Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Non Fiction / Literatura Faktu

Non Fiction

January 6, 2010

 

What is it about getting older and liking non-fiction books?  Things just don't seem meaningful enough when they are not real, I guess.  Samuel must be getting older too, because he is reading the nonfiction along with me and loving it.

 

I found a new author that both Samuel and I thoroughly enjoy.  Susan Campbell Bartoletti.  I found her when I checked out a young adult book called "The Boy Who Dared" which gives a true account of a Mormon Hitler Youth.  The book is considered historical fiction because the author makes up the boy's thoughts, but it is based on real people, real story and even has real photographs

 

I picked up the book because of a Sunday school lesson about obeying the law of the land.  During class I mentioned that there are exceptions to this rule, as in Nazi Germany.  It was fascinating to read about the dilemma that probably went on in the boy's mind about keeping the law and loving one's country and yet daring to oppose it. 

 

Next I read "Black Potatoes" by the same author; a nonfiction book about the Great Irish Famine.  I was so mad at England and its laws that destroyed a beautiful country like Ireland.  The book almost made me sympathize with the IRA. 

 

Then we read "Kids on Strike" and "Growing Up in Coal Country" (also by Susan Campbell Bartoletti) about the dire working conditions for children and adults in the 1800's and 1900's here in America.  As much as I agree with  the capitalist theories, I have to say that the early capitalists brought socialism upon themselves, and rightly so.  You can thank the early capitalists for the socialism we now enjoy. :)

 

And last but not least, Samuel and I devoured a book called "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman. It is a true account of a man who got a three and a half foot iron spike shot through his head and survived back before doctors washed their hands or knew anything about medicine.  Not only was the story fascinating, but it also educated us about brain science.  

 

Sylwia

 

 

Literatura Faktu

6 Styczen 2010

 

Nim bardziej sie starzeje, tym bardziej lubie czytac literature faktu.  Mniej mnie wymyslone opowiescie interesuja.  Wole czytac o prawdziwych opowiesciach.  Moj syn Samuel tez pewnie sie starzeje bo on razem ze mna czyta te prawdziwe opowiescie i tez je bardzo lubi. 

Znalazlam autorke kotrej ksiazki mi i Samuleowi sie bardzo podobaja.  Ona nazywa sie Susan Campbell Bartoletti.  Przecztalismy jej ksiazke "Chopiec Co Sie Odwazyl" o chlopcu co byl zmuszony zapisac sie do hitlerowskiej organizacji dla molodzierzy, choc mu sie to nie podobalo.  On byl czlonkiem mojego kosciola ktory uczy ze musimy przestrzegac praw naszego kraju. 

 

W  niedziele ja wlasnie mialam lekcje w kosciele o przeztrzeganiu prawa nawet jak nam sie prawo nie podoba.  Ja komentowalam ze to nie jest regula na sto procent bo przecierz czlonkowie kociola w niemczech w czasie drugiej wojny swiatowej nie mogli  zawsze przestrzegac praw swojego kraju i byc dobrymi ludzmi.  W tej ksiazce jest opisany dylemat tego mormonskiego chopca:  mam sluchac swojego sumienia czy mam przestrzegac prawa mojego kraju?  Ksiazka jest napisana o prawdziwym chopcu, o innych prawdziwych ludziach, i ma nawet prawdziwe zdjecia.

 

Nastepna ksiazke ktora Samuel i ja przeczytalysmy tej samej autorki, to "Czarne Ziemniaki" o tym jak glod byl w Irlandi jak ich ziemniaki w ziemi zgnily kilka lat pod rzad.  Jestem bardzo zla na Wielka Brytanie i jej prawa ktore zniszczyly taki piekny kray jak Irlandia wiele lat temu.  Jestem teraz nawet jestem troche sympatyczna terorystycznej grupie IRA.

 

Potem przeczytalimsy "Dzieci Strajkuja" i "Dorastajac w Kraju Wegla" tez napisane przez ta sama autorke, o tym jak dzieci i dorosli pracowali w czasie rewolucji przemyslowiej tu w Ameryce.  Choc ja sie zgadzam z teoriami kapitalizmu, musze powiedziec ze socialism to jest wina tych wczesnych kapitalistow.  Oni tak wykorzystywali pracownikuw ze socialism powstal.

 

Ostatnia ksiazke co przeczytalismy to "Phineas Gage" napisana przez John Fleischman.  To prawdziwa opowiesc o czlowieku przez kotrego muzg i czaske przeszedl wielki kawal zelaza i on nie umarl.  To sie stalo w 19 wieku kiedy lekarze nie myli rak i  nic nie wiedzieli o tym jak chorych leczyc.  Nie tylko byla to fascynuajaca opowiesc ale tez duzo sie nauczylismy o muzgu.   

 

Sylwia

 

3 comments:

Brandi said...

Ooh, I'm glad you posted about The Boy Who Dared because I keep forgetting to tell you something.

After you told me about it (and the Sunday School class), I was talking with Will about it, and this was his opinion of it:

Hitler and the Nazi's did not take over forcefully, nor did they take over over night. The people of Germany knew that Hitler's Regime was breaking the law by amassing tanks and an army long before the holocaust began. There was a large window of time when the people could have changed the government through lawful means, but because they were experiencing prosperity after the war they turned a blind eye to the fact that Hitler and his regime was going against the treaties set up at the end of WWI. Basically they chose comfort and prosperity over the law until they were no longer in a position to change the law.

If they had followed the commandment to ALWAYS follow the law, there never would have been Nazi Germany in the first place.

Tina said...

I just put that book on hold at the library thanks!

I really want you to finish Three cups of Tea. I can't wait to talk with you about it.. Let me know when you are done. I will let you know when I have finished "The Boy who dared."

Becky said...

How Interesting!! I will have to pick up some of these books. They sound like great book club books too. Thanks for your recommendation!