Sunday, January 25, 2009

history

i'm reading several articles on the history of rhetoric and composition, and the split between speech departments and English departments over rhetoric. these articles are pointing out various histories and historical developments that ultimately led to the modern conception of the mandatory composition course. what is most interesting about them though is the idea that histories can be written so differently. that historians in liberal art fields can search the margins for those left out to tell their story to enrich our overall understanding of history. but most importantly that history is written based on the materials immediately available to the historian. if i have a different composition textbook from 1900 than you do, i've got an entirely different history to write about.

Friday, January 2, 2009

the golden compass

I'm not reading for enjoyment, a luxury not afforded during the school semester. I began reading the Golden Compass series. I blazed through the first book, and have now begun the second. I saw the movie first, but luckily the book is so different and so much better than the movie. I'm completely addicted to reading these books.