When someone asks me what my favorite book is I usually answer, “The one I am reading right now.” I am clearly a bibliophile. I have been since my first grade teacher, Miss Rice, with her marcelled hair pulled back into a bun and those golden-wire spectacles, took us to a place called the library. I stood in the children’s section and said to myself, “I’m going to read every book in here.” That never happened, but I had fun trying.
I recently got challenged on Facebook to list my favorite ten books of all time. I thought you might like to know what I came up with.
Book One:
I know without a doubt that the number one book on my list is Sandra Boynton’s picture book for children entitled, Try, Try Again. I found this book when my now grown-up son was a toddler and I have been using it in lectures, presentations, conversations ever since. I have it memorized, but then there are only thirteen words in the entire book. The story, cleverly illustrated with a few strokes of the pen, is about a tiny mouse whose challenge is to move the gigantic, purple elephant up a 45-degree hill. The message is clear. It is about perseverance and creative problem solving. Unfortunately, the book is out of print. However, I am lucky enough to have a copy of my own (not stolen from the library, although I would have been tempted), but given to me as a birthday gift by a friend who found this delightful charming story at a garage sale. It is a precious treasure.
Book Two:
The second book on my list is You Are Now Less Dumb authored by David McRaney. If you decide to read this book, you will become a believer that you can become smarter. I picked this book up about a year ago at Barnes and Noble. Thank heavens bookstores were invented. I was thumbing through it and noticed the first story was about Albert Hasdorf. Al is a very well known psychologist who worked at both Dartmouth College and Stanford University. When I met him he was Provost at Stanford. Al and I served on a private school board together. He was a man of wisdom and a fabulous raconteur. Here is a brief summary of the opening incident in the book.
It begins with the 31st time that Dartmouth College and Princeton University faced off in football. It is the last game of the season and up to this point Princeton had won every game. It was a wild, brutal game. As a result, there was at least one broken nose and one broken leg. Each side accused the other as being unbelievable bullies with unethical tactics. After the game, Al in collaboration with Hadley Cantril at Princeton began discussing the two versions of the truth, which were being published in various sources. Therefore, the psychologists decided to show the students a recording of the event to help them come to their senses. The psychologists even provided a “graphic organizer” to record the events, etc.
And, the envelope please… The students did not change their original opinions. Isn’t that fascinating? As individuals, we become stuck in our self-delusions. While I have always acknowledged that perceptions vary among individuals, this story reinforced for me how different our brains work and operate based on our level of knowledge and our previous experiences.
As a result, I am committed to helping myself and my students realize that their version of reality is unique to their brain. I want to fight (and help them fight) against “cognitive bias.” How do all of us do that? We read the counterarguments. We actively search for conflicting research. We build in “wait” time before making decisions.
Book Three:
Book number three is Madeline L’Engle’s, A Wrinkle in Time. It is a fantasy book written for probably fourth graders and above. Interestingly, I read the book as a college student delving into children’s literature in preparation for a teaching career. It is a book to stimulate the imagination and open the doors to creativity. Madeline is quoted as saying, “You have to write the book that wants to be written. And, if the book is too difficult for grown-ups you write it for children.”
Book Four
Book number four is Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls. This is a book for lovers of animals and is written for preteens and teenagers. I read it to my fifth/sixth grade combined class. We all (and I mean all of us – boys, girls, and teachers) sobbed through the last chapter. The ultimate lesson here is about determination and grit with a scattering of honesty and loyalty into the mix. The first draft, completed after 20 years of writing, was burned by the author. As the book is largely autobiographical, it suggests that often we are not the best judges of quality, when the setting is so personal. The title of this story is attributed to an Indian legend that claims red ferns grow only when love is sacred.
Book Five:
Book number five is Five Smooth Stones by Ann Fairbairn. This is a story that exposes bigotry at its worst. It is the tale of a youth who lives through the 382-day battle that started the Civil Rights movement. It begins with Rosa Parks (refused to give up her seat and move to the back of the bus) and the young minister Martin Luther King Jr. Although I read this to broaden my very narrow understanding of prejudice, it is a timeless story of love and hatred. It explores the complex ties of an issue that still exists. Not many years ago as director of a private school I was having dinner with a parent. She was both beautiful and rich — two things I am not. We were chatting about a variety of topics – exercise, books, food, etc., and she said “Anabel, do you know what it is like to be black?” She continued, “I get up every morning, look in the mirror, and tell myself ‘you’re black, deal with it”. I was shocked. Never in my entire life had I looked in the mirror and said, “Anabel, you’re white. Now deal with it.” This was an epiphany. I pledged to constantly be on guard against my biases. In fact, I remind myself of the words of Ann Fairbairn regularly, “Why, why why? Ask it of everything your mind touches and let you mind touch everything.” Ann only wrote three books. She is a perfect example of that old adage- everyone has at least one great book hidden somewhere inside them.
Phew, well I’m done. Books six to ten will have to wait until next time. 🙂
Love,
Anabel
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