Yippee! I have done 3,086 very rambling throughout the day words editing posts on Blog which go back to it’s inception in the original Amateur Social Science Bookworm blog which was transferred to WordPress.

Intellectual input today: at least 3 Book Salons Stanford:Alice Rayner Phenomonology of theatre (interesting), Adam Johnson, and Tales of Ovid by Hughes (two academics supporting one another on podcast nice to see as lauding is habit de rigeur).

Current listen is David E Ebrey on Ancient Philosophy who is showing me just what this whole Philosphy deal is all about.

I notice he gives few readings but expects Students to learn to learn how to philosophize and learn how to engage with the texts which he adds wisely is not an easy exercise. He tries to open their eyes up to the fact that a 2 page paper done overnight is not quite the way forward but that one needs to engage thoroughly with the texts which has to be ‘very close and detailed’ look at texts (paraphrase).

A week on pages given but bit more is wiser.

Multiple choice sounds like Thou shalt know thy authors in fact just as academics do sic.

Chap hasn’t settled on rest of Readings (this would get me worried as I would be frantically ordering from Amazon). Go back from class and read what you have been reading after class. First read is practically worthless, read, and re-read and re-re read.

Reading on the other hand Kate style might be good because at least I can give broadbrush book reviews.

So to conclude: ought I to slow down Philosophy and other topic reads but throw in plenty of ego boosting booster texts e.g Novels etc that don’t require close and careful attention and SLOW down on Philosophy Now Forums and Magazine once I re-subsubscribe keeping a weather eye on the Amateurs published within the magazine and topics thereof.

316 words + 3,086 = 3,402 words grand total

I KNOW ALL ABOUT ACADEMIC WOUNDING……..

Greyfriars lady killing look. Maths teacher male who touched me up depriving me of much needed extra encouragement in maths. Family background in education and our family is renowned for our love of education especially the University the found of all love and affection. Evidence by massive libraries, adverse environments, took years of academic life. Relevant for all folks in ALL academic situations and circumstances.

129 words

From resourced School (Teachers TV) to ill resourced and marginalised and mainly distanced Adult Education.

From mainstream to the margins

From discourses to (remainder hidden for would be PhD reasons, I have to think PhD Subject etc even without proper things and knowledge aqquisition going on because ideas have been nicked, stolen, robbed by xxxx)

126 word Excerpt

Just think I book at a time. I am reading Ehenriech Nickeled and Dimed at the moment (Exploring Self in Society) and have 150pp to finish of ‘Fields of Reading’ As its the Summer hols I might ease up a bit and just feed brain every now and then

2000 Book Library what does 2000 books look like in practice? How does one actually work through numbers? What Strategy does one use in order to realise this?. What should one’s strategy be re different Subject areas how deeply does one read, assuming one can access 1) books 2) resources that come from books look at so and so and joe bloggs on x y z and joe bloggette on the x of the abc and and so on.. What in short should be one’s pedagogy?

If one is on a limited income should decisions be based FIRST on available resources ie what is Library at one particular time and one’s working through it? Is Wish Listing on Amazon and inspirations from Library Thing a good thing because you get some mighty clues as to where to go, or is it bad (too many inspirations, too little money).

Should one seek to answer specific questions? or float about more generally?

Maybe I need to make a slideshow of 2000 Book Libraries of academic books for inspiration?

316 words

LATER EDIT Friday Jan 2nd 2009 3:30pm

MIT OCW Theme: Exploring Self and Society which I saw as the most advantageous start off point to launch myself into some informal work based on provisions on MIT OCW site www.ocw.edu for more information.

Self and Society is the most relevant for my purposes since Society impacts Self and Self impacts Society whether positive or negative. (Bowie now on Youtube Playlist, was Beatles, previously Police and Sting Playlist).My questions are ‘How does Society impact you now with Credit Crunch?, various ISMS, statistical odds and probabilities, employment rates for disabled/mental illness. What kinds of things REALLY need to happen however improbable in order to survive’

This guy explains it like no other. A must for all writers not just those of Short Stories. Aim Atlantic Monthly or in UK Terms Professional Writer (and Academic by the way) the British Qaulity Press and Journals. This book is read alongside ‘Fields of Reading Motives for Writing Conley et al’ important point. It is also an American import of critical importance for us Brits usingthe stellar MIT OCW website by mining its’ riches.

How Tom Bailey helps the would be Writer in us all [academic, novelist too using MIT OCW Student).

First he shows us the various components of Story making from Character Construction to point of view to Voice. Then he illustrates it by some very good short stories, then I believe he takes us through Exercises designed to help us get the point.

As a Writer he is 10/10. Book Teaching Score 10/10.

Short Review

Word Count 201 word count

He takes us through the various means of Character construction, point of view etc (terms I have to get to learn having carved my writing foolishly on Nanowrimo).  The book as American has American authors. There must be an UK equivalent but as yet I have not found it.

