"The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking." ~A.A. Milne
Movie: Watched "Gran Torino" last night and liked it much better than I thought I would. I'm not a big Clint Eastwood fan (sorry...), but I liked him in this a lot. It's the story of a widower living in a rough LA neighborhood who befriends the Asian family next door. Eastwood plays the rough, close-minded guy with a thousand preconceptions and biases that slowly disappear as he gets to know his neighbors. A Korean War veteran, he becomes a role model to one teenage boy and helps protect him from a gang that's trying to initiate him. It's violent in a couple of spots, but the overall theme is a good one and the acting was great. I definitely recommend it.
Book: I'm in the middle of Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli - anyone read it? It's a YA novel that some of my former students recommended. Takes place in an Arizona HS and revolves around a new student - Stargirl - who is utterly different in looks and actions than anyone else the students have ever seen. I'm only about halfway through, but so far it's a nice look at the conformity of adolescence and how individuality is tough to find and keep but priceless in the power it brings one's self and others.
So...there you have it. If you've seen any good movies or read any good books lately, let me know! I'm always on the lookout...
2 comments:
Oh, loved Stargirl. I've been trying to get my son to read it because he likes Jerry Spinelli, but I think it's the world "girl" in the title that's putting him off. LOL
I've been tearing through the Uglies series this summer by Scott Westerfeld. I think summer is a great time for series reading.
I loved Gran Torino, and like you, I didn't think I would. One of the best movies I've seen this year.
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