Katy's post, postscript

Months ago, Katy asked me to come up with some historical fiction that could be used in a history class. I didn't forget, I just had a tough time getting to it. But now that I'm feeling better, I can finally reply. Or start to reply. This entry is the postscript, which I'm doing first, so that I can take this pile of books off my dresser. Really, that's the reason. After three months, I want to clean off my dresser---and these books sit, waiting to be blogged about.

I'll do the real list as soon as I can find it. It's in a notebook. Somewhere.

So here's the postscript. Postscript because I'm not sure this is what you need, Katy, but here's what else I was thinking about. It's not necessarily historical fiction and I'm not sure you can use it, but you might find something here.

For ancient Japan: The Tale of Gengi is your best bet. VERY ancient Japan courtly love. Very classic poetry and music themed. Very romantic, if you will. But I wouldn't use the whole book, or assign the whole book. Just assign the first chapter and have them do a short answer on it. Maybe a question about how this reflects the importance of the arts in ancient Japan. Honestly, I don't think most high schoolers could get through the entire book. I still want to keep looking for good historical fiction of ancient Japan. This isn't it, but the only thing I could find.

Late 1880-early 1920's in American history: You can't overlook Cather's My Antonia, about the immigrant family on the prairie. Cather is a genius writer, and the story is great. I'm still unclear what "progressive" is in American history, so I wonder if this is the time period you want. I would think that you AP juniors could handle this. Don't dizzy the freshman with it.

Ancient Islam (I think that's one you were looking for). This one stumped me. I tried all sorts of historical fiction---there isn't much, and I couldn't find anything to recommend. So give them snippets of the Koran. I studied the whole thing in a history of civ class and I really enjoyed it. I think most religious writing is absolutely beautiful, and the Koran is a shining example of lovely language.

You could do an extra credit assignment with your upperclassmen where you chose a few passages and asked them to compare the concepts in these passages with their own belief (or non-belief) in the Divine. Tell them you wouldn't be grading on their belief (or lack thereof), just on their comparison and their understanding of the concepts in the Koran. Hey, if you'll make the assignment due before February or after April, I'd even grade them for you. :)

To elaborate further on other religions (which have to be a topic if you are dealing with the cooresponding historic time periods)

Zen Buddism: Well Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Pirsig, of course. I could never get through this one myself, but I'm sure you could find a student or two who would eat this up. Not for the whole class, I don't think, just as an extra credit option for someone who wanted to tackle it.

And Taoism: The Tao of Pooh and The Te of Piglet by Benjamin Hoff. Again, you'd have to have students self-select into reading the entire works. But they are worth the trek to understanding Taoism.

And, incidentally, the best commentary/contrast explanation I've ever read, the most succinct yet interesting, about the differences between Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism, is found on pages 1-7 of The Tao of Pooh, in the chapter called The How of Pooh. Excellent contrast. That chapter would be worth taking in your classroom.

So that's the tip of the iceberg so far, Katy. I'll post the rest of the iceberg when I can unearth it.

Good Earth

Also in the beginning weeks of my morning sickness, I read The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck. I'd heard of this book---mostly from women rolling their eyes and alluding the birthing scenes in which O-lan, one of the main characters, gives birth alone in her hut and then goes back to work.

Simply put, The Good Earth is a classic. I don't know why it's taken me so long to get to it.

If I were still writing papers for my English classes, this would be an easy novel to write about. Using a historical approach, I'd say this novel, published in the late 1930s, is a reflection of the depression-era American psyche realizing its link to the land. Then I'd trace the resurgence in popularity in the 1970s to the Age of Aquarius "The Earth is our Mother" and "Rise up, Women, and stop being oppressed" thinking. Piece of cake analysis. If Kristen C. would proofread it for me, I'm sure it would get an "A".

Because there are a LOT of "The Earth is our Mother/The Earth is everything/The Earth is a being" undertones. Which is fine. It's also a classic tale of the rise and fall of Wang Lung, a farmer who rose because of hard work, and fell because of lust and greed (mostly lust).

There's fodder for a hundred research papers in this novel. For many, many book club discussions, and blog posts.

There's also (shocker) a prostitute. If that offends you, you'll see it coming long enough beforehand to skip it.

(Confessional: I didn't read all of this book either. But I read most of it. I really enjoyed reading about Wang Lung's rise, his struggles, his strength. I skipped over most of his fall---I was morning sick and in no mood for actions of a morally declining character which made me want to puke. I wanted to puke enough as it was, I didn't need any help. Someday when I can stomach the fall, I'll go back and read that part. But not the prostitute scenes. I always skip those no matter what the state is of my quease.)

Last note: The writing is brilliant. Truly. And the characters are superb.

Sarah O., if you haven't read this one yet, I think you'd like it. Glad you liked Ender's Game.

Vindication

So a recent study out says that airline pilots who ate a high-fat diet did better under stressful conditions that pilots without the high fat in their diets.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iyc_OWa8mklMHzd6ERMgFTr72WNgD9B5QI100

You mean that the brain, consisting of fat, does better when the body has some fat in its system? Go figure.

No wonder why I just wanted Wheat Thins and tubs of cream cheese when writing my thesis. See? It was all about my brain.

And no wonder pregnant and nursing moms crave fatty foods---the moms' bodies are making the brains of their little babes.

So you can just pass those Guittard bittersweet chocolate chips right over here.