Summertime, and the Reading’s Easy
Summer officially begins today, a time when school is out (there are no classes) and people take vacations. For many, vacation means more time for relaxing reading, and the term summertime reading usually implies light (easy), enjoyable books. (“Summertime” is also the name of a famous song we talked about a few years ago.) Summertime reading is the kind of reading you can take to the beach (sandy area next to a lake or ocean), one that perhaps does not need a great deal of concentration (focus; mental energy) to understand and enjoy.
Philosopher and author Peter Kreeft once said that there are four kinds of books in the world. The first kind are books that are clear (understandable; comprehensible) the first time you read them, and clear each time you read them again. We might call these “easy” books, although that doesn’t mean they are not good books. The second kind are books that are clear the first time you read them, but upon second reading (the second time you read them), you start to notice problems in the book – errors or poor writing – and the book becomes less clear. The third kind of book is unclear on the first reading, unclear on the second reading, and unclear on the third reading! These are simply bad books, where the author doesn’t do a very good job of explaining his or her ideas or telling the story.
Finally, there are books that are unclear upon first reading, but then become clearer on the second reading, and even clearer on the third. In fact, this fourth kind of book gets clearer and clearer each time you read it, with more and more meaning found on each pass (each reading of the book). Some people would say that this is the sort of book we call a “classic” (great book).
We can probably all think of books in each of these categories. Our summertime reading may be any of these four types, but most of us probably would choose a book in the first category, or at least one we think is of the first kind of book and not the second or third. (Unfortunately, you usually have to read the book first to determine if it is clear or not.)
What’s on your summertime reading list this year? For me, it’s The Dummies Guide to Lawn Care. This is a book for dummies (stupid people) like me who know nothing about how to take care of the grass in front of their houses. I need to learn more so my lawn (the area of grass near a house or building) doesn’t die. I hope it’s easier to read the book than to mow (cut) the grass with my new lawn mower (see the drawing)!
~Jeff
Graphics credit: Reel mower from 1888 edition of Garden and Forest (and Jeff’s actual lawn mower); Wikipedia PD
June 21st, 2011 at 3:14 pm
Hi Dr. Jeff,
Thank you for sharing this idea. Recently, I started to lift weights at the gym. So, I decided to read “Weight Training For Dummies”. Like you said, I think this book is for people like me who doesn’t know anything about weight lifting.
PS: I tried to search “The Dummies Guide to Lawn Care”, but all I could find was “Lawn Care for Dummies”. Are these two the same?
Thank you.
**Yes, you’re right. I got the title wrong, which is further proof of my dumbness! Thanks for correcting that. -Jeff
June 21st, 2011 at 3:53 pm
For quite a long time my summer favorite books were Agatha Christie´s books. It was always a pleasure to read the human behavior and the
logical deductions of Hercules Poirot or Miss Marple and I tried to read the books on the beach sand surrendered by my little girls and Cuca.
May be these books belongs to the first group as I was never tired of reading the novels once and again and also the family was delighted
reading the same books.
Well I use to read Agatha books before I was married the same as Science Fiction books, one of my favorites novels when I was young.
Lately I have read Henning Mankell books, in fact the majority of them, as I think this writer has a high incredible ability to recreate our new
hard world telling us also detective stories situated in the South of Sweden, for years one of the Paradises of Democracy and some how a
North Paradise to live for people all over the world.
I have been fascinated with all his books specially all were the Police Commissary Kurt Wallanger has been the protagonist, a very human
person who is perfectly well described with all his human qualities and deficiencies.
To me the whole Wallanger novels are included in the modern classic literature as Mankell made a clear photo of what is the change of
Sweden/World society and the lost of values that were the support of our modern society or at least just what it was my own society
based in subjects that now are meaningless values ??in modern life.
Jeff, interesting topic to talk about also your new book is quite original for a teacher, is it possible your are going to give us new ideas
about the lawn care?.
I hope so.
All the best emiliano
June 21st, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Thanks Dear Dr.Jeff for it and all I learned from it. Actually we have no holidays on summertime; we can take some days off and go to a vacation but no free time as it is for schools and universities so I can’t do much.wish you the best on your summertime.
June 21st, 2011 at 11:47 pm
I’m gonna finish reading Amy Chua’s “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother”. It’s a controversial book about an Asian-American mother (Amy Chua herself), her view on parenting, her family and her two dogs.
