Bill Moyers asked for suggestions for books that should be required presidential reading.

Thousands responded, and continue to do so on The Moyers Blog where you can view all the suggestions

Below you'll find some of the most popular suggestions and themes. From classics to comics — everyone seems to want a Commander in Chief who is a lifelong reader.

Here are the current top titles.

• Naomi Klein, THE SHOCK DOCTRINE
• Howard Zinn, A PEOPLE'S HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
• Kim Michaels, THE ART OF NON-WAR
• Jared Diamond, COLLAPSE
• Chalmers Johnson, BLOWBACK 
• Tom Paine, COMMON SENSE
• Al Gore, ASSAULT ON REASON/AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
• David Cay Johnston, FREE LUNCH
• George Orwell, 1984/ANIMAL FARM
• Naomi Wolff, THE END OF AMERICA: LETTERS TO A YOUNG PATRIOT
• Greg Mortenson, THREE CUPS OF TEA
• Barbara Ehrenreich, NICKEL AND DIMED
• Barbara Tuchman, MARCH OF FOLLY
• Doris Kearns Goodwin, TEAM OF RIVALS
• David Korten, THE GREAT TURNING
• John Steinbeck, THE GRAPES OF WRATH
• Ayn Rand, ATLAS SHRUGGED
• John Dean, BROKEN GOVERNMENT
• John Perkins, CONFESSIONS OF AN ECONOMIC HITMAN
• James Carroll, HOUSE OF WAR
• Thomas Friedman, THE WORLD IS FLAT
• Lao Tzu, TE TAO CHING
• Tim Weiner, LEGACY OF ASHES
• Dr. Seuss THE LORAX, HORTON HEARS A WHO, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO, IF I RAN THE ZOO

I don't agree with most of the books on this list.  What about:

Democracy In America

Plato's Republic

Aristotle's Politics

What books do you believe should be required reading for presidential reading?

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Goodreads' mission is to improve the process of reading and learning throughout the world.

Goodreads is a free website that allows you to see what your friends are reading. You can add and review books that you are currently reading, going to read, or have already read. You can also read reviews by people who aren't in your friend network.

Visit my reading list on Goodreads  OR  join the TJEd book discussion group on this website.

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  "The Golden Compass" is an upcoming movie, starring Nicole Kidman, based on the first book in the Dark Materials Trilogy by Philip Pullman. 

Each of the books in this trilogy becomes more provacative.  Although this first book is the least offensive of the three, the trilogy evolves into Christian bashing, extoling the virtues of aetheism.  The movie is a watered down version of the book and its release before Christmas is not accidental.  

Unsuspecting Christian parents, who bring their children to this movie, may also go out and buy the books for Christmas.   The movie is a lure to parents and kids to the books which promote an aetheist world view.

Pullman's stated goal is to undermine Christianity.  Do not be fooled by this man's agenda.  He is selling aetheism to kids.

Urban Legends has published a similar account.

Related Tags: literature, book clubs, reading lists, The Golden Compass, family reading family movies,

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And we're watching......

Books added to our reading list after watching this movie:

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Stephanie  tagged all of her readers for a new meme.  Here’s how it works:

Go to the advanced book search on Amazon;  type your first name into the Title field, and post the most interesting/amusing cover that shows up.

Look at this....my kids wrote a book about me and had it published!   Better check and see who's writing about YOU!  Leave a comment so I can see your book cover.

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How do you identify a homeschool family on vacation?  First of all, they're checking into lakefront accomodations at the resort while all the families with traditionally-schooled kids are checking out.  If you look through the windows of their SUV, you see books strewn from one end to the other.  And the HEAVIEST suitcase unloaded is not filled with clothes but more vacation reading!  Here are some of the books we finished:

DAD:

MOM:

The KIDS:

I consider the bottom row of books more twaddle than literature, but if you can't lay around  in the sun and read twaddle on vacation, when can you????

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The Power of Choice:  Milton Friedman

I've added his book  Free To Choose  to our reading  list this year.

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DearReader.com

Sign up for any of these email book clubs and every day you receive a 5-minute sample from a book. By the end of the week, you'll have read 2-3 chapters. If it's a book you've just gotta finish,  visit your local library or your favorite bookstore and pick up a copy.

Classics Club

Fiction Book Club

Mystery Book Club

Teen Book Club 

I've traveled the world twice over, 
Met the famous; saints and sinners, 
Poets and artists, kings and queens, 
Old stars and hopeful beginners, 
I've been where no-one's been before, 
Learned secrets from writers and cooks 
All with one library ticket 
To the wonderful world of books. 
~ Anonymous ~

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Have you ever studied geography through literature?   I've encouraged literature-based studies for years.   Here's a few reading lists I've contributed to recently.  You can too!

These reading lists are still in progress:
USA: State-By-State
Canada
Mexico
Asia
Europe
South and Central America

Maybe some day you'll be lucky enough to Land Inside the Pages of one of these books!

Related Tags: geography, literature, reading lists, cross curricular lessons

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Teen Literacy Tips  is a NEW  blog offering  the tools you need to improve reading instruction to teenagers.    A growing resource list is already up and a discussion forum will also be available soon.  As the mom of 14yo, 13yo and 12 yo children, I look forward to watching this project grow and participating regularly.   As a homeschool mom, I strive to promote critical reading of excellent literature for all teens.  And as a Literacy Volunteer for adults through Project Read, I dream of a literate nation! 

Related Tags: Literature, Literacy, Teens, Education, Reading

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Overcoming fear, surviving nature’s wrath, a boy’s love of danger….these are a few of the themes woven throughout Roland Smith’s newest book, PEAK.  I love Roland Smith, since meeting him last year.  Truth be told, this author is a boy at heart, in a man’s body!   His respect for the natural world is transparent as he presents well researched details throughout his past books.   Adventurous characters and twisted plots characterize his ability to capture the heart of readers at any age.  Smith’s books make great family read alouds, but especially appeal to boys on the brink of understanding what it means to become a man.

In this recent book, Smith’s own writing experiences sneak into the story line.  When Roland talked to my kids about his love of writing, he pulled out his current moleskin journal to show them how he keeps notes and writes in it daily.  The main character, Peak, coincidently has his own moleskin journal, which plays a central role as this Mt. Everest adventure unfolds.

Peak reveals many interesting geographical and cultural facts about Tibet and Nepal.  The science of high altitude survival is also fascinating.  Peak by Roland Smith provides multiple rabbit trail opportunities for families who enjoy cross-curricular studies.  More importantly, examples of perseverance and endurance, sacrifice and friendship give encouragement to young readers in their transition from boyhood to manhood.

Curriculum Guides for some of these novels are also available:

PEAK 

PEAK (student pages)

The Captain's Dog

Thunder Cave

Jaguar 

Related Tags: children's literature, meet the author, adventure, Roland Smith, read aloud

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