Tag: books

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History of Book Clubs (VIDEO)

People have been getting together to discuss texts in newspapers, books, and letters since the invention of the printing press. Dennis Adams over at the Beaufort County Library website wrote a brief article on the history of book clubs, mentioning “literary salons of Paris,” which were social gatherings of the higher class (writers, politicians, artists) that were done regularly in a private place of residence. In some of these gatherings, the hostesses were authors themselves. Coffee house settings were also popular, although slightly less formal, and more common among the men. Keep reading to see how Book Clubs have shaped our literary society:

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15 Tips for Understanding College Reading

Academic reading is hard.

We all know it, and we all have struggled at some point with the intense rhetoric. Some of us push through until we understand. Most of us throw our books down, give up, and resign ourselves to the idea that we’ll never graduate.

Luckily for those of us that have a hard time, the fine folk over at Texas State University posted some helpful hints on how to get through the reading and come away with better comprehension. See it below, modified by the Honors Grad team:

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6 books to read in your 20s

Now that we know why we should read, we have our next question: What should we read? Below is a list of 6 books to help cement life skills and take a 20-something-year-old on a few adventures to boot:

Franny and ZooeyThe Book:

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

The Lesson:

The book is two short stories. The “Franny” side shows how Franny Glass changes throughout her college education. It’s easy to connect to her character, as we’ve all probably experienced similar feelings.

The “Zooey” side tells the answers to Franny’s questions and is the “disaffected” young man that most 20-somethings experience at some point during our education.

the Language of FlowersThe Book:

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The Lesson:

Anyone can grow into something beautiful. This book follows an orphan child who has nothing, but her penchant for flowers. As she struggles to overcome her past, she is able to help others with the gifts she has.

OutliersThe Book:

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell

The Lesson:

Change the way you think about success and chasing your dreams. A non-fiction approach that leaves you inspired to go and grab your future.

Dandelion WineThe Book:

Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury

The Lesson:

Don’t forget to savor your youth while your fighting to be an independent adult. The book is nostalgic and reminiscent of childhood, even if you didn’t share the same experiences. Told as a children’s story for adults.

The Unlikely PilgrimageThe Book:

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce

The Lesson:

It focuses on the value of friendship, humility, self-forgiveness and human kindness over the span of lifelong commitments.

All my friends are Super heroesThe Book:

All My Friends Are Superheroes by Andrew Kaufman

The Lesson:

A brief book on a non-traditional love story that will maybe not teach any profound lessons, but is a joy to read!

If you read or have read any of these books, feel free to share your comments down below!

Featured Image: Ginny

 

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Why Summer Reading Is Important In Our YouTube Age

From the beginning of education, children are assigned reading materials to complete over the summer in preparation for the next term’s classes. Most children find that doing summer reading in elementary school isn’t difficult, but as they get older, a social stigma develops and it becomes less convenient to read over the summer. In college, it is almost unheard of for students to purchase text books early and begin reading the material for the classes. Teachers at upper levels don’t require summer reading, because with age come more responsibilities that leave little time for reading.

Most sources agree that the biggest benefit that comes from reading is a higher intelligence and greater general knowledge than those who don’t read regularly. Fellow blogger Glen Stansberry at LifeDev.net had this to say about the wealth of knowledge open to anyone with a library card:

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