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Erin
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I'm madly passionate about living literature.
Synonyms for passionate include; emotion, strong feeling, fervour, craze, enthusiasm. These adjectives certainly reflect some of my feelings about living literature.
Suzanne and I will be moderating Living Literature and we look forward to sharing our passion with you. We are eager to hear from all fellow passionate living literature lovers. If you are not yet passionate stick around and we'll convert you yet
I've always been passionate about literature, apparently I taught myself to read at age 4 and I've read ever since. I would often have a book under my desk at school and sneak a read during lessons. A favourite memory of school was in Grade 2 when I broke both my wrists and couldn't write, I was allowed to read all day for weeks 
The decoration theme of our home is - books. Bookcases are in nearly every room of our home full and overflowing with books, books catering for all ages and interests.
Living Literature is our particular passion with a strong emphasis on quality. Charlotte Mason's opinions on 'twaddle' resonate deeply. My children are quick to learn the difference  
As our children are getting older we can see very clearly the fruits living literature is bearing in their lives.
We are eager to hear from you. Are you passionate about living literature?
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Christine
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Erin wrote:
| I've always been passionate about literature, apparently I taught myself to read at age 4 and I've read ever since. |
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I can use the exact same words to describe myself and some of my children. My mom was English and, although I don't think that she had ever heard of Charlotte Mason, she used to tell us not to waste our time on "twaddle". She also used to tell me to stop reading and go outside to play. I now tell some of my children (one in particular) to do the same thing.
Like you, books can be found in every room of our house. Bookcases grace the living room and all of the bedrooms. I have to admit that our collection of books is not twaddle-free.
This weekend, I had to smile when my eldest sister asked my second eldest daughter, "How did you know that the thing that hangs from a turkey's neck is called a waddle?" My daughter explained that it had been mentioned in various books that she had read. This same child, has said that she learns more from reading for fun than anything else. I believe her.
I have to admit that time on the internet really minimizes the amount of literature that I read. I was happy to see the following in our parish bulletin yesterday, "Nonetheless, undertaking a small penance is most salutary (perhaps replacing some internet use with spiritual reading...)". However, I don't know if it would be a penance or a reward.
I smiled last night when I lay down to nurse my youngest to sleep. She crawled to the edge of the bed, picked up Brother Bartholomew and the Apple Grove, crawled back to me, and handed me the book. I read it to her, as I nursed her to sleep. I think that we have another growing bookworm on our hands. 
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Christine
Mommy to 4 girls, 5 boys, & 2 in God's care
Memories of a Catholic Wife and Mother
Pretty Lilla Rose
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JuliaT
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I am definitely passionate about literature. I am a minority here in real life. None of my friends share my enjoyment of well-written books. My sister, though, does share my passion. Actually, we just got off the phone tonight telling each other the books that we were reading to our children. We call each other often to tell the other a new children's book that we have discovered. I am thankful for this.
I have recently been thinking of the life lessons that can be found in literature. A recent example is found in The Wizard of Oz. The scarecrow goes to Oz for brains but all along their journey he thinks up ways to save his friends. The lion wants courage but it is obvious that he already has it. This example came in handy this weekend when my oldest ocmmented that she didn't want to do something because she wasn't smart enough. I brought up the example of the scarecrow and reminded her that we might not think we are smart enough (or brave enough, kind enough) but others do not see us in that way.
I am thankful that all three of my children love books and reading. We read a great deal in our house. It is the best time of the day for us. We always start our day with a read aloud as it seems to anchor our day. Books are also a comfort when you are going through life bumps.
I could go on and on but I think you get the idea as to how much books mean to me and my children.
Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3 (10,8,6)
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Mary G
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Ooooh, I am definitely part of this "club"! I've been reading living literature forever (ok, I am old!) and love to read to the kids. I think they didn't want to become independent readers because they were worried I'd stop reading to them ... HAH, they think I do it for them!
The one thing that makes me sad is how hard it is to find really good books today ... well-written stories, with well-developed characters that move the reader emotionally! Scarlett O'Hara is hard to love ... but Melanie was too simpy for me, y'know.
But now the books ... like many of the films ... are all about terror and monsters and things that go bump in the night with no deep plot/meaning but just a hook to get you to buy the next one. For us, who have each other to recommend books ... we're lucky. It's the aunts and uncles and in-laws who go to Borders or Barnes and Noble and find the "book" everyone is raving about and buy it for the kids and it's ... to be polite ... twaddle!  .
