• Literacy strategy: read only books that have been turned into movies or a TV series

    As I prepare to student teach a senior American Government class (we will be exclusively watching The Daily Show and Colbert Report: suck it Scott Walker) I try do my very best to enjoy the time I am not lesson planning.  Lately, that has consisted of finding books that have been turned into movies and inquiring into both.

    Most recently, I re-watched the PBS Masterpiece Theater series Sherlock (I only assume everyone else’s parents forced their children to watch Masterpiece Theater on a weekly basis;  it becomes an enduring habit)  It came out last year as a special series of three episodes.  Each episode is between 1.5 – 2 hours but it will be the best 1.5 – 2 hours you ever spent since the last time you watched something awesome.  It is modern take on the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic story of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson.  It does not stick to any strict plot line from any of the four original books or stories but instead pulls from all for a smorgasbord of updated Victorian mystery stories.

    Since it is old, and we all know Brian doesn’t really work as a graphic designer but instead scours the internet for subversive content to catalog for Wen Jaibao to synergize CCP censorship, he might have posted this already or you have already seen it.  Either way watch it again, read the novels or short stories,  and wait with bated breath for the release of the second series this coming Spring.

  • Nerd Card is Back on the Table!

    I am just going to run with this nerd theme for the time being.  For your entertainment over Thanksgiving I have decided to avoid term papers by sharing with you all my recent go-to distractions from studying.  Instead of actually writing my Africana Philosophy paper I decided to look into some books I had been discussing in passing with my professor.

    The first is How the Irish Became White by Noel Ignatiev.  A really good read and particularly interesting considering race in both the historic and philosophic context which in reality can’t be separated.

    The second book is The Racial Contract by Charles Mill.  Also coming from this class this book reexamines Social Contract Theory and race, conceptually and physically, in modern society.

    Following the Irish thread from the first book, a few really good movies to check out from you local library because they certainly are not on Netflix Watch-It-Now I have already checked.

    Some Mother’s Son which tells the story of two mothers living in Northern Ireland during the 1980’s specifically during the 1981 Hunger Strikes.  One mother is an ardent INLA style mom who is active in violent resistance.  The other mother is a more moderate teacher who seeks to remain distant from the violence.  As both sons go on strike the mothers become closer friends.  It is really good.  Helen Mirren is awesome and David O’Hara is slightly less crazy than his most famous role. 

    The other movie is not as great but I watched it anyway and I liked it more for the story than the actual movie.  It is about the Shankill Butchers and their leader Lenny Murphy.  They were a fanatical group of Unionist paramilitaries who murdered innocent Catholics at random.  None of the victims were in anyway found to be connected to the IRA, INLA, or other Republican paramilitary group.

    Finally, I just started re-reading Trinity by Leon Uris.  I am having a hard time imagining anyone in my family or the Travers’ has not read this but it is amazing.  Conor Larkin is giving Aticus Finch a run for his money on my favorite literary characters list.  If you haven’t read it yet… what are you waiting for?

     

  • The only thing Joan has on her IPOD

    Alright,  the only other thing Joan might have on her IPOD is Yonder Mountain String Band.  Regardless, I can’t recall any event involving Joan, Brian, Austin, Neil, Kevin, Bobby, or any other cousin that I didn’t hear someone or everyone singing Newsies.   So Travers’ family,  this  seems right up your alley.