February 2017 Reading

The books I finished reading in the month of February 2017

February 2107 Reading: photo by Cliff Hutson

The month of February was a very slow month for me when it came to reading, only three books. And, fairly thin ones at that. The fault lies within myself as I became addicted to watching "Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries" on Netflix. Viewing all three seasons took up much of my time.

Perhaps the most interesting of the books was "Island of the Blue Dolphins," by Scott O’Dell. It is a children's novel, and, indeed, it was recommended to me by students from Sycamore Elementary School when I was leading a Native Partners program at the botanic garden. The book had come up from time to time in previous years, but these kids were very insistent once I admitted to not having read it. (I have a good excuse though. When I was in forth grade, it had not yet been written.) Presumptively based on a true story, it tells the story of a young California Indian girl stranded alone for years on one of the Channel Islands. While quite entertaining, I feel that much of it has to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. However, I am glad that I read it as it may help me put some of the concepts we teach in to a better context for children who have also read it.

Frankly speaking, “Breaking Cat News,” by Georgia Dunn is a bit a cheat as I read it last year. But, in need of some good humor, I picked it up again. Anyone who has any appreciation for cats should love reading about cats reporting on the news that matters to cats. I also read the comic on a daily basis.

“How to See: Visual Adventures in a World God Never Made,” by George Nelson disappointed me a bit. Nelson tells us that - "Einstein has been reported as saying that it is not possible to make an observation unless the observer has a theory to bring to bear on what he is looking at." So, I assumed that this book might give one the tools with which "visual literacy" may be enhanced. It did not do that for me. That could be because I am too much a technician (whose skills are primarily verbal) to pick up what was going on. Or, alternatively, perhaps I am an accomplished enough of a photographer that I already have an intuitive grasp on visual reading. Obviously, a book that has held its own for forty years must have some merit. I intend to give it another go in a few months to see if my view of it can be altered.

Another thing that remains to be seen is if March holds less binge watching and more reading for me.

NOTE: March 8 is National Proofreading Day. Did you find any errors in this post?

#NationalProofreadingDay

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