When Only a Meme Will Do: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

I'm currently reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy, after years of planning to give it another try. Sometimes only a meme can express how one is feeling:

To which I respond, "Yes, and there's nothing I can do to help them, except cry, continue reading, and hope everything works out."

[Currently Reading - Book Quotes] The Lone Ranger & Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie

Started reading this yesterday on train ride from work. Currently up to page 29. Below are some quotes that made me react in some way:

"Indian tears" (5).

What are Indians tears? Tears steeped in history and never-to-be-forgotten pains and slights? How different are they from other tears? African tears? Asian tears? American tears?

"Just one word. Just the color of his skin. Red, white, black, or brown" (25).

As if that's all we need to know about a person and everything else could be guessed. =(

"I was conceived during one of those drunken nights, half of me formed by my father's whiskey sperm, the other half formed by my mother's vodka egg. I was born a goofy reservation mixed drink, and my father needed me just as much as he needed every other kind of drink" (27).

Aw?

"And besides, why the hell would you want to fight a war for this country? It's been trying to kill Indians since the very beginning" (29).

True. Wish there was a way to teach American students the truth. Even if not learned in the classroom, you learn about others by interacting with them. However, most of us don't interact with Native Americans day to day. In my 21 years, I've never met someone who identified as Native American. Reading is as close as I can get. And that saddens me.


(WOW. As soon as I posted this. I saw following link on my Facebook feed: Chelsey Ramer, 17, Fined $1000 After Wearing Eagle Feather At High School Graduation. Check out Not About the Feathers too. Ms. Valerie RedHorse says exactly what I was trying to express above!)

[Random Book Fact, Kinda] Sherman Alexie is . . .

A possibly new regular feature: random facts related to the book I'm currently reading. These facts will be really random and their relation to the book will be subtle at best. They'll be the things that I'm strangely curious about. This is the first one, so you're see what I mean. I think I'll call this feature "Random Book Fact, Kinda." I may or may not change the name as I come up with better ones. Anyway, without further adieu:

I'm currently reading The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman (Joseph) Alexie.

He looks like a fun guy. Someone I would like to know.

Sherman means "shear man". Occupational name for a person who trimmed wool cloth. Joseph is Hebrew for "Jehovah increases." Also the name for the son of Jacob, who's sold by his bros, but becomes a prince. And Alexie is a variant of Alexander (Greek) and Alexis (Greek) and means "man's defender, warrior." (Source: http://www.thinkbabynames.com/)

"Sherman Alexie Earns his Name": from The Super Secret Real Biography of Sherman Alexie (only one copy ever in print)

Our acclaimed Native American author began as a young boy shearing the wool off of wholly mammoths for his weekly allowance. One of the wholly mammoths was sold off to cavemen as his 12 brothers (and sisters, let's not be sexist) stood miles away watching. (We're not sure who initiated the transaction, but it's safe to say that young Sherman is definitely the hero in this tale.) Sherman was no ordinary boy, however, and he set out with a spear and some yummy tangerines to save the baby wholly mammoth (whose name was Fred by the way). After an arduous 4 day battle, Sherman returned victorious atop Fred's back like the warrior that he was. From hence forth he was known as Sherman Alexie.

Hi, I'm Fred. Thank you Sherman for rescuing me. You're my hero.

I bet you won't find that gold nugget in any biography. You're welcome.

P.S. The above excerpt of  The Super Secret Real Biography of Sherman Alexie is entirely fabricated in case you didn't know. As Stephen King said in his novel, Bag of Bones, a writer is someone who has taught his (or her, why so sexist, King?) mind to misbehave. =)

On a more serious note though, Sherman Alexie is pretty amazing. He is such an inspiring strong and determined individual to have overcome the harsh (and perhaps unfair, but tis life) hand he was dealt to become a success. Read the following biography when you get the chance.

Sherman Alexie, A Biography (from the author’s official website)

Until next time,
Fatuma
Book Rants

[Currently Reading] Brain Rules by John Medina

After doing laundry today, I decided to start reading John Medina's seemingly popular (at least according to Amazon reviews) Brain Rules.

This is not the kind of book I would pick up on my own, so the story behind how I ended up with it in my hands is a bit interesting (maybe).

