I spent much of this month traveling. On Pacijan Island in the Philippines I stayed at an accomodation called “Camotes Cay Hideaway.” That’s a one-room property with a really nice view of the sea. I understand that it was built about thirty years ago as a summer getaway for a chiropractor who practiced in Cebu City for many years. He passed away recently and his getaway is now used by anyone who needs a quiet escape for a few days. I think the furniture still in use was all his… and also his books remain. I snapped a picture:
And another:
Judging from his collection of textbooks, this fellow was the oldest of old school chiropractors. I not sure I believe in the efficacy of this particular school of thought, but I wish I could have gotten the “flying seven” from him before his passing.
Perhaps after I pass into the next world by collection of books on the history of ETS will be read by strange tourists forevermore.
Not a whole lot of relevant reading this month. Sorry! But a few things are worth mentioning:
- Still following along with the Norton Library Podcast, I read Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” For a fairly old book, it’s still really accessible. I would recommend it to language learners who want exposure to some classic literature. It is easy to find, but make sure to get a copy with basic annotations to guide you through the tricky parts (and to explain some of the many literary allusions in the text). You could even get the super cheap Wordsworth Classics Edition of the book, which probably has enough notes for most readers.
- I read the August 29, 2023 issue of The New Yorker, which included a reprint of a very long 1979 profile of the silent film star Louise Brooks. Film fans might enjoy this one. Others may not.
- I put in a purchase request at my local library for the 5th edition of They Say, I Say. To my surprise, the library got a copy! This is a lovely book that can be a lot of help to students beginning their university life who need guidance about writing argumentative essays. This edition includes a new chapter on revising essays (which is a welcome addition) and a chapter on writing research essays (which should probably be the subject of a whole ‘nother book). It also includes a couple new sample essays. I’ve already endorsed the fourth edition of the book in this blog, but I mention the new one here just in case anyone wants to ask me questions about it. Note that they didn’t get the “with readings” version, so I don’t know about changes to those.
That’s all for now. But more in September. Keep reading. Let me know if you have any recommendations. I’ll track them down eventually.