Alicia64 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 in her talk on Self Education. . . that I listened to again this a.m. . . . that we adults should educate ourselves by reading 30 mins. from a great book every day more or less (she really says four mornings a week). That reading now will prepare us for talking and working with our kids when they're teens and asking us questions about (her example) Mein Kampf or whatever important book they're reading. She sold me on the importance of continuing to educate ourselves because it'll help the kids, but also because it's the right thing to do. So she said "read the Great Books" and she encourages reading within one genre and not bouncing around. I'm not sure what list to start with. My boys are young and I haven't started looking into these kinds of lists. Do you have any suggestions which lists? which genre to start with? where to begin? (Yes, I'm asking for some hand holding. I think I definitely have some anxiety about starting this project, but it sounds like working through the anxiety is key to being successful.) Thanks for hand holding. . . I mean, helping, Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Read the book The Well-Educated Mind by SWB. She lists books by genre and gives you tips on HOW to read the books. I'm working through it myself, albeit slowly. I think it's just what you are looking for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Start with what you enjoy most! I love fiction & biographies. So, that's what I read most of the time. If you have a favorite genre, go with that. If not, I suggest fiction or biographies. :) Once you choose a genre, post here for suggestions. . . tell us what books you've enjoyed & you'll get lots of ideas, I'm sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Once you get through Don Quixote, you can read anything. just sayin' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Once you get through Don Quixote, you can read anything. just sayin' Really??:w00t: 'Cuz I got through DQ just fine- actually enjoyed it- but Pilgrim's Progress is just killing me. :ack2: I can only read 3 pages at a time before falling asleep. It's my newest (and best) cure for insomnia. I'm starting to dread Moby Dick too.:001_unsure: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Read the book The Well-Educated Mind by SWB. She lists books by genre and gives you tips on HOW to read the books. I'm working through it myself, albeit slowly. I think it's just what you are looking for. :iagree: This is what I've been doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcconnellboys Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I agree with the others. I'd get Well Educated Mind and pick a genre in there and start with those books she suggests. She gives you particular publishers/editors, etc., too, that she likes.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 Once you get through Don Quixote, you can read anything. just sayin' :iagree::lol::lol: I bought TWEM a couple of years ago, and I decided to start with Don Quixote. I've read about 30 pages in 2 years. Just. can't. get. into. it. I think I might buy it translated in French. It might be easier to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 She gives you particular publishers/editors, etc., too, that she likes.... Yeah, this is one of the things I like best about The Well Educated Mind. I always spend WAY too much time trying to decide which edition of a book I want. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritaserum Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I read what my kids read on their WTM reading lists for each time period. Some of the books I've read before, others are new to me. This works better for me than trying to do what she says in The Well-Educated Mind. If I didn't have kids, yet, or if I had more time (i.e. if I didn't have kids, yet), TWEM way would be good. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I love Pilgrim's Progress! I teach it to 7th graders every year and use Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English. It is not unabridged but it hits most everything in an accessible way for a 7th grader. What edition were you using? It's not a bad idea to find the most accessible edition and then work your way up, if you need to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie in MS Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 she encourages reading within one genre and not bouncing around. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What is the purpose of this? Most programs that I have seen assign samplings of several genres. Is this a problem? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain jane Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I love Pilgrim's Progress! I teach it to 7th graders every year and use Pilgrim's Progress in Today's English. It is not unabridged but it hits most everything in an accessible way for a 7th grader. What edition were you using? It's not a bad idea to find the most accessible edition and then work your way up, if you need to. I use the one SWB recommends in WEM. You know, I just don't know what it is about this book. :confused: I simply can't get "into" it. I don't find it overly difficult but it really just doesn't interest me, no matter how hard I try. My dd read Geraldine Mccaughrean's version when she was in grade 2 and LOVED it... I didn't. :o I'm plodding through it though, 3 pages a day, and working through the Omnibus questions. I really no plans on touching this book ever again unless I have to when the dc go through it. I just can't do it!! :willy_nilly: It literally puts me to sleep so I have to be careful to read it when I'm not holding a cup of coffee. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 You guys have time to read?!?! That would be my dream come true! You can't have it all. I play my piano instead.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I love Jane Eyre. It is a Great Book, A classic and all those scary words, but it is an easy read and a great story. I found reading that made me less intimidated by other classics. I HATE Moby Dick. But for any others who haven't liked it, try the Scarlett Letter. Melville and Hawthorne wrote around the same time, but I have found most people like one or the other, I haven't met many people who have truly loved both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alicia64 Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 Susie ~ I won't do SWB justice so I highly recommend you listen to her lecture called Educating Ourselves or something like that. I bought it for $3.95 and listened to it on my ipod. She makes really great points about sticking to one genre, why we all need to make time to read, why the "expert" culture we live in is not so great for us etc. Anyway, I'm "going for it." But I'm still scared. Okay, I know someone will say: "of what?" Of wasting my time, failing to understand what I'm reading, taking on too daunting of a topic and giving up. But it definitely sounds like a "one foot in front of the other" type of thing. THANKS for reminding me about Susan's other book The Well Educated Mind. I'm so focused on The Well Trained Mind that I completely forgot about this other book. Thanks Everyone, Alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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