Regarding Illich's book _ABC: Alphabetization of the Popular Mind_ you
wrote:
-> Alphebetization is different than Deschooling Society.  ABC is not
-> explicitly about schooling.  It is an excellent companion (and may be
-> better written) because it traces the history of written language.
-> It is really fascinating because it reshuffles your idea about what
-> language is, and how, 500 and 1000 years ago, people's attitude
-> toward it and how they thought of it was suprisingly different.  So
-> much so, that you and I, in our modern world, can hardly conceive of
-> how somebody in the Middle Ages thought about language, and used
-> language, all the way from the lowly peasant to the king or monk.
I would probably enjoy this book much more. The study of language and
linguistics is fascinating to me (this was my subject area in my
undergrad work).
-> Ivan Illich's books are sort of hard to come by.  Good, used book
-> stores get them once in a while.  You can always find a copy in the
-> library.
->
-> I hope you enjoy it, and I'd like to hear what you think about it
-> when you're through.
Heh. I'm sorry if you thought I was going to rush out and get these. My
list of "To Do's" is a bit full, and I really don't expect to be reading
these any time soon.
However, I might get around to it eventually. Have you heard of Jonathan
Kozol's book _Savage Inequalities_? I had heard of that one a few years
back. It is supposed to be a very good book that details the injustices
in the ed system between the haves and the have-nots. I still haven't
had a chance to read that one, but probably will before the year is out.
Just this past Easter Vacation I found that our high school library had
a copy of _Amazing Grace_ by Kozol. Not specifically about schools, but
about disadvantaged people in the Harlem area. Excellent book. After
reading that, I am much more looking forward to reading _Savage
Inequalities_.
-> Have you heard of Noam Chomsky?  Chomsky is known for two things:
-> his socialist-anarchist policy (the new Chomsky);  he revolutionized
-> linguistics (the old Chomsky).
It sure rings a bell. Probably from my linguistics studies...I must've
heard of him then.
-> He's a brilliant, rational, fairly uncreative (unartistic) man.
How can someone be brilliant and uncreative? I always find that
brilliant people tend to be creative.
-> Anyway, now you've got an incredible reading list, right?!  Enjoy.
Yes, I'll stash it away for my retirement. ;-)
Sheila
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