Don't miss this

It took two tries to really get going on Party Crashing, simply because I read novels much more than nonfiction books (like most English teachers I know.) Then Keli Goff's voice started speaking right to me and I starting marking text and making personal connections.

I was so taken with her that I read all of her acknowledgments. That paid off on page 257 in the paragraph before the end. She gives a lovely tribute to her high school English teacher. It's great encouragement to all teachers who care enough to push students to do their best.

I predict this will be one of our most energetic meetings, right up there with The Thirteenth Tale.

Amy

Party Crashers

We made a good decision to time our meeting so that we could discuss this book before the election. I found it fascinating, as I am finding daily events in this current election fascinating. One problem I'm having is the lack of diversity within our group. That certainly limits our ability to discuss PARTY CRASHERS in a meaningful way.

Ellen, I do hope that Geniese will read at least some of the book and that you will share her observations with us. I'm dying to hear her reactions.

Beverly

Party Crashing so far

Having read the first 100 pages, I judge this book to be a worthy read. As a 57-year-old Caucasian Southern female Democrat, I am enjoying the inside look at situations I just hadn't known about or considered before. The business of so many young black males now ineligible to vote because of their prison records: that's tragic. That bit about being called "articulate": that's a hoot.

Having just gotten Ellen's e-mail about having to cancel such splendid efforts as the Fall Writing Conference, this book's title is ironic. The budget crisis is crashing our party in a whole 'nother way. I'm sad but hopeful that things will get better for WIN and others. The need for improved literacy instruction certainly won't go away, but we'll have to conjure up other ways to assist schools.

Heads up and chins high,
Amy

Finally

Finally finished Refuge and finally made a successful attempt at becoming a blogger. Luckily, Twilight will be a reread for me, and I'll be interested to see how it strikes me the second time. My reaction the first time around was that it was very sexy, yet I could see nothing that parents would object to. It's easy to see why this series is so popular with girls. I remember Janie's comments about her feminist reading. That stance is different from my own, but I suspect it will color my reading this time around.

Now I know

Just as y'all had said, TWILIGHT only took two good sittings to read. It's nice to know what all the fuss is about. It's no Bram Stoker, but it's definitely fun and I can see why young readers would get hooked.

I saw that TIME featured Stephanie Myer this week in their "10 Questions" section. You might enjoy watching the video on their web page: time.com/10questions, as she's delightful. She offers some nice insights into her writing process and a wonderful response to readers petitioning her to write a different ending to her last book.

Best,
Amy

Testing the Waters

I now have my very first Google Account and am an official blogger. Who knew???

It's interesting that in a very short time we have taken such culinary and technological leaps with our lil' club. When we take our field trip, that'll be the archtypical third leap. Any more and we'll be taunting the gods...

Dialect and Spelling

I've been thinking about our conversation on the use of dialect and regional speech. I wonder how long it would take a non-Southerner to figure out that cud'n = cousin. In other words, if you haven't HEARD it before (or thought about it phonetically), you would have to decode the letters and then match it to something that you do know. I agree with Beverly that Dot's use of language is powerful and that is what makes the writing come alive. I guess we all are bilingual in English, just like Ben Aaron.