Reading notes

I've been frustrated at not being able to remember which books I've been reading.  Our library has a "recently returned" section on our accounts and sometimes that helps.  It's pretty scary how bad my memory is (I'm working on some Alzheimer's prevention plans, seriously).  I've also been inspired by reading what people say about the books they read.  One of my favorite bloggers is making daily book notes,  and I've been reading Nick Hornby's collected book reviews (more about that below).  I wish there was some kind of social media app where people could make comments in the margins while they read, and then you could choose to read a book with so and so's comments.  Like borrowing a book from a friend who's made notes in it.  If something like that already exists, please tell me.  It might get me to try reading on a device. 

So I'm going to start keeping notes of what I read and take-aways.  They probably won't be systematic.

Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax:  This was really fascinating.  The subtitle is "The five factors driving the growing epidemic of unmotivated boys and underachieving young men".  So first he has to make the case that there really is an epidemic, and second that these five factors are causing it.  Its always hard to know how well-supported descriptions of social trends are (I have this problem when I read Malcolm Gladwell, for example), I don't have the energy or background knowledge (it's been so long since my stats course, and anyway my partner and I had a nice division of labor:  I did the math and she told me what it meant) to assess the studies that are cited.  So that doubt is always in the back of my mind, but I still want to hear the argument anyway.  The factors he presents are

Changes in the school system in the US, so that there is more pressure from an early age to do sit-down-and-be-quiet academic work.  Many five-year-old boys are just not ready for this, and so they get a bad taste in their mouth for school, get labeled as not smart or problematic etc.  They get set up for failure in school.

Video games:  they provide an escape, a source of adventure and a feeling of accomplishment that is more rewarding than everyday life.  But Sax cites studies that suggest that they actually affect brain functioning, in an area of the brain related to motivation and drive.

Medication for ADHD.  Those 5yos not ready to sit down and do letters all day?  They are often pressed into taking medication.  In studies with animals ADHD medicines have been shown to affect the parts of the brain related to motivation and drive (same as above).

Chemicals in the environment--in plastic bottles and foods act like estrogen with very differing effects on boys and girls.

Cultural changes make male roles in society and family ambiguous, leaving men without a clear idea of their contribution.

My take-aways:  A good warning about video games and guidelines for evaluating them and controlling use for boys.  Also need to think about environmental chemicals, and giving my 3yo boy opportunities to learn experientially and physically.  Interesting insight into why certain types of  competition are motivating in a healthy way for some boys.  I'm sure I'll refer back to this book as my son grows.  I also want to look up his work about girls.

The Polysyllabic Spree by Nick Hornby:  I read More Baths, Less Talking recently and really enjoyed it, so I decided to go through all his collections of book reviews in order.  I think that's what I decided, and from contextual clues I think Polysyllabic was the first book (loosing my memory and too lazy to double check...No I'm not, I checked and it is the first).  The book reviews are so chatty and funny, it's like listening to a friend.  The magazine the reviews were for, the Believer, has a no snark rule, and I really like that.  I suspect that it brings out the best in Hornby.  When I started More Baths I felt like I wanted to read everything he mentioned.  But on the second reading (before I returned it to the library, it was that good, though I have to admit I renewed it) I realized that, for some books at least, the best thing is to have him read it and then tell about it.  I liked Polysyllabic a lot, but More Baths is my favorite so far.  Will update if that changes as I go through the rest.  I often find when I like a book and then go looking for the author's oeuvre (what a silly way to spell a word) that the first book I read was the best (or at least the one I like the best).  But that is not always a disappointment. 

Take away:  Long list of books to read.