Comments for Something More

Comment on Discovering the Good C+: How Readers Could Help Reboot Historical Romance by The Role of Romance | Elise Cyr

The Role of Romance | Elise Cyr — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 22:02:30 +0000

[…] All About Romance’s Where Have All the Historical Romances Gone? Dear Author’s We should let the historical genre die Badass Romance’s Historical Romance–Lament, or Let It Die Little Miss Crabby Pants Resurrects Historical Romance Discovering the Good C+: How Readers Could Help Reboot Historical Romance […]

Comment on When Work Is Play by Janine Ballard

Janine Ballard — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 16:43:51 +0000

I really need to read The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian which is in my paper TBR. I'm not recommending it as a substitute, since it's a fantasy and is not about Native Americans, but Kristin Cashore's Bitterblue also deals with truth and reconciliation. I have Howl's Moving Castle in the TBR too. So many books, so little time...

Comment on Surf’s Up: Links on Reading and Feminism by Feminism and Romance Novels: Link Roundup | Steel & Velvet

Feminism and Romance Novels: Link Roundup | Steel & Velvet — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 03:27:13 +0000

[…] “Surf’s Up: Links on Reading and Feminism” by Liz McCausland […]

Comment on When Work Is Play by shallowreader

shallowreader — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 00:50:13 +0000

Similar to Ros, I realise you don’t really need more recommendations. However, I can’t help myself My only suggestion would be to include a series. Perhaps the students could choose their own. Series reading is core to children’s reading. Series with overwhelming numbers such as Zac Power, Goosebumps, Rainbow Fairies, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Babysitters Club. Even some with a smaller number of titles such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Judy Moody (and her brother Stink’s books) and the ever fabulous Fancy Nancy series (which are picture books and elementary readers). I realise that the Diana Wynne Jones book is part of a series so maybe that covers it

I hope you will post more about your choices and how your classes go.

Comment on When Work Is Play by Ros

Ros — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 13:04:45 +0000

Haroun and the Sea of Stories.

Sorry, I know you’re not actually in need of more recommendations, but I do love that one. In this spirit of “uncoverage”, could you assign a reading journal? That is, the students have to read and record a certain number of books, but have their own choices as to what they pick. You could offer some suggestions but let them choose the things which spark their own interest.

Comment on When Work Is Play by willaful

willaful — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 21:24:55 +0000

Okay, my mom and I will be moving to Canada and auditing your class.

Comment on When Work Is Play by rmaitzen

rmaitzen — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 12:15:53 +0000

Oh, I know what you mean about that expansive “nothing has gone wrong yet” feeling from planning a new syllabus. One reason I hate that our course descriptions and book orders for the fall now have to be submitted so early (March/April) is that it’s hard to enjoy that kind of creative planning in the midst of the current batch of courses. My winter term courses remain undefined, so later this summer you’ll probably see a post like this from me about ‘Women & Detective Fiction’ (again!). I might try to read the books on your final list! YA is a ‘genre’ I don’t have much experience with — at least, not with more recent stuff. I’ve been wanting to read Philip Pullman’s Golden Compass trilogy for a long time.

Comment on When Work Is Play by Miss Bates

Miss Bates — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 04:06:22 +0000

I love teaching TRUE DIARY too. What a great choice, hope it doesn’t get ousted. My colleagues and I like to combine DIARY with PERSEPOLIS for boy/girl combo. It’d be fun to take your course!

Comment on On Taste by Liz Mc2

Liz Mc2 — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 00:42:49 +0000

This is kind of the approach I take as a parent. I don’t censor, I do offer/encourage variety, and I discuss things.

Comments are the best part of blogging for me. I think things go well with commenting here because my readership is small and many of us interact with each other elsewhere (e.g. Twitter, Goodreads, other blogs). I’m glad you felt comfortable de-lurking!

I am so grateful for this wonderful discussion.

Comment on On Taste by joopdeloop

joopdeloop — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:08:26 +0000

Ridley, I love you and wish I could have your babies (b/c my 8yo -and therefore my 3yo – adore Ke$ha and I cannot escape!)

speaking more broadly on the topic of shame and taste: its funny what being a mom can do to your sense of taste. I hear music and lyrics with a different consciousness, I read and select books differently [esp those book covers, held in the hands of my curious kids], I read fashion choices critically (esp since my older daughter is all about tight, tight, form fitting clothes, already super body conscious) The Katha Pollitt quote is giving me a lot of comfort – I feel like I need to blast my kids with a wide variety of body images, world views, genres, books of course… and vigilantly discuss the stuff that i see sticking out like a sore thumb now, when pre-kids I would just shrug and chalk up to different strokes.

coming at it from another angle – It’s fascinating how certain blog entries+commentary seem to open up conversation and hold within them room for fairly divergent opinion and personality, while other instances just generate trainwreck. I guess I haven’t achieved that pinnacle of lurking to pinpoint exactly what that is.

Liz, thanks for this post (and all the others I’ve lurk though)