Week 1 - Read 52 in 52

Week 1 is finished, and I finished my book 'Classics in the Classroom.'

I really enjoyed it, very inspiring and full of practical teaching suggestions.

I wish that I had been taught by a teacher like Mr Thompson.

The list of books assigned for my children to read this year has grown!

Some points that struck me (brief and paraphrased!):

- Teaching children to read classics is liberating, if they can read and understand difficult literature then they have the ability to read anything they choose, it opens the world rather than limiting it.

- If you want to teach children to love reading classics, you have to love and respect the child more than the classic.

- That classics have (usually) earned that title because they are really excellent, engaging stories!

- Classics are not only for the elite students, every student will benefit from reading classics with an involved and supportive teacher.

- Reading classics ties you in to the story of our history, gives you a voice in the great human conversation.

I'll have to leave it there, but I can see myself re-reading sections of this book as we progress in our readings of the classics.  I have a great list for both Winter Rose and Winter Savoury now,  many of which I've never read before!  We'll be going on this exciting journey together!



Now, I also finished my second book for the year!  So far I'm on track.  I finished 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood.  I was planning to read 'Alias Grace' instead, also by Atwood, but had heard a lot about Handmaid so I decided to read both samples on my kindle before deciding.  It didn't help, they were both intriguing!  In the end it came down to the simple fact that Handmaid was cheaper to download on the kindle.

I will keep an eye out for a copy of Grace for an upcoming week, I just yesterday realised that there is NOT ONE second hand book store in my area, what a shame.  How can I introduce my children to a love of rummaging through book boxes in an old back room for gems if they've all disappeared?  I fear they - my children - are spoiled, all their books come brand new with a Book Depository label!

Ok, back on-topic!  The Handmaid's Tale, what an interesting book.  It was quite an easy read, it only took a couple of days to get through.  The story is told in sort of a diary form through the eyes of 'Offred', a character who's purpose in the new futuristic, patriarchal and fundamentalist society is to be a birthing vessel.   The society - named Gilead which means 'hill of testimony/witness' - has basically revoked feminism, women have become the property of men, with the highest goal being birthing healthy children to build up the population.  The name 'Offred' is given because her Commander (the man who she is supposed to bear a child for) is named 'Fred', Of-Fred.  Gilead is the synthesis of aspects of a few different philosophies but with a very sectarian Christian base, so it was interesting to read it as a (conservative but not crazy!) Christian myself.

Atwood's writing pulls you in, it is written entirely in the first person (except the last chapter), basically the written thoughts of Offred as she struggles with, and against, the life that has been imposed upon her.  It is not entirely linear, though enough to propel the story forward.  Offred often remembers her life before Gilead, or re-imagines some events as a coping strategy.  Sometimes there'll be 'I wish it was really that way' or similar, at the end of a paragraph.  You really do identify with Offred, like you're inside her head.

I didn't love this book, but I liked it, it drew me in and I was compelled to finish it.  The ending was not neat and complete, it leaves you thinking.

And I leave it there, leave you thinking...