I have read several of Michener's tomes and enjoyed them. Now that I am retired and have the time, I cannot imagine myself picking up and reading such long things.

I do suggest to people who are going to Alaska for the first time to read his book about that place. In Sitka, he spent a lot of time writing and I enjoyed my day there having read the book before going there.

I remember when our children's school switched to "New Math".
What a mess, we complained so much that they went back to the old math, where 2+2=4.

West Gardener, I remember the "New Math", too, when our kids were in school. Now, I'm hearing about the "Core Curriculum", which makes "New Math" seem like child's play! There was a segment about it on the news, and even the teachers' are having trouble understanding it, let alone teaching it!

mwheel , I'm so glad you posted about the" Core Curriculum", I had not heard about that.We have an 8 yr old grandson, and he may be subject to the new, new math, just like DD was subjected to the new math.
It goes all the way back to lilo's quote, Versus Ruskin, 1878.

And probably way before that

This post was edited by west_gardener on Thu, Nov 6, 14 at 19:39

My kids missed the new math and my granddaughter was back in the old math, no great-grands yet. Seems it has been an ongoing battle for some time.

The Mitchener quote hit the nail on the head yesterday (Thursday). Went early in the morning with husband to rehab, they decided to keep him overnight and for the second time I had to sleep halfway sitting up. Then on the way home this morning I found out that the city starts picking up leaves on Tuesday so there go my plans for the next few days.