It was a dark and stormy night and I was sitting in the back of the classroom with the other delinquents in my Honor's course: The Divine Comedy of Dante. I was participating in typical delinquent behavior by playing "Zombies Smashed" and "Family Feud" on my Asus Transformer Tablet (Product placement. You're welcome, Asus.) instead of paying attention. I was bored out of my skull because the Prof. (who has an amazing radio-host voice by the way) had spent the last 45 minutes reviewing everything we did in the previous class. I wanted to shoot myself, but instead I decided to share my misery with the world via Facebook (Thank you, FB for saving my life). And I get a comment from someone on my friends list--a teacher at my former high school, who I don't really remember, but ended up being FB friends with somehow--recommending a book that my Prof. might benefit from reading. That book was ... you guessed it--Brain Rules by John Medina.

I was interested in the book after reading the details on Amazon, but I'm a poor college student and my Books-for-Pleasure budget was a bit depleted at the time. That was part one of Operation Acquire Brain Rules.

For the next step, you need to know that I'm a member of the Teacher Opportunity Corps program at my school, TOC for short. Get more info here if you're interested:http://www.highered.nysed.gov/tcert/resteachers/toc.html Being the nerd that I am, I emailed the coordinator (who is a rockin' cool lady named Pat) to suggest that Brain Rules might be a good addition to our developing teacher library. Next thing I know she's suggesting that I read it and possibly lead a discussion for the other corps members. My first thoughts? Ahh, Pat, why? You know how busy I am and you give me additional homework. You mean, mean woman! Just kidding. In the end, I agreed to do so as soon as I was able to buy the book. Faster than I can say YOLO, she's offering to purchase the book for me and sending me an email telling me that it's ready to pick up whenever I have time to drop by.

And with that my friends, Operation Acquire Brain Rules (for free) was accomplished.

So, what is Brain Rules actually about? I'm so glad you asked that question. The book is organized around twelve "brain rules," or twelve facts about the brain and how it works that scientists have essentially all agreed to be true. After explaining each brain rule, Medina offers some suggestions for us to utilize those principles at work, home, and school. I expected a very dry read because of the very sciency subject matter. However, Medina has done an amazing job of keeping the language very reader-friendly. You don't have to be a fellow scientist (because I am clearly not) to enjoy reading the book (which I currently am). Medina also has a sense of humor, which is expressed throughout the whole book. Never thought I would see the day where I would be thoroughly amused while learning about the structure of the brain.

Below are two quotes from the second chapter that I found exceptionally funny and that may give you a glance of Medina's brand of humor:

"In short this region [prefrontal cortex] controls many of the behaviors that seperate us from other animals. And teenagers." (p. 40)

"Most of its [Paleomammalian brain] functions involve what some researchers call the "four F's": fighting, feeding, fleeing, and ... reproductive behavior." (p. 40)

See! Nerdy humor is the best kind of humor. I love it. Can't wait to keep reading. 

Intellectually Yours,

Fatuma, Book Rants

The Rantings and Ravings of a Crazy Book Lady

[Current Read] The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I finally decided that my next read should be The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I've heard so much about how great both the novel and the movie are. I figured this way I can join in on the fangirling the next time the book is mentioned.

I started reading it on the subway, on my way to meeting some friends for karaoke. I've read only two chapters and I have that tingly feeling one gets when he or she begins a truly awe inspiring book and knows it. I can already tell that Ms. Stockett is a masterful storyteller. One second, I was on the train with Red's "Forever" blasting in my ear, thinking about how late I was and one hand holding the book, the other trying to open up my croissant. The next thing I knew, I was sitting at the kitchen table with Mae Mobley watching Aibileen go about her duties as Ms. Leefolt's housemaid. My croissant was abandoned. I no longer knew what song I was listening to. And the coffee that had been held between my knees grew cold. I cannot remember the last time, I was so quickly, so irrevocably drawn into a story. I was starting to miss the feeling of becoming lost in a world created lovingly by a author's pen (or keyboard, or pencil, or quill). Kathryn manages to take us back in time to a time that is no longer our own (at least not exactly), but there is no disconnect from reality. The story is real. The characters are real. Their emotions, as well as the ones evoked in us as readers...are real. And isn't that all we ask for in a good work of literature? For it to be real, believable, irresistible, and make us feel.

Currently Reading as of January 1st, 2013

Happy New Year Everyone!

Here's my currently reading list as of the first day of 2013:

Click below to read my thoughts about my current reads!