AuntieM Posted September 27, 2009 Share Posted September 27, 2009 I am just finishing Moby Dick. I really, truly, love this book. It has been a challenging read, but I have learned a great deal about many topics - whaling history, whaling practices, cetaceans, life at sea in the 1800's (and the provinance of a major coffee retailer;)!) - and I have discovered a kindred, sea-loving spirit in Herman Melville. My kids are so intrigued by how I keep gushing over what a good book it is, they've made me tell them the story as I go along. So I guess that I am learning, now, in my often-multitasking-state, that I *can* still follow a complicated train of thought if I'll only set my mind to it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettyL Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I want you all to know how happy I am to find other adults who read and are eager to learn! :001_smile: I was sensing the world had gotten sucked into reality TV land, never to return......... I am reading "The Count of Monte Cristo" for the first time. I have ordered "How To Read A Book" and "Invitation To The Classics" to read next. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I have ordered "How To Read A Book" and "Invitation To The Classics" to read next. Have you read the The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had by Susan Wise Bauer (the host of these boards)? You'd likely find it a worthwhile read. You might also be interested in these two books by Thomas Foster: How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines and How to Read Novels Like a Professor: A Jaunty Exploration of the World's Favorite Literary Form. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BettyL Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 Have you read the The Well-Educated Mind: A Guide to the Classical Education You Never Had by Susan Wise Bauer (the host of these boards)? You'd likely find it a worthwhile read. You might also be interested in these two books by Thomas Foster: How to Read Literature Like a Professor: A Lively and Entertaining Guide to Reading Between the Lines and How to Read Novels Like a Professor: A Jaunty Exploration of the World's Favorite Literary Form. Regards, Kareni Thank you so much for these suggestions. They look very intriguing. I was searching for companionship on my self-education journey and am happy to have found this forum. I am also contemplating tackling "Traditional Logic 1" and "Writing Strands 6" over the next year. I have never studied Logic and it has been years since I have written anything but a grocery list :lol: Thank you again for the suggestions, Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 The usual... guitar, watercolours, Latin along with my son, whatever natural history intrigues me or lands in my lap. And I've discovered a nice way to work on my French: I download audiolivre from librivox onto my new ipod and listen to them. I read mostly for escape, but I occasionally read things that are considered literature, like The Chosen, that I'm not reading with my children. I have a feeling that when I'm not homeschooling high school any more, major amounts of brain power will return and I'll go back to reading great books on my own, and anthropology and geography, and tackle Japanese and German. Meanwhile, I am barely, barely able to find the energy to occasionally pick up the guitar or the paintbrush or read a painting book. -Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted September 28, 2009 Share Posted September 28, 2009 I was reading through some of the books in Diane Rehm's readers' review but I need to get back to that. As an example, I bought Bronte's Villette (one of the books on her list) more than 10 years ago, and I finally read it about 6 mo ago. I've gotten distracted by other more pressing matters, so I appreciate this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saille Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Right now, I'm reading Plato's Republic, hoping that by the time we wend our way back around to the ancients, I'll have clear ideas about primary sources we'll use. I'm working (very slowly) through Henle Latin I and RS Latin. I'd like to start Elementary Greek or Mounce online, but haven't. I read history a bit ahead of my kids. Last year I read Morris Bishop's The Middle Ages. Right now I'm working on A Voyage Long and Strange, by Tony Horwitz, and still deciding what I'll do after that. I've got Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student sitting by my bed, but I haven't opened it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luanne Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 The usual... guitar, watercolours, Latin along with my son, whatever natural history intrigues me or lands in my lap. And I've discovered a nice way to work on my French: I download audiolivre from librivox onto my new ipod and listen to them. I read mostly for escape, but I occasionally read things that are considered literature, like The Chosen, that I'm not reading with my children. I have a feeling that when I'm not homeschooling high school any more, major amounts of brain power will return and I'll go back to reading great books on my own, and anthropology and geography, and tackle Japanese and German. Meanwhile, I am barely, barely able to find the energy to occasionally pick up the guitar or the paintbrush or read a painting book.-Nan Do you mind sharing some titles of Natural History books you have particularly enjoyed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Wisc Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I probably have a dozen or more astronomy books around the house partly read. I've set a goal to learn how to manually locate all 110 Messier objects before the Messier Marathon in March (an all night search with our telescopes to find the 110 deep sky objects Charles Messier cataloged). I'm also running several programs, including one for 30 homeschoolers, on astronomy--how to use a planisphere, telescope, and such. This makes me have to study and get ready which helps me to learn more. I'm going through some Spanish books and doing the 2nd year of SOS Spanish in order to brush up on my language knowledge(my undergrad major 30 years ago). I'm reading (um...translating?) the New Testament, too. I've joined Civil Air Patrol, so now I have all of that to learn--my son's squadron needs someone to help with the paperwork and testing. I'm learning photography. I'm studying up on things I use to do, before I started homeschooling--learning how to make potions and lotions from herbs. Gardening, knitting, sewing, cooking... I don't think my brain will atrophy. :)Jean P.S. Literature? Reading Walden and a number of other such books. They've been put 2nd to my astronomy books lately. LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennW in SoCal Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 I'm all over the map on self education projects. I revisit China in books and articles as I was a student of the language and history back in college in grad school. My current interest is the Silk Road and Genghis Khan and this week I was so excited to learn about the XiXia, or Western Xia empire, a short lived empire west