Boys In The Boat

 

A fantastic book I just read was Boys In The Boat!  It is HISTORICAL!  It is about the 9 Boys who are sent to race in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin!  They win GOLD!!!!  It is so riveting! I did not rowing was such an EXCITING sport to read about!  I felt like I was there!  The book follows the 9 Boys before the Olympics so you KNOW them!  You feel like you are right there with them!  You also get a sense of what the 1930s is like!  

The BOOK was so good and I just read George Clooney is going to make it into a film!  I literally cannot wait!  If you need a good book to read - read this one!

Welcome Back To School!!!

 

Importance of Friendship

 

I LOVE CBS Sunday Morning!  I feel like I've become an adult!  Growing up my mother made the family watch it.  She got to decide what is on T.V.  Well now I ADORE it!   I totally get it!  They have the best stories!  One of them is below - The Funny Farm!  This story is about a rescue farm and friendships have flourished!  Ones you would not think of - lion, tiger, and bears, and a steer and goat, an emu and duck.

It is the sweetest story, and the woman running the farm discusses the importance of friendships!  It is true for animals and humans!  Friendship has power and everyone needs friendship! I posted the Funny Farm video below and Christian the Lion's story.  I do not want to tell the stor, but if you have never seen it - please watch!

Safety in our World

 

I LOVE the idea of the power of one.  I truly believe we were all given a talent to share with the World!  Mr. Karakatsanis LOVES Safety for all, and crusades for it!  We all say to our self what the problem is and how to fix it, but that is it!  Mr. Karakatsanis is trying to do something about it!  

He has gained fame through his Twitter!  He knows Republican's will vote how they do - so he is talking directly to the Democrats about solutions WE know WORKS!  The video below is when he went on the Daily Show to talk about his ideas!  I am so impressed!  Watch if you can!

 

Under The Tulip Tree

 

This Summer (2022) I joined my Church's Book Club!  Wow!  Best decision ever!  The first book I read was "Under The Tulip Tree" by Mary Shocklee.  So GOOD!

This book follows a young woman who dreams of becoming a writer.  The book opens up on Rena's 16th birthday.  Rena and her family are getting ready, and decorating for the event.  Then you read no one comes!  The Stock Market Crashes!  This is a HUGE reason I love this book.  It is historical!

The story immerses you in the 1930s, and you get to read how people dealt with The Depression.  Rena and her family have lost everything, and she MUST bring in money to the house!  A former employer tells Rena about a writing opportunity with the F.W.P. (Federal Writer's Project) through the W.P.A. (Works Progress Administration).

The W.P.A and F.W.P were part of FDR's Alphabet Soup of the New Deal to help get Americans back to work during the 1930s!  As soon as I read that in the book - I thought to myself, Oh My Goodness Rena is going to interview Former Slaves.  As a History Teacher I knew the F.W.P interviewed former slaves to help preserve their history, and hear first hand what happened during Slavery.  That is exactly what happened.

The story follows Rena interviewing Frankie, a 101 year old Former Slave, and her story.  It is captivating!  Frankie's story is crazy, and you will find yourself not wanting to put the book down.  I will admit I was a little sad when I was done!  I wanted the story to keep going!  I cried, I laughed, and I Screamed at the book!  Read it!  It will not disappoint!

One of the coolest aspects of the F.W.P is the filmed Former Slave Narratives, and they are on YouTube!  Here is one!  Check them out!

 

Moving Mountains