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15 books in 15 minutes
May. 31st, 2009 12:32 amBooks that stayed with you after you read them...
This is from a FaceBook 'meme' I did, but a) I cheated on the 15, and b) I included some commentary to make the list more meaningful to me.
1. Harold and the Purple Crayon - Crockett Johnson
We can shape the worlds around us, to an extent, but it can be tricky.
2. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins - Dr. Seuss
There are arcane forces out there that will mess with our lives, and the powers that be may not believe we really have no control over what's going on.
3. Gremlins - Roald Dahl
Odd things happen. Sometimes they mess things up. Sometimes they make things better. Sometimes they just make things more interesting. But odd things happen, and we have less control over them than we like to think.
4. Andy Buckram's Tin Men - Carol Ryrie Brink
Goodness matters. Kindness matters. Helping matters. But sometimes, things don't work out the way we want them to.
5. The Gilead Bomb - David Sinclair
There are bad things out there. The adults don't always have the answers. And help comes from some surprising places,sometimes.
6. The Ghost of Dibble Hollow - May Nickerson Wallace
Conflicts can come from misunderstanding, and lead to long, bitter division - unnecessarily long, unnecessarily bitter.
7. The Forgotten Door - Alexander Key
Being different is hard. It's lonely. There are people who will hurt you for being different, but there are good people out there, too, who will love and care about you even if you are different - and about whom you can care to. But be aware - they, too, can be targets for caring for and about you.
Really importantly - that the feelings I had inside were not unique to me, even if I had a hard time verbalizing them.
8. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (series) - L. Frank Baum
Too many lessons to name. Friends are important.
9. Patty Fairfield (series) - Carolyn Wells
Normal daily life does not have to be boring. Girls can be cool.
10. The City and the Stars - Arthur Clarke
Idealism upsets the status quo, but it is still worth pursuing, even when it upsets others.
11. Starman Jones - Robert Heinlein
11a. Tunnel in the Sky, Orphans in the Sky, and many others of Heinlein's juveniles
Where to start? You can get ahead even if you don't follow the rules - and some of the rules make getting things done that are important harder, not easier. There are many different ways to view the world - and no one of them is proof that the others are wrong.
12. To Sir With Love - E. R. Braithwaite
Troubled students =/= bad people. Nobody should be given up on. Teachers are important - or can be. Love and respect are more important than academics.
13. Goodbye Mr. Chips - James Hilton
Teachers' impacts go beyond their time with students. Teach and live your values and your values will be taught.
14a. A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle
The universe is a strange place. Stand up to evil. Being smart =/= being wise. Understanding self is important, but damned hard.
14b. The Arm of the Starfish - Madeleine L'Engle
Science is not inherently good. People wear masks to influence people - and not even remotely always in good ways. Naive =/= inherently bad. Sexual attraction (whatever that is) can prompt poor decision-making.
15a. Telepathist (The Whole Man in its U.S. release) - John Brunner
Things that happen to us have long term impact - emotional/mental, not just physical. Letting others in to help us is as important as helping them is - even if/though it is hard. Just because we cannot express an idea, art, music, does not mean it is any less artistic or musical - merely more frustrating for all that.
15b. The Long Result - John Brunner
Breaking past low expectations - our own or others' - is hard, but often worth it. Unfortunately, the results are not always what those who are urging us on expect them to be - and big growth/change in ourselves can result in loss of what had been important relationships. That doesn't make it a bad thing, but it doesn't make it easy, either.
Our actions have way bigger potential ripples than we ourselves can see at any given moment.
15c. Shockwave Rider - John Brunner
Brilliance and adaptability and independence have their limits. There are other people in the world, still and again.
This is from a FaceBook 'meme' I did, but a) I cheated on the 15, and b) I included some commentary to make the list more meaningful to me.
1. Harold and the Purple Crayon - Crockett Johnson
We can shape the worlds around us, to an extent, but it can be tricky.
2. The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins - Dr. Seuss
There are arcane forces out there that will mess with our lives, and the powers that be may not believe we really have no control over what's going on.
3. Gremlins - Roald Dahl
Odd things happen. Sometimes they mess things up. Sometimes they make things better. Sometimes they just make things more interesting. But odd things happen, and we have less control over them than we like to think.
4. Andy Buckram's Tin Men - Carol Ryrie Brink
Goodness matters. Kindness matters. Helping matters. But sometimes, things don't work out the way we want them to.
5. The Gilead Bomb - David Sinclair
There are bad things out there. The adults don't always have the answers. And help comes from some surprising places,sometimes.
6. The Ghost of Dibble Hollow - May Nickerson Wallace
Conflicts can come from misunderstanding, and lead to long, bitter division - unnecessarily long, unnecessarily bitter.
7. The Forgotten Door - Alexander Key
Being different is hard. It's lonely. There are people who will hurt you for being different, but there are good people out there, too, who will love and care about you even if you are different - and about whom you can care to. But be aware - they, too, can be targets for caring for and about you.
Really importantly - that the feelings I had inside were not unique to me, even if I had a hard time verbalizing them.
8. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (series) - L. Frank Baum
Too many lessons to name. Friends are important.
9. Patty Fairfield (series) - Carolyn Wells
Normal daily life does not have to be boring. Girls can be cool.
10. The City and the Stars - Arthur Clarke
Idealism upsets the status quo, but it is still worth pursuing, even when it upsets others.
11. Starman Jones - Robert Heinlein
11a. Tunnel in the Sky, Orphans in the Sky, and many others of Heinlein's juveniles
Where to start? You can get ahead even if you don't follow the rules - and some of the rules make getting things done that are important harder, not easier. There are many different ways to view the world - and no one of them is proof that the others are wrong.
12. To Sir With Love - E. R. Braithwaite
Troubled students =/= bad people. Nobody should be given up on. Teachers are important - or can be. Love and respect are more important than academics.
13. Goodbye Mr. Chips - James Hilton
Teachers' impacts go beyond their time with students. Teach and live your values and your values will be taught.
14a. A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L'Engle
The universe is a strange place. Stand up to evil. Being smart =/= being wise. Understanding self is important, but damned hard.
14b. The Arm of the Starfish - Madeleine L'Engle
Science is not inherently good. People wear masks to influence people - and not even remotely always in good ways. Naive =/= inherently bad. Sexual attraction (whatever that is) can prompt poor decision-making.
15a. Telepathist (The Whole Man in its U.S. release) - John Brunner
Things that happen to us have long term impact - emotional/mental, not just physical. Letting others in to help us is as important as helping them is - even if/though it is hard. Just because we cannot express an idea, art, music, does not mean it is any less artistic or musical - merely more frustrating for all that.
15b. The Long Result - John Brunner
Breaking past low expectations - our own or others' - is hard, but often worth it. Unfortunately, the results are not always what those who are urging us on expect them to be - and big growth/change in ourselves can result in loss of what had been important relationships. That doesn't make it a bad thing, but it doesn't make it easy, either.
Our actions have way bigger potential ripples than we ourselves can see at any given moment.
15c. Shockwave Rider - John Brunner
Brilliance and adaptability and independence have their limits. There are other people in the world, still and again.