I’ve already read half of the book and to me it’s a well written and funny book (I like her sarcasm). Once I’ve finished reading this book, I think I’ll get me some Donald Duck comic books. In my opinion
a comic book is ideal reading material when you’re on vacation. It’s easy to read, it has pictures, it’s (mostly) funny and it doesn’t weigh much.
June 22nd, 2011 at 12:06 am
Hello,
I went Yesterday to the public library.
I picked up The magic Mountain by Thomas Mann. I hope I will be able to get to the end this time.
I first read it in my teen but, at alf of it I gave up.
It seems that it is one of the most important books of the Twentieth cenury.
When I want to read a book, I usually choose a classic.
Bye, have a nice vacation/holiday
June 22nd, 2011 at 3:15 am
Hello Jeff, Emiliano and Ferdie
I am of the personal belief that having studies is essential to develop our talents even with clear books, and there are several reasons for that. First and for most I think studying as a hobby when we have extra time , like in summertime or bedtime studying, provide for us a relaxation which cause to remain in the mood of progress. Also help us to increase our enthusiasm to know more and improve our general knowledge. In addition I think clear books cause to develop of creativity just by releasing ourselves from cliches and think like children. I personally want to study a book about swimming and I plan to read 20 pages of that book every day when I come back from work. Finally I wish all people use from their time every 1 second of that.
Rasoul
June 22nd, 2011 at 3:41 am
SUMMER BOOKS: There´s a well-known author, non-american born, a very highly prolific writer indeed himself, who I would categorize between the first and second of Kreeft´s book categorizations. History has always been something that is a matter of interpretation and without a sided vision. I´m talking about the great author Mr. Isaac Asimov and his writings about the very early times of the birth and formation of the United States of America. Some people has been arguing that those books can be also considered as a genre of retro fiction on science history or something like The Dummies Guide to North America´s History but I am one of the legions of readers that enjoyed them so much those books, that it today I should classed them almost as to be part of the fourth category. I think that Mr.Asimov deserves having a dedicated English Cafe episode.
June 22nd, 2011 at 7:09 am
Jeff,
on the spot.
It is advisable to get a power lawn mower
The image you got upthere is good just for flat lawn and the blades must be sharpened after every 10 or 12 attempts.
You should hone the blades specially the middle blade
The down side to the power loan mower is the cord ,as the power part implies u need to plug the machine in an outlet around the house.
And the cord is a long sturdy cord that gets in the way more often than not
To solve that problem you always have the cord behind you. Keep it away ,at all times, from the running blade while cutting.
If the cord gets caught by the blades ,it will get severed
The plus side is you can use it in every lown ,more importantly you don’t have to be worried like all the time about the sharpening the blades or even worst
Filling up the tank of roping off the oil in gas power types
taking the labour of dealing with the gas power lown mowers is sth that I don’t recommend at all.
They are quite hassle
You should top off the oil in the oil tank and keep filling up the tank in every two or three time you work with machine
Trust me ,inworked with all three types as I cut the grass in three houses.
The thing about cutting the grass you must know though
Is a crucial fact
You know, no matter what type you use ,there is always a small stick that sets the blades depending on how short you wanna cut the grass.
In dry ,hot and sunny days always leave the grass a bit longer since if you cut the grass close to its bed(ground) the grass gets burned. By that I mean if you cut them too short in a sunny summer day the green grass will turn into brown.
Never ever set the blad to the short cut level
Set for 2 millimeters or up othewise you would ruin your landscape Jeff
It would turn to brown,trust me on that
Don’t worry your electricity bill won’t spike up using power lown mower. I m not saying it doesn’t not move at all . Jump ,but jump a tad
June 22nd, 2011 at 7:21 am
I bet ,you use the lown mower year-round
Because ,it is always sunny in California
Here ,it is a labour job of just two months since it is always snowy in Canada:)
Speaking of coast, what is the difference between coast,beach ,and bank?
For instance
When I was in Paris I used to walk by the bank by the river that runs through Paris.
Like everyday
The northen coast line in Canada houses a lot of cities
I make a castle of Sand everytime I go to the beach by caspian sea.
June 22nd, 2011 at 1:01 pm
This is my favorite passtime: reading a book, regardless it is good or not, mainly on Saturday afternoon. Reading a book leads you to another world far away form the place you are. You always take things from a book, good things and bad things. The former I use to follow and the latter I throw away, but there is a lesson ever to be learned.