Oh, well, there is hope for the flowers ... they seem to be reprinting GREAT books like the Betsy Tacy series ... and there's always Bethlehem Books (altho their books tend to be slightly over budget for me).
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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Cay Gibson
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Mary G wrote:
| and there's always Bethlehem Books (altho their books tend to be slightly over budget for me). |
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Nice little Christmas sale going on there now: Christmas Sale!!!
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Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
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Erin
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Christine wrote:
| This weekend, I had to smile when my eldest sister asked my second eldest daughter, "How did you know that the thing that hangs from a turkey's neck is called a waddle?" My daughter explained that it had been mentioned in various books that she had read. This same child, has said that she learns more from reading for fun than anything else. I believe her. |
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We often have moments like that, they just warm my heart
Julia T wrote:
| I am definitely passionate about literature. I am a minority here in real life. None of my friends share my enjoyment of well-written books. My sister, though, does share my passion. Actually, we just got off the phone tonight telling each other the books that we were reading to our children. We call each other often to tell the other a new children's book that we have discovered. I am thankful for this. |
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Julia, I can't imagine not having friends who share your love of literature. Thank goodness you have your sister.
Mary G wrote:
| But now the books ... like many of the films ... are all about terror and monsters and things that go bump in the night with no deep plot/meaning but just a hook to get you to buy the next one. For us, who have each other to recommend books ... we're lucky. It's the aunts and uncles and in-laws who go to Borders or Barnes and Noble and find the "book" everyone is raving about and buy it for the kids and it's ... to be polite ... twaddle! . |
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Mary, I am SO with you on this  But I'll resist and won't start my rant. .....okay I can't restrain myself, I've just discovered our library has a button on its website where I can see all of its purchases for the last two months. I can't believe what junk they are purchasing!! And my poor husband who works for council oversees the monies spent (but has no control over purchasing) gets to hear my raves; and my friend's. Poor man
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Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Kathryn
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I would say I love books and always have. One of my few elementary memories is doing the caterpillar bookworm and being sooo proud I completed it! I've always loved going to the library too. I even remember once in high school when a boy I was kind of sweet on came by to ask me about this event at our church and I wouldn't even get my nose out of my book to talk to him! He left and my mom said I was so rude. I was like, HUH? Now, my oldest DD is just like me and there are times I've had to tell her to PUT THAT BOOK DOWN.
However, I'll say I *thought* I was passionate about books until I've read some of the posts here and realized my knowledge is soooo miniscule compared with so many of you gals. I certainly appreciate all the resources and links and insight to provide my children (and me) with a more twaddle-free library.
We do have books in every room too and one of the first things people see as they enter our home is one of those big, black, wooden letter word signs that reads "BOOKS".
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Kathryn in TX
(dd 16, ds 15, dd 8, dd 5)
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SuzanneG
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Yes! Passionate here too! It's one of my favorite parts of home educating!
Even though my kids are pretty young, I already see the benefits of lots of living literature.....beautiful words, noble characters, adventuresome thoughts and plots, and truths! Each book leads us on a new road, pondering, wondering, and making those words and characters our very own.
My dad was "a reader"....lots of books in our house growing up. I was a good student and really liked school, but I remember so vividly wanting those crazy teachers to just BE QUIET and just give us time to READ!!!!! Ugh...so frustrating! I now realize why my favorite teachers were those who gave us lots of WHOLE books and loved to talk about them! I remember being so excited to graduate from college and get a full-time job....cuz I would have so much more time to READ REAL BOOKS!!!! I was OBVIOUSLY in the wrong field of study!
I was reading Karen Andreola's Charlotte Mason Companion over the weekend. In the "Living Books" chapter, she writes:
Quote:
| Because as Charlotte reminds us, children are born persons--they are human beings--and the style of writing that appeals to them is that which includes the human touch. So we look for books with that touch of originality--books that warm the imagination. |
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There is so much wonderful literature out there! For all ages. This is one of the reasons I get all crazy about home education. We have TIME to READ! TIME to READ these great books! So many of our neighbors/friends (w/kiddos in school) really love good literature too, but they just don't have time like we do. Plus, school kids read what "everyone else" is reading, so they must be convinced that All-of-a-kind Family is REALLY good!  