LATER EDIT Friday 2nd Jan 2008 3:42pm

A

Current Count:( 27 )Books out of First Hundred Academic with Literary Breaks
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Books I have read 24 Last one: NIVEN Book 27 out of First Hundred (Academic with Literary Breaks)

Thursday, 13 April 2006
8:34:47 PM

1. DAHL ‘On Democracy’ Yale Noto Bene Very good indeed, well written readable prose (Ac)
2. WEST AND WEST ‘Four Texts on Socrates, Plato, and Aristophanes’ MIT OCW. Political Theory Course(Ac)
3. BURKE EDMUND ‘Reflections of the Revolution in France’ Oxford World Classics. An old Political Theory Classic (Essex)(Ac)
4. MILLET KATE ‘The Loony Bin Trip’ Kates searingly honest, disturbing account of her forcible sections on account of her mental illness. A vivid account of how a Professor is stripped of her academic identity in order to ‘fufill’ the perceived ID forced on her by concerned relatives. A book to induce campaigning.(MH)
5. MARTEL YAN ‘The Life of Pi’ An absolutely riveting story of a young Zoo Keeper/Zoologists account of being marooned at sea with Richard x a Tiger. Storytelling to open ones eyes.(LG)
6. TREMAIN ROSE ‘Music and Silence’ An excellent account of a forbidden love affair conducted in the German courts.(LG)
7. WOOLF VIRGINIA ‘Orlando’ A book for all those in Supported Housing considering time travel and inhabiting various successful identities.(LG)
8. HOLLINGHURST ALAN ‘The Line of Beauty’ Gay Love and Deep friendships with our friends the aristos of Notting Hill.(LG)
9. ROY ARUNDATI ‘The God of Small Things’ Booker Winner. I DID NOT like this book I persevered all the same. Something about the prose-style.(LG)
10. AMIS MARTIN’ The War against Cliché’ Vintage Random . A top class read that can be used to guide you into other worthwhile literary endevours.
11. PULLMAN PHILIP’The Amber Spyglass’(LG) His reading and academic background show in the quality of the story and length and breadth of imagination. This was a later book I wasn’t aware of previous volumes to be read prior to Amber Spyglass.
12. TAYLOR GP’Shadowmancer’ Or the most evil side of vicars you have ever seen. A disturbing but inadequate account of evil in the Church. GP Taylor a God TV Rick Joyner Cross Rhythms friend is just the sort of writer they need in their crusade against us.
13. LEVY ANDREA ‘Small Island’ (LG) A riveting account of love between the races in seedy run down London lodgings.
14. TAN AMY ‘The Bonesetters Daughter’(LG) MIT OCW Autobiographical Genre Author. (Ac) Life amongst the Chinese Bonesetters.
15. GOFFMAN ERVING ‘Asylum’ (Ac) What else can you read in situ An account to illustrate the behaviours of inmates which I saw as the local community split into 2 camps:Pro Office and Anti.
16. GRIFFIN SUSAN ‘A Chorus of Stones’ A sweeping sensitive scholarly theoretical overview of autobiographical literature . Definitely worth a read and refer.(Ac MIT OCW Theory of Autobiography and Practice)
17. CONWAY JILL KER’When Memory Speaks:Reflections on Autobiography. Another wonderful volume from our academic friends at MIT OCW School of Writing and Humanistic Studies. (Ac MIT OCW).
18. PLATO ‘The Republic’ A Mummy Volume. (Extensive Libraries to raid). Platos Platonic Idealism results in many people being thrown on the scrapheap as Society worships at various altars (Youth Perfection etc No Breakdowns etc). I feel this is an inaccurate but challenging account given propensity of people to break down and worse. A Homework Volume.
19. ANGELOU MAYA ‘I know why a Caged Bird sings’ Virago(MIT OCW Autobiography( ibid) An inspiring account of a young woman who perchance has soared to heights one can only dream of (randomly however!) A true Heroine.
20. THODY PHILIP ‘A Biographical Introduction to Sartre’ Leaders in Modern Thought. A thorough commendation to the Biographical Introduction in showing you how a particular flava of don arrived at his or her philosophical and or theoretical conclusion. An eye opener.
21. SENNETT RICHARD ‘ The Corrosion of Character The Personal Consequences of Work in the New Capitalism’ Norton New York 1998 A magnificent but disturbing account of the New Capitalism and its consequences for character. Its enough to put you off the job market.
22. VOLTAIRE CANDIDE‘ Wordsworth Classics Plain Vanilla Edition with minimal footnotes (Footnotes and Bibliograpy providing essential reading en route) A ‘Homework’ book like the Sennett above.
23. MILLS C WRIGHT ‘THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION’ OXFORD 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION
A book to use to’ scan ‘the University System and re-read again and again. This book has opened my eyes to what I shall call ‘academic sociology’ i.e Research based Sociology. And see it in action from the outside looking in.
24. GOLDTHORPE JOHN LOCKWOOD DAVID ‘THE AFFLUENT WORKER IN CLASS STRUTURE’ CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS CAMBRIDGE STUDIES IN SOCIOLOGY 3 1971 An excellent well written thesis of the phenomenon of the ‘affluent worker’ (might CHAVS and an increasingly aspirational working class mean this thesis is revised for 21C?). Lockwood and Goldthorpe demonstrate excellent scholarship, readable prose (cf C Wright Mills Sociological Imagination)and sound research basis. A book to learn from.
25. SYLVIA PLATH THE BELL JAR
VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED SHOULD BE ON EVERYONES READING LIST.
26. BAILEY TOM ‘WRITING SHORT STORIES’ MIT OCW ‘Exploring Self in Society’ Text Book. Bailey takes you through the whole process of writing short stories. An enabling and scholarly book.
27. NIVEN DAVID ‘THE MOONS A BALLOON’
Highly recommended autobiography. Add to Autobiography MIT OCW resources as an aid to working out Autobiographical theory and practice.