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The Silmarillion
Who out there has read or wanted to read 'The Hobbit' or even 'The Lord of the Rings'? You have probably read 'The Hobbit' in some form in elementary school and even 'The Lord of the Rings' in high school. 'The Silmarillion' is written by J.R.R. Tolkien but the edition I read was edited by his son Christopher Tolkien. Basically, this is the very beginning of the adventures that Frodo and Bilbo will try to figure out way in the future of 'The Lord of Rings' and 'The Hobbit'.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Now We Are Six
'Now We Are Six' is another book of poems written by A.A. Milne for his son Christopher Robin. It is a book of verses that will take you back to your early days and wonder what if. There are short poems and there is story poems. In this volume as the last volume of 'When We Were Very Young' Pooh Bear makes his appearance a few times looking for his friend. I have also read this volume of poems many times over the years and I believe that both these books of verse is one reason I am a poet, a writer, and a reader.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
When We Were Very Young. Top Story - May 2024.
In another box set that my parents got me when I was younger contained four books by A.A. Milne. 'When We Were Very Young' is a collection of poems that Milne wrote for his son Christopher Robin. This is a book that is full of references to Mr. Edward Bear, but a lot of the poems give some various descriptions of life of a very young child and where, when, how and why they do what they do. The illustrations are quite cute for you can see what Christopher Robin is and may be thinking. Also, Pooh Bear does make his self-known at various points. I have read these verses many, many times over the years and each time make me feel good about myself.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Eighth grade
Eighth grade my last year in what is known as middle school aka junior high. This is a transition year for most students for high school starts the next year. This is year that was all about learning more about the state that you live in from its' history to its' government. Our voices were all changing for the boys and the girls, and you would think that some us were actually left behind again for some reason some students did not fit for good reason (they seemed to adult looking) in many ways. Our various talents were tested from writing, singing or playing an instrument, or drawing and painting along with the practical arts of mechanical drawing and/or home economics. When I was in school, boys had industrial arts and girls had home economics. In the seventh grade my homeroom was the home economics room and I saw how to operate a sewing machine along with a washer and dryer. I knew how to cook and clean up the kitchen at home for I was a latchkey child to a point.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Seventh Grade
To me Seventh grade was the real beginning of middle school for one thing there was a new school with a different setup and new lockers for in sixth grade even though we switched classes we still kept our books and coats and lunches in our homerooms back then. We were treated differently more grown up. There was new equipment to use and learn. This was the beginning of what was known as open classrooms. There were two huge rooms that could be eight regular size classrooms (four classrooms in each large pod. Seventh grade was also when it seemed hormones seemed to flourish both physically and mentally and emotionally and even socially and some kind of felt left behind.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Sixth Grade
My sixth grade year was actually the start of my middle school/junior high years. This was the first year that I changed classes with each a separate teacher both male and female. I went from a 'grammar school' where my fifth grade stayed in one room to a building where we got to change rooms and learn in different ways. I mean one teacher still stood in front of the classroom while some teachers believed in group learning and doing various projects. It was a fun year for when seventh grade slowly approached there will be a new actual middle school.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
The Diary of Clotee, A Slave Girl
Just finished reading a youth book that is entitled 'Dear America A Picture of Freedom- The Diary of Clotee, A Slave Girl. This is the story of a slave girl who learned to read and write while doing her job as a fanner (someone who had a big fan and waved over a person to keep that person cool) living at the Belmont Plantation in the state of Virginia 1859. Clotee had her Aunt Tee and Uncle Heb and a few friends that helped pass the days till freedom came while doing all the Big House chores and just being safe right before the War Between the States. At the end of the book there is a recipe for Sweet Potato Pie, a song 'Go Down Moses' and a few other notes.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
The Art of Unit Testing
'The Art of Unit Testing' written by Roy Osherove and Vladimir Khorikov is a computer book that teaches how to write and use unit testing in forming many kinds of programs and codes to see what passes and/or fails in various programs created. The code chunks were easy to understand and learn from for Roy and Vladimir are writers that teach their subject. You will learn all about stubs and mocks and how they can work together. The main computer language he based this book on was Jest. I reviewed this book as it was being written and I re-read it now and I learned even more.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Geometry for Programmers
Here is another computer book that I reviewed for manning.com. This one is entitled 'Geometry for Programmers' written by Oleksandr Kaleniuk. So, who remembers their geometry course from high school? To be honest I was a business studies student in high school and did not take geometry, but I do remember other students complaining and it seemed a lot about this course. This book will give a very basic review of the basic and how it fits in with computer programming. The code is easy to understand the author teaches as he writes. There are many mini summaries throughout the chapters as well as at the end each chapter for even better understanding of the subject covered. I am thinking about trying to draw some of the illustrations as artwork that is what to me geometry is all about shapes in many contours and the vocabulary was another way that I may share some ideas, as in Spline.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Statistics Slam Dunk
Here is a computer book entitled 'Statistics Slam Dunk' written by Gary Sutton. This is a computer book that teaches as you read. The basic premise is to teach you basic statistics through all the facets of pro basketball. To me it was a fun way to learn what could be a boring subject. The reader will learn many statistical tests for the simple t-test to Cohen's D. The code is also easy to read and understand for the author explains it after it is presented. This is also a book I reviewed for manning.com.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
Dark Witch
Nora Robert's wrote the novel 'Dark Witch' that is about a women named Iona, an American with Irish descendant who traveled to Ireland to seek out some family answers. This is a romance story with a lot of family interests and how family and friends can see each other for who they are. As the title offers it is a story of witches and dark magic. The reader at times will even read the magic spells as if they were using the spell for the rhythm of words will have that effect. Nora Robert's and the way she has of writing her books will have you thinking that you are in Ireland experiencing what Iona and hers are experiencing.
By Mark Graham2 years ago in Critique
