Week 2 Reading Overview

What a wonderful assortment of literature...

With so many options, how can I ever choose? I've done my best, but I suppose I might always change my mind later. Well, without further ado, here are my picks for reading units!

Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4.

Week 3: Cupid and Psyche

Week 4: Aesop (Winter)

Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6.

Week 5: Sindbad

Week 6: The Life of Buddha

Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.]

Week 7: West African Folktales

Week 9: The Monkey King

Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11.

Week 10: California and the Old Southwest

Week 11: Alaskan Legends

Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13.

Week 12: English Fairy Tales

Week 13: Alice in Wonderland

Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15.

Week 14: Grimm (Librivox)

Week 15: The Decameron by Boccaccio

So, is there reasoning behind all these choices? A little bit! Many of the units, such as the Life of Buddha, Cupid and Psyche, Sindbad, and Alice in Wonderland, I am vaguely familiar with but have never read in their entirety. Others, such as Aesop (Winter), the Monkey King, the Decameron, and the Alaskan Legends are completely new to me but look very interesting! Some of the others range in the level of my previous familiarity with them, but most of them I have heard bits and pieces here and there without ever having heard the whole.

Of these, I would say that I am most excited to read the Monkey King, the California and Old Southwest stories, and the Life of Buddha. Buddhism is a somewhat familiar religion for me as some of my family is or was Buddhist. My Chinese heritage has me interested in the Monkey King, while my southwestern/New Mexican heritage has me interested in the California and Old Southwest stories, especially those of the Pueblo. I've heard a couple of old Pueblo myths from my grandfather who was an anthropologist and archeologist in New Mexico for many years.

Pima Grain Basket

I chose this photo of a Pima grain basket from the California and the Old Southwest unit because my grandfather actually has several similar baskets on display in his house!

Photo Credits:
Pima Grain Basket

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