great book and the next one became available. They were good to have on a flight, or to listen to while I folded laundry or emptied the dishwasher. Some of those four surprised me. Others underwhelmed. But only one of my books this marking period got fewer than three stars.
Reflection #4: Podcasts Play an Important Role in Selection
So many of the reading choices I am making are influenced by the podcasts I am listening to. Some of those are educational, other political, and yet others are simply for entertainment. Of late, I have definitely sampled some of the recommended books that are recommended during the cocktail chatter on Slate's Political Gabfest. The Moth podcast is always a great place to start on a journey towards a great book. Just yesterday, I was listening to an interview on Decode DC and reserved the author's book at my local library as soon as I arrived home and got on the computer.
One week into the third marking period and I'm back on a fiction kick. I'm thinking the pendulum swings, but no matter which way it might be swaying, what matters most is that I am selecting and enjoying great books.
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