Aecio from Beautiful green and yellow Brazil.
June 23rd, 2011 at 3:26 am
Hi!
“Summertime
And the living is easy
…………………………
So hush little baby
Baby, don’t cry.”
My heart is crying.
June 23rd, 2011 at 4:33 am
Hi! I don’t know why you seem to be ironic talking about the “Lawn Care for Dummies”.
It is a very interesting book (reading just its table of contents). Planning, designing , preparing, planting and lawn mowing are a real handicraft that it takes a lot of time and skill.
You must be happy having a lawn, your own lawn with the nicest fresh smell of mowed green grass.
All the best for you all,
Tania
June 23rd, 2011 at 8:25 am
Thank you so much, Jeff, for this nice and summery topic.
I think I might need the lawn care book because I love looking after my lawns myself.
Nevertheless, I am getting older and need to find some maintenance-free method of lawn care. You won’t believe how happy I was when I read from the internet that even small private gardens use Astro Turf (artificial turf, grass) now.
According to the wikipedia, AstroTurf was co-invented in 1965 by Donald L. Elbert, James M. Faria, and Robert T. Wright, employees of Monsanto Company which is a U.S.-based multinational agricultural biotechnology corporation.
Come on, Jeff, don’t waste your time and energy on cutting the grass with your first generation reel mower. The mower in the picture was exactly the same one as my first mower. It is good only if the grass is short already and you cut the grass every single day. You need a lot of strength to work that mower, it is a real workout. If you install some astro turf tomorrow, you can forget about the hard work of cutting the grass. More time to watch your favorite baseball team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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It is interesting to read about the four kinds of books. I never thought about that before. I will pay attention to this from now on when I have a book to read.
By the way, Lucy talked about a good reading book (The Road) in English Café 261 on WEDNESDAY – SEPTEMBER 29, 2010. Have you read this book yet? I haven’t because I did not have a chance to find the book, but I will certainly read this book if I finally have a chance to do so.
June 23rd, 2011 at 8:32 am
Hi Emiliano, I totally agree with you that ‘Jeff´s voice is like silk, soft, nice and tender reading these English Stories for Kids (and Adults)’.
I think Lucy’s voice is very soft and sweet as well.
I don’t know if you have watched the film ‘Peter Pan’, a story that tells about a boy who would not grow up. There is a girl called Wendy inside the story. She has a very soft voice when she tells stories to little children. Lucy’s voice is like Wendy’s voice, very soft when she reads stories to us.
I have been listening to podcast 130 – Allergic to Cats dated 10 February 2006 in which Lucy read the transcript. I know how soft her voice is.
You will know what I mean if you have listened to Lucy in some English Cafés including English Café 261 (The Road) , English Cafe 275 (SeaWorld) and 277 (X Games), plus others.
I am afraid I do not have nice voices like Jeff’s and Lucy’s. I hate my own voice especially when I listened to recordings of my own voice. I hope that if I listen to Jeff and Lucy reading the same story again and again, I will be able to copy the way they read, even if it is only a tiny bit.
******************
About the donation of five dollars to mark the 1000 podcasts, I had some problem trying to do that.
I went to the ‘donation’ part of this website, but I could not find a method to donation five dollars. It only allowed me to donate $10, $25, $50 or $100.
I picked the one closest to $5, and I have donated $10.
Has anyone managed to donate $5?
Anyway, I am very happy to have done my part of supporting this website. I am not sure it has actually contributed to buy even a small flower for our teachers because every cent must have been invested in maintaining this website.
Since Jeff has bought a book about how to mow the lawn, I think he will soon buy a book about how to grow flowers. He will soon have lots and lots of flowers to give himself and everyone in the ESLPOD.com team.
Thanks Jeff for doing that on our behalf. Happy Gardening!
June 23rd, 2011 at 9:41 am
Dear Tania, your heart is crying? is it true?.
Our poet is sorry and we don´t know what is the reason.
All my best desires to your prompt recovery if it is possible and you know well
you have here in the Blog good people who may listen to you always.
Bad moments make necessary to write as a therapy to release our sorrows.
Kisses, emiliano
June 25th, 2011 at 1:05 am
Hi! Oh, my dear friend Emiliano, your kisses help me very much.
Thank you.
Best wishes,
Tania