You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

Starting March 1st, you are invited to read a book of your choosing that fits in with the theme of "Learn Something New Every Day". You may interpret the theme in any defensible way. In otherwords, you need to tell us how you interpretted it.

When you finish reading your book, please tell us the name of the book (link by title) and how it fits the theme.

Tell us about the book according to these guidelines:
- what did you learn?
- why is it significant to you?
- encourage others to discuss your book by asking for others' opinions or view points.

Link to your review.

Most importantly, have fun with it. Cheryl takes over next month with a new group read format.

I have at least three books I hope to get through for this month's theme. We'll see how I do. They are all related to professional development in some way, as I am preparing to move into the academic world from the world of practice.

Surviving the Academic Job Search--no GR link!
Teaching What You Don't Know
The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal

Judy wrote: "Choices, choices....so many to read that will fit this theme. I like having that problem. :-)"

I agree. I have several other books I could include, but these popped up high on my list.

I am considering Ten Books That Screwed Up the World: And Five Others That Didn't Help or Genesis.

Truth be known, I'm kind of stumped on this one. If anyone wants to go through my "To-Read" shelf and make a suggestion, I'd be grateful!

I'm excited - I read a lot of non-fiction so we'll just see which of them I decide to talk about here!

I'm going to read The Wilderness Family: At Home with Africa's Wildlife by Kobie Krüger to learn about living in the African bush.

Hi I'm new *wave*

Great theme. I've been wanting to read . Watergate was a major event in my early childhood that I'm still shamefully uneducated about. I do recall hating this word, "Watergate", because live coverage interupted the Batman and Robin hour :P

Judy wrote: "Janice, I think most of the books in your non-fiction shelf would work since most are how-to books. ..."

If it's on my non-fiction shelf, I've already read it. I don't assign shelves until I've read the book (except for to-read, to-listen to, or wishlist). I'll put my thinking cap on.

Janice, Clapton, Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything, and The Forgotten Highlander: My Incredible Story Of Survival During The War In The Far East look 'enriching.'

Kim M. wrote: "Hi I'm new *wave*

Great theme. I've been wanting to read . Watergate was a major event in my early childhood that I'm still shamefully uneducated about. ..."

Welcome to the group Kim! Thats a great choice for the theme :)

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Janice, Clapton, Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything, and The Forgotten Highlander: My Incredible Story Of Survival During The War In T..."</i>

Thanks Cheryl. I was looking at those books as well as [book:Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul: How to Create a New You. A couple of those books are on my Around the World challenge so I may pick one of them.

Kim M. wrote: "Hi I'm new *wave*

Great theme. I've been wanting to read . Watergate was a major event in my early childhood that I'm still shamefully uneducated about. ..."

Welcome Kim. I'm glad to see you are jumping right in with the monthly theme. Check out the challenge for March as well.

Hmm... I'll root around.

EEP! I have tons of books about human evolution and sexuality and I like the topic (people are interesting), and I'll be reading my Psychology textbook to boot.

Not to mention reading in French teaches you nutsy things. ^_^ So I'm happy.

Maria wrote: "Hmm... I'll root around.

EEP! I have tons of books about human evolution and sexuality and I like the topic (people are interesting), and I'll be reading my Psychology textbook to boot.

Not to me..."

Welcome back Maria. I've been wondering when you'd find internet connection again. We now have another Maria who recently joined.

Judy wrote: "Janice wrote: "Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Janice, Clapton, Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything, and [book:The Forgotten Highlander: My Incredibl..."

Women, Food and God is on my year long challenge too. So perhaps I'll give it a go. Thanks for the help.

Gaeta1 wrote: "Still working on my chimera rug--but gaining some speed as I have mostly figured out what to do. Shall post pictures later."

Have you read The Blood of Flowers? It's a great read and is about making Persian rugs in Iran.

Well I have taken a different route on this and have chosen The Philosopher's Apprentice. A woman has lost her memory following an accident and a tutor is hired to aid her. So she will be learning something new every day, not me. Trust me to go along on my own merry way!

Suzie, I sincerely admire your creativity!

Cheryl, I'm not sure it's creativity rather my uniqueness in interpreting things in a strange way, it just happens that way. But thanks :-)

It's great to know there's another Maria here! XD

Suzie, that sounds amazing. Kudos!

I just finished the first of my learning books this month. Since I tend to read a lot of fiction, I'm glad for the excuse to catch up on my nonfiction reading.

The book I read was Surviving Your Academic Job Hunt: Advice for Humanities PhDs. I chose it because I am in the process of applying for faculty positions and have an interview next week. While I have another book that is more in depth about the process, this one talks a lot about the experience. I wish I had read it earlier as it gives great advice about how to present yourself, how you will be perceived, and what types of things to do to prepare and why it will improve your chances. it also has a couple of great chapters that go into issues that new faculty will face and how to deal with them. I find it reassuring to prepare myself in advance, so when the surprising or frustrating occurs it is not such a shock. this book definitely helps with that.

My review can be read here:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

I'm actually switching my book choice to Biko by Donald Woods

Thanks Judy. I've heard of Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. I'm looking forward to your thoughts on it.

My next book for this challenge (since I just bought it and really need its advice) is The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. I'm a big procrastinator, but mostly I struggle with consistent energy. Too often I feel tired and can't focus.

I can't believe that it's March already!!! Well, there is so much that I don't know so this should be easy. Hmmmm, decisions...

Judy wrote: "I hope you will share what you find out. I'm sure a lot of people will find it useful. :-)"

Yes, I started it last night, and they could be writing about me. I'll definitely share some of the key points when I complete it.

