Friday 10 July 2015

Family Camping

Nana and Papa with 10 grandchildren
   We have just returned from our annual family pow-wow.  It is the eighteenth year, and we are posed here with our grandchildren.  Some of them were not born when we began this yearly endeavour.
   Whenever I see the grandchildren, they want to tell me about what they are reading- or do I force that on them???

Matthew
Matthew, 13, is the youngest and is always reading.  He has finished one of the two books that are required summer reading- "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck.  This is one of my favourite books, and I was so excited to discuss it with him.  Alas, it was not to his taste.  Perhaps the age difference?  You think?  He loved "The Hunger Games".
David

David is 20, and has always been interested in philosophy.  Last year, he was reading Carl Sagan.  This year he is reading "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius (180 A.D.)  This quote is suitable for our family gathering: "Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart".

Keshia is reading "Revealed".  It is the 11th and final book in the House of Night series, written by a mother and daughter: P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast.
It is a very popular vampire series and Keshia has loved following the series.  She enjoys relaxing with these books when she comes home from her office job.


Ellen is 16 and always has her reading list available for the next school year.  Going into grade 12, the compulsory book is "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity" written by 2 journalists, with stories of the developing world and developing the potential of all women.  Well, Ellen has lots of potential and will find that book interesting.
She is considering Malcolm Gladwell's book "Outliers" for the optional book.  
Hunter has just finished his first year of engineering at the University of British Columbia.  He belongs to an engineering design team working on electric cars.
He is fascinated with the biography of the founder of Tesla Motors- Elon Musk. Hunter is passionate about what he is reading, but, alas, I barely understood anything he said.  His interests in green technology and space travel surpass my understanding, but I love his passion.

Erika has also finished her first year of university, but has the travel bug.  She will be spending 3 weeks in Denmark this summer.  She has read about Hans Christian Andersen and brushed up on his fairy tales.  Now she is reading general information about the country. 

And then there is Alden.  He enjoys reading, but is constantly writing.  He has a great imagination and a passion for writing. He is presently working on a dystopian novel. He sends me installments and asks for my opinion.  He is going into grade twelve and has been writing for at least five years.  He wants to complete a novel this summer.

The other young 'uns were busy playing soccer- no time to talk about books.

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