Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

If you ever need a little inspiration on your educational journey, I heartily recommend this book to you. Westover's journey is nothing short of breathtaking in its length and breadth. She grew up, unschooled in any meaningful way, in the back country of Idaho. Her father was a religious fanatic and an anti-government zealot. At 17, through the example of her older brother Tyler, she studied on her own for the ACT and on her second attempt scored a 28, which was enough to get her into Brigham Young University.

At BYU she discovered the real holes in her knowledge. Historical items that are background cultural knowledge for most of us were meaningless to her. This was not due to a lack of intelligence, but to a lack of being taught these things. I don't want to ruin the story by enumerating some of the shocking lapses.

She was also ignorant about medicine. Her family was against the use of medicine. They believed in being healed by faith. This included the lack of knowledge about the importance of proper hygiene.

It is a story of struggle and triumph. A struggle against physical, mental, and emotional abuse. A struggle against ignorance and stubbornness. A struggle against shame.

I believe that this book is important for educators and anyone who believes in the power of education. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.

Dark Night: A True Batman Story by Paul Dini

I was not sure what to expect when I first looked at this graphic novel. What I didn't expect, but most certainly got, was a riveting true story. Paul Dini, the author, uses the graphic novel format to write a stirring autobiography. He is not gentle with himself. I was intrigued by the story and impressed by the level of honesty Mr. Dini showed.

In writing about the tragic event where he was severely beaten, the author uses the cartoon and comic book characters he worked with to help portray his inner landscape. This psychological play is a powerful metaphor. The villains from Batman,chosen with great care, were there trying to sabotage him, and the Dark Knight was there with encouragement, insight, and tough love.

I would recommend this book highly. If you are not a graphic novel fan, I encourage you to give it a try. It is worth the read.

Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living by Nick Offerman

Sometimes I come to something a little later than everyone else. Case in point, this year (2015) I just discovered Parks and Recreation on Netflix. That led me to the good fortune of getting to enjoy Nick Offerman's portrayal of Ron Swanson, the Head of the parks department in the mythical town of Pawnee, Indiana.  That led to seeing his special, American Ham, on Netflix as well. Between that and my fiancee raving about it, I finally got to listen to Offerman narrate his book, Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living.

This book made me laugh. Out loud. A lot. It also made me think a great deal as well. While Offerman is often self-denigrating when it comes to his own intelligence, he seems to me to have the thoughtfulness of one who has spent a great deal of time in contemplation. He knows who he is, and he is comfortable with that person. He has his own strong, definite opinions, and is not shy about expressing them in a plain and blunt manner.

This book is part autobiography, part philosophical treatise. That does not mean it is dry or dull, just the opposite, in fact. It is extremely entertaining. It is also very honest. He does not try to pretty up some of the mistakes he made. He does explain what he learned from those mistakes that he incorporated into his life. I agree with many of the points he makes in this book, with many of his precepts for "living a delicious life." He has somehow managed to escape become all-consumed by his career and remains intent upon recognizing that there are more important things in life.

I would recommend this book to adults--it would never find its way into my classroom library. There is too much profanity and too many "adult" situations of one kind or another. If you like the character Ron Swanson, you will probably like the book. He makes it clear early on the he is not the character he so masterfully portrays, but the two men have a great deal in common.