This book caught my eye because of its sub heading "Can't learn. Won't Learn. Dont Care. " These are attitudes many teacher, parents and even students themselves are constantly facing.
The book is actually addressing Behaviourial, emotional and social difficultuies in learning. Can't learn are students with Attenjtion Deficit Hyperactivity disorder, those who Won't learn often have Oppositional Defiant Disorder and those who Don't care whether they learn or could be experiencing Conduct disorder. The book offers strategies and suggestions to deal with these behaviours. It is well worth a read if you have had any experience of these disorders.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Belly Dancing for Beginners by Liz Byrski
This is definitely chick lit for the over 50's. You might say lots of sexy stuff then? No just women finding themselves after years of being repressed, with a hint of romance.
Bellydancing is the answer to all. ( I don't remember the belly dancing class I did in Deni a few years ago i being nearly as liberating as this book implies.)
The characters fit a pretty standard mould. Gayle is meek and mild with a brutal husband, living in an austenacious house that isn't of her choosing. She is a librarian ( of course) and generally appears to allow her husband to treat her like dirt. However the belly dancing reveals another side....
Brian is the brutal philandering obnoxious husband. No one can understand why Gayle would even have married him let alone live with him for 30 odd years. ( There is a dark secret here)
Angie, their newly married daughter appears to be repeating her mother's mistakes.
Marissa is the 60 year old dope growing, hippie, bellydancer with a traumatised past, advoiding love at all costs. ( She provides the entertainment at Angie's hens night)
Frank is the uptight Vietnam vet and copper looking for luurv particularly in Marissa's direction.
Sonya is the public servant boss invited to Angies wedding. She seems to make friends very easily. ( That is why she quickly becomes bosom buddies with the other belly dancers even though they only met last week.) She is everyone's friend and adviser except for family. They still treat her like a 12 yearold (so what's new). She has a few family skeletons she needs to sort out.
Oliver is a friend of Gayle and than Sonya. He thinks he is a feminist, following in his mother's footsteps but in actual fact all he can really think about is himself. He turns to the tango ( rather than bellydancing)and therapy to find his answers. I can't really see where he fits into the story except that the girls leaving on a belly dancing trip give him the opportunity to have coffee on his own ( and have even more deep and meaningful thoughts.)
Some how these characters mesh to make a story where each one tries to confront their dreams, their fears, their long lost relatives , friends and enemies. Somehow the key to all is bellydancing and a little therapy and lots of coffee and wine. I am surpised at how quickly these people clicked when individually they had been isolated ( and often hiding from each other) for so long. The story line is predictable and comfortable as all great chick lit should be. You feel slightly sick after reading it, like you have just eaten too much chocolate, but you still go back for more.There will probably be a sequal, or if not, a novel that has very similar characters and story lines that you can pig out on.
Bellydancing is the answer to all. ( I don't remember the belly dancing class I did in Deni a few years ago i being nearly as liberating as this book implies.)
The characters fit a pretty standard mould. Gayle is meek and mild with a brutal husband, living in an austenacious house that isn't of her choosing. She is a librarian ( of course) and generally appears to allow her husband to treat her like dirt. However the belly dancing reveals another side....
Brian is the brutal philandering obnoxious husband. No one can understand why Gayle would even have married him let alone live with him for 30 odd years. ( There is a dark secret here)
Angie, their newly married daughter appears to be repeating her mother's mistakes.
Marissa is the 60 year old dope growing, hippie, bellydancer with a traumatised past, advoiding love at all costs. ( She provides the entertainment at Angie's hens night)
Frank is the uptight Vietnam vet and copper looking for luurv particularly in Marissa's direction.
Sonya is the public servant boss invited to Angies wedding. She seems to make friends very easily. ( That is why she quickly becomes bosom buddies with the other belly dancers even though they only met last week.) She is everyone's friend and adviser except for family. They still treat her like a 12 yearold (so what's new). She has a few family skeletons she needs to sort out.