I'm not sure I'm feeling the love for my choice. We will have to see. I have another choice up my sleeve and it's non fiction so I will be doing the learning, and as its something I enjoy I will probably read this instead! But I don't want to return the library book unread. Decisions, decisions. And no I can't possibly read both with all the others going on at the mo!

I enjoyed and recommend to all Reading to Heal: How to Use Bibliotherapy to Improve Your Life by Jacqueline D. Stanley.

Granted, some of the things it does, goodreads also does, but it does more than give lists for reading plans, and suggestions how to set up a reading plan and how to benefit from same, and how to set up reading groups, etc. It is also written in such a warm manner that I feel anytime I want help with life's challenges, the author will have some good book ideas to help me.

Note that if you're spiritual or Christian, you'll be especially pleased with her title suggestions. My review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Snoozie Suzie wrote: "I'm not sure I'm feeling the love for my choice. We will have to see. I have another choice up my sleeve and it's non fiction so I will be doing the learning, and as its something I enjoy I will pr..."

I actually put The Philosopher's Apprentice on my shelf recently. Why are you undecided about it?

@Almeta, I'm just not in the right mindset at the moment. Nothing to do with the book, I just don't think I want to read it yet. The other choice is a knitting book. Something I really enjoy so it's just sitting better if you know what I mean. I may still read philosopher but just leave it a few days - and today has been a particularly tired and grumpy one. I forgot my library card, and perhaps have taken it all out on the philosopher as he can't fight me back! :-)

I just want to say that I've hit 500 books on my 'to-read' shelf.

About 90% I won't be able to read at all because I don't have access to them, but it's awesome to know I've got 500 to-read books. XD

I'll be reading (Adam's Tongue: How Humans Made Language, How Language Made Humans) or ... (How to Read Literature LIke a Professor).

The second will definitely be more helpful (OLIVER TWIST is annoying me, and Pride and Prejudice could definitely be absorbed better), but I'm not sure if the first will be more interesting or not.

I read:

The Good Life: Up the Yukon Without a Paddle by Dorian Amos

My hubby and I would love to have the intestinal fortitude to pack up and live a semi-self sufficient lifestyle. I thought I could learn something from someone who did just that. I learnt that I couldn't do complete wilderness, need my creature comforts too much - maybe semi-rural :)

Also how this couple survived is beyond me - I have heard the expression greenhorns but these people take the cake :)

Here's a link to my review:

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

Maria, both those titles have *extremely* high appeal to me, so off I go to hope they're at my library!

Thanks, Judy!

And I know, Cheryl! I think I'll probably read Adam's Tongue since I read 'Literature' about three years ago-- enough to remember a TAD.

I was able to order the Lit book from my library - so you should read Adam's Tongue and then come back here and tell me whether it's worth buying. :)

Oh gosh yeah, I could totally do that. For minimum wage, too. ;)

Great minds! :)

Perfect. I'll sit down and read it now (Well, after dinner.)

Now... looking at my currently-reading list and cringing a bit. XD

OH WELL.

(I feel like a I missed something with the minimum wage thing... did I?)

I've just started my pick for this themed read, Women, Food, and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything. I'm hoping I'll learn something new about weight and weight loss.

Yes... I would like that! I like money. XD

Judy wrote: "Sally, I love those kind of books. You may enjoy Shadows on the Koyukuk: An Alaskan Native's Life Along the River written by a native Alaskan about how they survived before industrial..."

I've taken note of this one :)

I read The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement. It's a fictional book about a manager who needs to improve his plant's productivity and maintain his personal life. The book is an entertaining teaching book about inventory management and other industrial engineering principles. I gave it three stars, but I found it a bit hokey. I would only recommend it to people interested in operations management.

What did you learn?
I learned that some traditional measurements may not correctly capture a plant's profitability, which should be the main goal.

Why is it significant to you?
I studied industrial engineering for my undergraduate degree so I found it to be somewhat interesting. This book was actually required reading for my MBA degree over spring break, which just happened to coincide with this themed read. :)

Encourage others to discuss your book by asking for others' opinions or view points.
I would encourage others to ask themselves these questions.
What is your company's goal/mission?
How is this goal measured/monitored?
Does the way that this is measured make sense with the goal in mind? Why or why not?

Emily, you make it sound almost interesting to a lay person! I'm helping my son's school find some improvements to make, and one thing that comes up is 'What are our goals, really, and do the things we measure reflect our real goals?'

Just popping in to say, I'm still reading!

Not ADAM'S TONGUE yet, as we're not on the way to Hawaii, and I want to get the most I can out of backpacking books as possible. I just picked up The Songlines, just finished Seabiscuit: An American Legend, and am in the process of updating GoodReads with the 9 other admittedly-romance books I've read over the week.

But within two days I'll start Adam's Tongue and you guys will all get my opinion on it. ^_^

I don't realize it, though. There's a difference between realizing you don't REALLY need (read as= I can live without it) a laptop/iPod/sketchpad and learning about racing in the 1930s.

And I can't exactly point anyone to a book about how I realized I can live without my laptop. XD

I've reached the part of my book in which one is supposed to complete exercises. That has meant that I've put it down until I could spend time on it. I think I'll finish reading it, then go back to it. Otherwise, I may never get to finish!

I didn't realize you'd chosen such a challenging book Lara - exercises! Homework! Good for you! :)

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "I didn't realize you'd chosen such a challenging book Lara - exercises! Homework! Good for you! :)"

I didn't realize it either! Of course, it makes sense; they lead you through some steps to figure out your values and how to match your lifestyle to them. They also have a website, and a consulting business (which I'm sure is quite pricey). Anyway, I hope to finish up today and post some key points this evening.

Looking forward to your thoughts!