I found this post by Austin Kleon called “33 Thoughts About Reading.” I thought everyone would appreciate it. It would be great to share with students (with some editing). Here’s the link. 

I did not want this series to end and I never wanted to stop reading it. I really enjoyed the Legend series. I really like the style it was written in. The first person perspective was more unique than I have seen. I love the fact that the characters often think sarcastically about things they say or do. I’ve read lots of first person novels, but the style of this one was way more natural. Of course there’s a love triangle (or more like pentagon) but I’ve accepted that. In fact I actually liked it more in this series than others. I’m also seriously loving how bad ass all the girls are. I think it would be a lot of fun to teach this with 1984. There are a lot of similar themes about governmental control, propaganda and policing of citizens, as well as the huge divide between those in power, and those who are not. I also think it would be fun to do a bit of a rhetorical study of the propaganda and speech of certain characters, both in the Republic and in the Colonies. I think I would want to teach this to middle school students. It’s complex but approachable with realistic characters close to middle school and early high school age. I think this is something I would have loved to read when I was middle school.

So far, I’ve really been enjoying the Miller text. I particularly like the idea of reading during edge times and encouraging our students to do this. She mentions near the beginning of chapter 1 that we often feel guilty about reading, because they are other things to do and I have always had this struggle with reading. I always feel like I should be cleaning, or doing homework or working out, or something “productive.” So this past week I have been challenging myself to read during edge time and have been carrying my nook with me everywhere we go. In the past 5 days I have read all three of the books in Marie Lu’s Legend series. Of course I had a couple of binge moments, where things just got too intense, but after these moments I would put it away and read during edge times. I was able to get shit done without feeling guilty about reading and avoiding reading all together. Some of our students may not feel any guilt about reading too much, but perhaps reading during edge times with make them feel accomplished. They used their time where they would normally do nothing (waiting for appointments or car rides) to do something. I also thought of the convenience of eBooks and tablets and smartphones. Reading is always at our fingertips. Ebooks are so much cheaper (usually) than buying a print copy of the book (or sometimes even free) and more convenient. I can carry around hundreds of books in my purse. If I get bored of one, or finish one, I can find other. Maybe this is one way we can encourage our students to read. They don’t have to carry an actual book around if they don’t want to. And if they don’t like a book they are reading, they can easily find another one while waiting in the dentist’s office. I am really enjoying the new ways I can encourage others to read. I have too many friends and family members who also struggle to find the time to read or feel guilty for reading too much.

Hello, I’m Ashley. I’m a senior in the English Education program, graduating this semester! I’m from the Sacramento area, but I hope to make Chico my permanent home. I love horses, reading, and video games. I’ve been married for 4 years and we have two cats- Pixel and Chewbacca- and a retired horse named Pezo. My life goals include showing horses for the rest of my life, reading all the books on my “to read” list, becoming a teacher, and adopting a goat.

Here’s a riddle. I tried. But I’m not sure I even remember the answer. Anyone else have a hard time keeping the stories straight?

No fish bones to pray over
Nor an amorous father
Not a donkey in sight
And certainly no hen-wife.