Oliver is a friend of Gayle and than Sonya. He thinks he is a feminist, following in his mother's footsteps but in actual fact all he can really think about is himself. He turns to the tango ( rather than bellydancing)and therapy to find his answers. I can't really see where he fits into the story except that the girls leaving on a belly dancing trip give him the opportunity to have coffee on his own ( and have even more deep and meaningful thoughts.)
Some how these characters mesh to make a story where each one tries to confront their dreams, their fears, their long lost relatives , friends and enemies. Somehow the key to all is bellydancing and a little therapy and lots of coffee and wine. I am surpised at how quickly these people clicked when individually they had been isolated ( and often hiding from each other) for so long. The story line is predictable and comfortable as all great chick lit should be. You feel slightly sick after reading it, like you have just eaten too much chocolate, but you still go back for more.There will probably be a sequal, or if not, a novel that has very similar characters and story lines that you can pig out on.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Questions of the Week
Here are some of the questions I was asked recently , if anyone ever wonders why we get such a wide range of resources
What have you got on hippies?Is there a book on Enzyme and temperature?
Do you have any good gossipy magazines?Where’s that book with the orange cover I used last year?Have you got the Ginny Reid's County style? How do you print envelopes?
What have you got on Aboriginal art? Have you got any nice art books with landscape?
What's a good read? Have you any minties left? What have you got on dementia?
Have you got any old magazines? How do you write a resume?
How do I treat the gash on my pet cat? Whats my password again?
Who is the most tattooed man in the world? How do you find books on car restoration?
What is the chairperson meant to do at a meeting? Can you help me apply for a job at Coles?
What have you got on hippies?Is there a book on Enzyme and temperature?
Do you have any good gossipy magazines?Where’s that book with the orange cover I used last year?Have you got the Ginny Reid's County style? How do you print envelopes?
What have you got on Aboriginal art? Have you got any nice art books with landscape?
What's a good read? Have you any minties left? What have you got on dementia?
Have you got any old magazines? How do you write a resume?
How do I treat the gash on my pet cat? Whats my password again?
Who is the most tattooed man in the world? How do you find books on car restoration?
What is the chairperson meant to do at a meeting? Can you help me apply for a job at Coles?
Tuesday's Child by Kathy Evans
This was a heart wrenching read. The author Kathy Evans uses her writing as a tool for venting her grief, anger and joy about giving birth to a little girl with Downs Syndrome. Her grief was for the child she didn’t get. Her anger was about the medical profession, family and friends who refused to see her child as an individual, rather she was described as a downs baby. Her joy was the overwhelming love she felt for Caoimhe whenever she looked into her beautiful face.
This is really about one woman’s struggle to come to terms with a much unexpected twist in her life. As a reader you felt very voyeuristic reading such raw emotion. It was almost too much to bear, yet I couldn’t put it down. I wanted love to conquer all. I think we will have to wait for the sequel to see if it does.
The book does give a great insight into the types of prejudice and stereotypes, a family with a child who has a disability, would have to deal with. It really makes you think.
This is really about one woman’s struggle to come to terms with a much unexpected twist in her life. As a reader you felt very voyeuristic reading such raw emotion. It was almost too much to bear, yet I couldn’t put it down. I wanted love to conquer all. I think we will have to wait for the sequel to see if it does.
The book does give a great insight into the types of prejudice and stereotypes, a family with a child who has a disability, would have to deal with. It really makes you think.
The Seamstress by Geraldine Wooler
I read this book in a weekend. It was very moving and easy to read although I found the first few chapters confusing. The narrator, Jo, slips back and forth through different time frames , so you get some idea of the early life of Jo’s mother,Willa ( the seamstress of the title) . They seem to come from a large extended family so you had to keep flipping back to work out who was who. The second half of the book is really the nitty gritty of the story. We find out that Jo’s mother, Willa, is slowly sliding into dementia. Jo's frustrating struggle to deal with it is very emotional. She misses dearly the mother of her early life.
I wonder now if the flicking from one character to another and one time to another in the first part of the story is actually a reflection of how the memory of a person suffering from dementia would work.
I wonder now if the flicking from one character to another and one time to another in the first part of the story is actually a reflection of how the memory of a person suffering from dementia would work.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