of China and south of Mongolia, along the fertile valley that is at that end of the Silk Road near the bend of the Yellow River. There are some spectacular bee hive shaped tombs they left behind, and you can read about them here: http://www.chinatravelz.com/china/Ningxia/yinchuan/Western-Xia-Tombs/index.asp. They say history and literature is written by the winners -- this culture was obliterated by the Mongols and forgotten as the Mongols took over China for the next few hundred years, writing their own history. I'm always working on violin. My quartet is tackling Beethoven and it is really difficult stuff! Mozart is such a joy and difficult to truly play well, but Beethoven is just plain tough. I'm learning to arrange music, learning the music theory I missed in college, and writing transcriptions of songs for performances. I'm figuring out how to teach the instrument too. My ds and I are starting the Iliad this week. I want to read the Aeneid, too, but that may have to wait. I'm discovering how different high school biology is than when I had it *gulp* 30 years ago!! I'm learning that I have good management skills as people seem happy when I step in to help organize and run things like my son's robotics team and my church orchestra. I want to take a nature photography class next month. But I must confess I relish spending time reading pure fluff, and watching too many hours Top Gear, Doctor Who, Robin Hood, House Hunters and Mythbusters on tv. Can't wait for that last season of Lost!! Oh! I learned how to play World of Warcraft, much to the delight of my 14yo. I don't play as much as he'd like, but it has been a hoot to play. And I want to visit Jean and peer through a telescope where she lives, far from the city lights and smog that dim our night sky!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolally Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Thomas Sowell's Basic Economics and reading a bio about our president and first lady. Pretty interesting material to say the least! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 (edited) Currently reading: Goethe's Faust (ds also reading this) Herodotus (another ds about to reread this) The Jesus You Can't Ignore (MacArthur) Mark Titus The Iliad (whole family is reading this and gathering to discuss at appointed times - even dh) Introductory Logic (seemed to help dc a lot, so making a serious effort at it) Doing the following with dc: Frank Allen's algebra Patrick Suppes' logic Biblical Hermeneutics (Terry) Occasionally getting to because dd's are reading these and I haven't read them yet: Plato Ptolemy Guess we'll see if my brain explodes. ;) Kathy Edited October 2, 2009 by ksva Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagira Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I recently read The Odyssey (Homers') and just requested Plato's Republic. I'm working on Ancients just as ds is (SOTW1). I have already read Plutarch, Thucydides and Herodotus in college with dh (dh and I are history buffs). Next on the list of requests I think will be Lucretius' On The Nature of Things as I've never read such an ancient natural history text before. I'm also enrolled in the Masters Swimming Program (currently on an injury leave) and I sing in the church choir. I'm also on a self-improvement quest for enriching the relationships in my life, thus reading books on love, parenting and marriage. For fun, dh and I are watching Bollywood movies which the kids really enjoy too and as a result listening to Indian movies, watching a history of India documentary and reading about the Indian civilization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonibee Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 I am currently reading The Vanishing Word by Arthur Hunt. A very interesting book about the written word versus imagery so prevalent in today's media. I just ordered The Count of Monte Cristo to find out which of the movie versions is correct! I like the old version myself, where the guy does not get the girl in the end and learns that revenge is not all it's cracked up to be. All my kids like the new version better, where they live happily ever after. Can't wait to read that. And I'm studying a lengthy review book to prepare for the Certified Medical Transcriptionist test. My company will give me a $500 bonus if I pass, so there's some incentive in that! Joan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joan in GE Posted October 2, 2009 Share Posted October 2, 2009 My education seems to be revolving around the educational needs of my children. Now I'm listening to Word Smart CD's in the car to increase my vocab. Ds3 told me that I'm not using enough more challenging words. Then there's Algebra II and Physics so that I can answer ds's questions. French is constantly challenged by correcting dc's work and listening to CD's of Bible studies from church, since I almost never get to go (to Bible studies). And then I'm wading through French lit analysis books to help ds with his correspondance lit course. Lit analysis is ongoing in English, currently working through Pride and Prejudice. Just finished a poetry unit. (I don't remember doing much poetry in high school - and had done hit or miss before with dc - like I didn't remember a Villanelle). I remember when I was just beginning the home education path, a mother of highschoolers told me how much she was learning with her children. Now I understand why! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 (edited) I am in the midst of reading Climbing Parnassus and on the 2nd ed of Latin Centered Curriculum (read the first a couple of years ago). I am still in love with Chaim Potok and have another book of his begging me to pick it up...just no time right now. I'm reading lots of gardening stuff as we expand what we are growing and preserving, how to enrich the soil and bed down for the winter. We are constantly looking up recipes for garden stuff- brussel sprouts? Do tell what you do with them. We have a bumper crop! I am reading and studying in depth, with the help of a Biet Midrash Bible Study, the book of Gensis. It has been amazing. I am also reading through the minor prophets and have read and re-read Daniel this fall. My big learning curve has been to start a 3 day a week (UMS) classical school that incorporates prayer and worhsip as well as an day devoted to art. I am reading all sorts of policies and procedures, vision, mission and goal statements, meeting with parents, writing a memory work curriculum, talking with NUAMS and a host of other related things. That's been huge and very time consuming. I'm reading The Trojan War with my 3 younger kids, doing a Hobbit and Trojan War study guide with the boys. The Odyssey and Illiad are next up so I'll be working through those again -haven't read the Odyssey for 25 years. It's been a full couple of months! Homeschoolally- I love T. Sowell! We used his econ book for high school econ. He rocks! Wow. I am so impressed and inspired with what everyone is doing. Thanks for sharing!! My list of things to read and do grows as I rub elbows with ya'll. Edited October 5, 2009 by laughing lioness Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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