Love reading Lauralee "Blissful" Bliss's hiking adventures! I learn so much! Love reading Lauralee "Blissful" Bliss's hiking adventures! I learn so much! ...more
Yet another stellar book from Connilyn Cossette! I loved the look at two different cultures and seeing how our God drew on Sofea and Prezi's hearts. AYet another stellar book from Connilyn Cossette! I loved the look at two different cultures and seeing how our God drew on Sofea and Prezi's hearts. And the love story was fantastic!...more
An enjoyable follow-up to the first, and I'm eager to see how the series ends.An enjoyable follow-up to the first, and I'm eager to see how the series ends....more
I really enjoyed this first book in the series. Quite an interesting take on an alien invasion, and the characters were great! It wasn't one I passed I really enjoyed this first book in the series. Quite an interesting take on an alien invasion, and the characters were great! It wasn't one I passed along to my 13 year old quite yet (a bit heavy on the bad language, and she's not a fan of that), but quite entertaining....more
Just WOW. Beautiful, masterfully crafted story! I enjoyed the time-slip aspect and how they two stories wove together. This one packed a punch! Some oJust WOW. Beautiful, masterfully crafted story! I enjoyed the time-slip aspect and how they two stories wove together. This one packed a punch! Some of the twists I anticipated and some I DEFINITELY did not!...more
Everyone with kids college-aged or younger needs to read this book! It addresses the trend of "safetyism" and student fragility--that the ideas of "daEveryone with kids college-aged or younger needs to read this book! It addresses the trend of "safetyism" and student fragility--that the ideas of "dangerous" have crept from physical harm to emotional discomfort, which is proven not to make our kids STRONGER, but rather emotionally WEAKER. In it the authors not only discuss the problems that have come rather suddenly to college campuses, but the reasons behind them, and how we as parents and educators can correct it . The main theme is that there are Three Great Untruths that a generation has been taught to embrace, but which are what the psychology field knows are "cognitive distortions." Harmful ways of thinking that encourage us to see catastrophe, bias, and enemies where there are none. These are things we can universally recognize as untrue...but which are so easy to fall into.
I'm not a big non-fiction reader these days, but I loved this book and have already made some changes to the rules for my kids based on the very sound evidence presented in it, as well as the wonderful advice.
What I loved most about this book though is that it's quite possibly the only UNBIASED view I've encountered in recent years. Near the end of the book the authors do tell us their political views but up until they came out and said it, I had no idea whether they were liberal or conservative, D or R, even though they were discussing issues that dealt with the widening gap between them. They instead got at exactly what they encourage their readers to get at in our own lives: the wider circle of humanity to which we all belong....more
Some really good insights in here on how the new motto of American higher education is oxymoronic and ultimately devalues what education is meant to bSome really good insights in here on how the new motto of American higher education is oxymoronic and ultimately devalues what education is meant to be...and also a whole lot of words that made my eyes glaze over as Bloom explores themes of philosophy in general that seemed to have little to do with his thesis. I listened to the audio and would have preferred reading it in paper, I think, so I could skim sections that I didn't find as interesting. (Hate confessing to the desire to skim, but there you have it.)
Ultimately though, what Bloom was pointing out way back when he wrote this in the 80s is all the more true today. That by saying we have to accept all ideas, that all ideas are valid, that every viewpoint and culture and stance is equally good and that the only "bad" opinion is the "closed-minded" opinion, we're being utterly ridiculous. Because 95% of the opinions in the world ARE closed-minded by our definition. We talk ourselves into circles. This is something I actually hit upon in my freshman year of college, when a fellow student said in class, "I don't think there is Right and Wrong. All beliefs are equally valid." To which I replied, "But my belief IS that there's Right and Wrong, and I think you're Wrong. And by your own admission, that belief of mine is perfectly valid."
If you're concerned with the direction American colleges have taken, this book offers an interesting, well contemplated perspective. Just beware that it's looooong and perhaps more thorough in its examination of all things philosophical than the average reader will appreciate....more
Really enjoyed this look at creativity. I didn't, of course, agree with everything Ms. Gilbert said, but it was a truly fascinating way to view it, anReally enjoyed this look at creativity. I didn't, of course, agree with everything Ms. Gilbert said, but it was a truly fascinating way to view it, and one I know will stick with me for years to come! There really is something startling about the way creativity works, how ideas find us, and the process by which we latch hold of (or lose) them. Worth the read!...more
Loading...
