Wednesday, January 20, 2010

WWW Wednesday

MizB at Should be Reading recently started this new Wednesday meme that I thought might be fun and insightful. This will be my first, although hopefully not my last, time to participate.

The 3 Ws stand for:

What are you currently reading: The answer to that question is several different books at once!
  • I have less than 100 pages left in The Swan Thieves - which I hope to finish tonight. It would be my goal to have the review written this weekend (but suffice it to say, I have enjoyed every single page!)
  • I still continue to read Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman a little bit at a time.
  • I am listening to the Harry Potter series (for the first time) while walking the treadmill (I am hoping that if I only listen while exercising it will actually help motivate me to do it). I am thoroughly enjoying the first book and am probably about 75% through it.
  • For school, I am currently reading Volume I chapters 10-16 of Pride and Prejudice. We are knee deep into the obsequious character of Mr. Collins, and I am very anxious to hear the students' comments regarding this comical fellow.
  • My 9th grade class has just started Fahrenheit 451 and I love discussing the fact that Ray Bradbury wrote this book in the 1950s when technology was just beginning to take hold and schools were mostly concerned with chewing gum in class --- and how accurately he depicted our current society of the 21st century.
  • I will be introducing The Hobbit to my 7th graders - and we will be reading the book nice and slow (approximately two chapters per week). I plan to listen to the audiobook as a change of pace. We focused on fairy tales first semester - and the Hobbit will be a nice way to end that particular unit.
  • My 8th grade class is now starting to memorize lines from A Midsummer Night's Dream in order to perform the play in an hour's timeframe. This week we will be watching 4 different film versions (the first scene only) and discussing the different ways in which directors have interpreted the play. Once students decide how they wish to perform our version, we will begin to cut the lines to fit the time slot.
What did you recently finish reading: A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway (the review is half written - hopefully it will be up by the end of the week)

What do you think you'll read next: That is the most difficult question.
  • I would love to read Possession, as I have been so inspired by A. S. Byatt lately. But that book is a little over 600 pages and I am just not sure that I will have the time to finish before it is due to be returned at the library.
  • My other consideration is Surviving Hitler by Andrea Warren. I just learned that the author will be giving a writing workshop at my daughter's school, and I may have the opportunity to sneak in the back and listen. I feel that I need to read at least one of her books, although I am very interested in the book she is currently writing, Charles Dickens and the Street Children of London, due to be released in the fall, 2011.
How about you? Do you wish to share one of the three Ws in your life this week? I'd love to hear!

12 comments:

  1. Ohhhhhhh my...you have a lot going on!! I was never able to read more than one book at a time...is there a trick to this especially since last week I got many books in the mail for reviews. And welcome to WWW. I love joining in on memes and always looking for more...on my blog, memes are "my fun things to do"
    Happy Reading !!!
    CMashLovesToRead

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  2. I really enjoyed The Swan Thieves, too. I can't wait to read your review.

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  3. Goodness, you have a full plate! All good stuff too. Someday, maybe when I finish all the Harry Potters, I'd like to listen to the LOTR series on audio with the kids.

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  4. So many great books. I loved Ex Libris and Possession - though it is a book you need to spend some time with, so maybe one to return and borrow another time. And it is lovely to think of you introducing your classes to such wonderful writing. Being British I struggle to work out how ages and grades work, but I think it must have been around 7th grade that I met Bilbo and fell in love!

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  5. I know the Swan Thieves is wrapped and waiting for my birthday (I know because my husband and I were at the bookstore together, I did make him pick out the wrapping paper though). I love Anne Fadiman!

    I just finished Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man, I think I could use a YA break before launching into another classic.

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  6. Holy moly....it's a good thing I only teach 1st grade! Skippyjon Jones and my own personal reading is about all I can handle these days. (I'm back taking some grad courses and I'm ready to protest that teachers should have to do projects and turn in homework and papers. Geez louise!!) Quite frankly, I am in awe of all the incredible literature you are up to your neck in. Take a breath and enjoy it!

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  7. Good Lord, Molly! You are giving me a headache! And I would love to take your classes ... can I audit them? : )

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  8. What a great list, Molly. You're making me want to go back and re-listen to the Harry Potter series, too.

    I'm reading my very first Nora Roberts book right now - it's upstairs and I don't remember the exact title, but it's book one of the Three Sisters trilogy. Roberts is such a good storyteller. I just finished listening to The Lovetalker by Elizabeth Peters - another fun read. I've also just finished Murder by the Book, by Rex Stout - I enjoy reading the Nero Wolfe stories so much!

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  9. A very challenging list. Good for you! Thanks for sharing!

    Bill ;-)

    Hope you'll check out my book giveaway:
    http://drbillsbookbazaar.blogspot.com/2010/01/book-giveaway-plum-pudding-murder.html

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  10. I'm looking forward to reading about A Moveable Feast. I used to love reading Hemingway but I haven't read any of his books in years.

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  11. I am in the middle of so many books right now it is ridiculous! I told my husband just yesterday that I need to get a handle on it. I just counted, and I'm in the process of reading six books right now, and I haven't made that much progress with any of them because I keep switching back and forth.

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