Thursday Tea (June 2): Nilda

Posted by Anastasia on June 2, 2011 2 Responses »

Jun 022011

The book: Whoops! I’m actually quite distracted today because I’ve begun listing things for sale on eBay in hopes to get rid of some things (and make some dosh) before I try moving in August. So I haven’t been reading quite as much today as I might have otherwise!

Nevertheless, I’m currently a bit into Nilda by Nicholasa Mohr, one of my BEA 2011 books. It’s a reprinting– the original was published in 1973– and I’m really excited to be able to read it. It’s about a young Puerto Rican girl living in New York City in the 1940s, and so far I’m enjoying it.

The tea: I discovered a secret stash of Earl Grey my mother hid behind some cans! Ha!

Do they go together? To be honest, not really. It’s summertime in the part of the book I’m currently at, and hot tea just doesn’t go with the descriptions of intense heat described in the book. We’re moving into September in the book now, though, so maybe it’ll be a better match later on.

Other tea drinkers

Whitney is drinking Taylors of Harrogate’s Yorkshire Tea and reading Pride & Prejudice!

(Leave a link to your TT post in the comments and I’ll add you to the tea drinkers list!)

Classroom Takeover: Anthropomorphism 101

Posted by Anastasia on June 1, 2011 13 Responses »

Jun 012011

Welcome to June’s installment of Classroom Takeover, a monthly feature here at Birdbrain(ed) Book Blog! Every month, a new blogger creates an ideal college class featuring a subject, author, or genre that they think doesn’t get enough attention in mainstream college classes.

This month’s classroom takeover comes from Jill of Fizzy Thoughts! You may know her better as “softdrink”– anyway, she’s got a class ready that I wish someone would actually teach, because I really want to take it. When I think of “anthropomorphized animals” I normally think of cutesy kids books; things I occasionally enjoy reading, but nothing I’d really want to take a class on. But Jill? Has totally picked out the cool anthropomorphized animals books. These books don’t just have talking animals in them: they also kick your brain into high gear and make you think deep thoughts. Check it out:

Anthropomorphism 101

Intro

There is a long literary tradition of anthropomorphism (applying human characteristics to non-human or non-living things), especially when it comes to animals. Aesop’s Fables is a great example of an ancient literary work that employs anthropomorphism. Yet, there have been a spate of dog and cat narrated books that seemingly owe some of their popularity to the “uniqueness” of having an animal tell their story. Continue reading »