This sort of learning, based on living literature, is so FUN to me! It IS work, of course, but FUN, as long as we have good books.
Charlotte Mason Companion wrote:
Living books have a certain amount of "play" in them. And just as "all work and no play make Jack a dull boy," all textbooks and no living books will make Jack and Jill dull children. Their minds might have retained a few facts, but will their minds be livened-up, their imagination warmed up, and their curiosity stirred up, to want to know more. To narrate from living books requires both work and play. The play is the enjoyment experienced in the literary aspect of a book that provokes thought. The work is putting the thoughts into one's own words, borrowing phrases, vocabulary, and facts, using a train of thought to sequence events or processes, and generally making sense of the reading.
When reading is approached in this way, it is looked at as an adventure. It doesn't quite matter whether the trip is on a rocky cliff, across a sandy beach, or down a shaded wood path; the mind likes to travel across whatever terrain is presented. The quickened mind is curious. And though one road may bring more challenging travel than another, nevertheless, each road is leading somewhere new, providing new knowledge along the way. |
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I have this on the inside of my kitchen cupboard:
**minds livened up
**imagination warmed up
**curiosity stirred up
TO WANT TO KNOW MORE!
This is what good, living literature does...it makes you want to know more!! It transports us to another time or place. It's the beginning of a voyage to me. And, I have new little travel-partners now! I'm so excited to voyage with my children along with all my "good ol' friends" and find lots of new-friends along the way!
I'm so grateful for all the resources out there (in-print and on-line), to be able to search for good, age-appropriate literature. I have found so many great books in this forum over the past several years, and have learned a lot from all of you! Thank you!
C.S. Lewis wrote:
| Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the deserts that our lives have already become. |
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Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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CrunchyMom
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SuzanneG wrote:
| Plus, school kids read what "everyone else" is reading, so they must be convinced that All-of-a-kind Family is REALLY good! |
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YES! Well, I've never read All-of-a-kind Family with my boys, but, even other homeschoolers get stuck reading what everyone else is. Or maybe they get stuck reading "older" twaddle, like say, Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. I'm not saying those books don't have a place, and I certainly am a mystery fan and read my share, but I regret reading SO MUCH of it. Its like eating snack foods. It isn't wrong to eat potato chips from time to time, but they aren't nourishing, and sometimes we get into a rut thinking we can thrive on a diet of them, yk?
Anyway, I have a hard time not jumping up and down when recommending books to other families because they just. don't. believe me. when I try to express just how good some of the other options are.
Like when I was speaking with an older friend who is a former teacher and whose children homeschool her grandchildren. I was saying how much we were all enjoying our family read-alouds, and she spoke of her daughters read-alouds, and I REALLY thought we were on the same page until I was enthusiastically recommending Swallows and Amazons, and she responded enthusiastically about how her daughter was reading her grandsons the Bobbsey Twins books.
I was SO deflated. I felt like Anne, "soaring on the wings of anticipation" only to be sent crashing down. To me, the Bobbsey Twins are a fun option for a voracious young reader who needs a stack of books you don't have time to pre-read. I probably read all of these books as a child, but there is no comparison in terms of magic, in my (stubborn) opinion. I try not to falter when I speak to people in real life and smile in support of any family reading together enthusiastically, but why will no one believe me when I recommend books? Why do they instead believe my friend (the dearest person, really, so dear to my heart) and follow her recommendation of The Bobbsey Twins? I think I answered my own question. I'm not nearly as sweet and kind and generous as she is.
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Lindsay
Five Boys(6/04) (6/06) (9/08)(3/11),(7/13), and 1 girl (5/16)
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[URL=http://mysymphonygarden.blogspot.com/]Lost in the Cosmos[/UR
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Michiel
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I have found my club. I've always been a passionate reader and am so lucky to be married to one. The first thing that everyone says when they come to our house is "My, you have a lot of books." My house would be a lot cleaner/more organized if I didn't read as much, but oh, well.
I'm feeling that I missed something in my youth because by the time I was 11, I was reading adult books, so I missed so much in children's books. I'm making up for it now, enjoying all the pre-reading I do, and passing it off as a necessary duty.
Michiel
mother to ds8 and ds11
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Topic: Passionate About Living Literature?
