Summer Reading List..?
As I think about my summer reading list – I want to be inspired. One book I am thinking about is Gifted Hands, The Ben Carson Story. The book is the story of Dr. Ben Carson. Raised in inner-city Detroit by a mother with a third grade education, Ben lacked motivation. He had terrible grades. And a pathological temper threatened to put him in jail. His mother convinced Ben that he could make something of his life, even though everything around him said otherwise.
I also plan to read Off the Couch, Back to Business by local author April Scarlett. It’s the story of how April overcame the setback of a failed business, making a conscious choice to change her future.
The other book I am interested in is The Lost Art of Reading by David Ulin.
Here is some rationale by Kat Fatland,
The Internet is to the book what the microwave is to the oven: Just because you can cook an entire meal for yourself in 90 seconds doesn’t mean it tastes better, and just because you can now read the Sparknotes version of Bleak House in under two hours and somehow end up with an A- paper doesn’t mean you’re getting the same experience. In a world full of instant gratification and hyperactive mouse-clicking, The Lost Art of Reading reminds us that we need to make time to sit back, contemplate, and soak it all in once in a while. Admit it: Your Lean Cuisine tastes despicable, and Crime and Punishment, in all of its 576 page glory, leaves a way better taste in your mouth than just about anything you’ll find on the inter-webs.
Any other “must read” books you think I should check out this summer?
Scot Graden's Blog 
How about Diane Ravitch’s latest book?
Diane Ravitch, The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education (New York: Basic Books, 2010).
And maybe some fun books too:)
My fun books tend to be kids’ books.
I’m looking to escape into a good book. I like fiction. I like capers. I don’t like anything that Oprah would recommend. I like suspense, but I feel poisoned by the cheap violence found in so many of todays novels.
Jonathan Lethem’s Fortress of Solitude and Motherless Brooklyn were two really good ones. Maybe I’ll check out his latest.
Carl Hiaasen is another guy who can spin a yarn. I’ve never read one of his books and thought poorly of it.
If you’re into a kind of cheesey private eye novel, Michigan writer Steve Hamilton has a good series of books about Up-North PI Alex McNight. Most of his books are set in the UP, so if you can’t get up north, you can read about it!
Hi Scot! Don’t forget to sign up for Adult Summer Reading at SDL, so we can reward you for your reading endeavors, too!
Every summer I try for at least one classic that I haven’t yet read. This summer I am reading Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver’s Travels.
For some summer suggestions–have you read the Steig Larsson trilogy beginning with The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo? These books have had a great buzz for the last year and for good reason. Fantastic summer reads.
One of the books that I booktalked for the middle schoolers is “Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice”, the non-fiction teen National Book Award winner for 2010. Great, accessible read about a little known story in our Civil Rights history.
And the book that I implore almost everyone to read– “Not Even Wrong” by Paul Collins. When Paul’s son was diagnosed with autism, he used this time period to explore how he was dealing with it and to study the history of autism. Incredible memoir and fantastically interesting history lesson.
See you at the library!!
Hey, Superintendent Graden!
My name is Jordana, and I am a high school intern through the Superintendent’s office at Pittsburgh Public Schools. I’m working with the Superintendent to expand her outreach through social media, and I am finding you to be a great example of a blogging Superintendent. Would you mind sharing some insight into how you built your readership?
Thanks!
Thanks Scot! Please let me know how you like my book. Hope you are having a great summer!