First Post: Brainstorming Goals

As I think about my A-exams, which are still a year off, I worry about my ability to retain material. Of course, no one retains all of what they read, but I feel like if I am going to put the time in to slog through 150 books, or whatever the final number is going to be, I ought to make an effort to keep track.

The other thing is that, regarding discussions I've had so far, my exams themselves will be largely based on my own ability to formulate questions about the material I'm working with, the themes and time periods I'm interested in, etc. So it is important that I actually work with this material, that I discuss it (with myself, at the very least) and begin to formulate questions about it.

The third thing is that I will be teaching writing for all of next year, and one of the things I want my students to learn is the value of writing down drafts, brainstorms, and ideas-- the value of writing even when it isn't 'required,' and even when it isn't 'good.' The value of writing as part of thinking. The trouble is, I'm very bad at internalizing this lesson. I know that it is so, I've certainly had experiences that inforce that for me. But I've never been able to make it a habit. This blog is part of an effort to do so.

I envision this blog as a combination of book-review type essays and more open-ended thought pieces. I want to get main themes and interesting points recorded, and also to give myself room to think about the material. I may post while in the middle of a book, or may reflect upon it once I have finished reading. I would love to see feedback on anything I write here-- it will be nice to have more voices than the ones in my head.