Monday, February 28, 2011

Chapter 5

Oy this is slow going.  Why oh why did a random number choice land on an academic book, and in my most hated subject of science?  Alas, I will get through this.  I have a task before me, and I will not give up.

I still would have much preferred the number choice landed on Gone with the Wind, but there's always hope for the next book! 

Monday, February 21, 2011

Chapter 4

I am on Chapter 4 of Darwin's Origin of Species.

Dood is verbose to say the least.  I can tell he has a great passion for the subject, and he certainly has done tons and tons of research, but I think he is being a bit too mathematical about life and nature.  At least that is my impression of the work so far.

Also, I was surprised to read that he said that God created every living thing.  If you ask Christians who have never read anything on him, you would think he was the boogeyman or something.  It is so important to get your own facts, rather than rely on sweeping generalizations from some other source. 

And I plow on.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Number 79

I knew going into this that there would be some books that I did not want to read.  But, I decided that I would give all of the books on the list a fair shake, and would read them.  I stand by that statement.

The random number chosen was 79.  As I scanned down the list, I saw that it would be a science book.  I always loathed science in school (I was more of a literature/history sorta gal), so I felt my face scrunch up as I saw what was chosen.

On The Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin.

I am a born again Christian.  I believe in Creation.  I will not get in a debate about this.  This will be a good book for me to read. To read something completely unassociated with myself and my beliefs is good mental exercise.  This is the essence of good conversation:  to be well versed in both sides of the argument.

So today during my lunch, I will take a stroll to my beloved main branch of the public library, and will take out the tome.  According to the website, it is "available."  Imagine that!  I figured there would be a waiting list.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Oh hai...this thing still on

I consider myself mercurial.  When I think of something creative to do, I must do it and do it right dang now.  I was thinking ... minding my own business really...when the idea pops in my head:  how well read am I?

I like reading, and of course read the mandatory classics in high school, but is that enough?  It is all encompassing?  Could I really hold a decent conversation?  It bores me to tears when people ramble on incessantly about the Real Housewives, or that vile Jersey Shore show (so glad I don't get that channel).  Does anybody read anymore?

Books should be read.  There are scores of books on library shelves languishing in dust and neglect.   If you don't have a library card, get one!  Don't give all of your money to amazon or those electronic Kindle things.  Have a book in your hands, feel the weight of it, flip the pages and use a bookmark that you love.

So, for a lark, I googled "well read reading list," and up popped a list of 110 classics.  It looked rather comprehensive - I knew I wanted to read Alexis de Tocqueville - so when I saw his tome on the list I decided that I had found a good starting place.

I've decided that I am going to give all of these books my attention.  Even the ones that I really don't want to read.  I guess I am finally going to read that Harry Potter book that a couple people have picked up. Are you familiar with that one?

I have numbered the list from 1 to 110, and for the first selection, I have e-mailed someone I know, and have asked said person to pick a number at random from 1 to 110.  Whatever number is chosen is the book that I will pick up from the library.

Game on!