The Man from Earth is a quirky movie that you should see if you like talky films that make you think. Skip it if you insist on visual effects, exciting plot, and a clean resolution at the end. Clearly a… Read More ›
Month: December 2009
Mathematician’s Lament
“Mental acuity of any kind comes from solving problems yourself, not from being told how to solve them.” So says Paul Lockhart, and I couldn’t agree more. It’s great having cooperative students who will correctly follow directions in solving problems… Read More ›
Lady Killer
The setting of Lisa Scottoline’s Lady Killer feels authentic to me, but that judgment certainly doesn’t come from first-hand experience. Unlike my previous review (of My Latest Grievance, where the family, the location, and the social milieu are all familiar… Read More ›
My Latest Grievance
The first page of Elinor Lipman’s 2006 novel, My Latest Grievance, grabbed my attention immediately: Of the five main characters, narrator and protagonist Frederica Hatch is a sophomore at Brookline High School. Two of the others — Frederica’s parents — are… Read More ›
Friday cat blogging
Vincent is shy and doesn’t like having his picture taken:
Meeting across the River
Meeting across the River has a truly unusual and creative premise for a collection of 20 short stories. Its subtitle, Stories Inspired by the Haunting Bruce Springsteen Song, reveals the premise: every story (each by a different author) was inspired… Read More ›
The Meaning of Everything
Like many other books that I enjoy, Simon Winchester’s non-fiction opus, The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary, won’t appeal to everyone. But if you’re interested in words — and the development of the English language… Read More ›
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The late Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a quirky and fascinating novel. It is at once a thriller, a character study, and a political exploration — all taking place in Sweden. The lead character, Lisbeth Salander,… Read More ›
The Bookwoman's Last Fling
Here I am, continuing my efforts to catch up on some of the books I read in 2009. I’ll turn my attention now to writing a capsule review of John Dunning’s The Bookwoman’s Last Fling. As a bibliophile, I’ve had… Read More ›
Friday cat blogging
Rosie is cold:
Learning Strategies 