GOOD-BYE TO OLD PEKING: THE WARTIME LETTERS OF U.S. MARINE CAPTAIN JOHN SEYMOUR LETCHER, 1937-1939

Customer Reviews:

Big Frog in a Small Pond.......2005-09-01

Life in Peking (Beijing) China before World War II was the ultimate big frog in a small pond experience for Europeans and Americans. Persons of modest means and position, such as Marine Captain John Letcher, could live like pashas on a modest salary. Moreover, Peking had fabulous art, architecture, food, and a glorious culture to enjoy.

Life was not nearly so good for the Chinese and that was why Letcher was there. He was a member of a US Marine Corps contingent with the mission of protecting foreigners and property. The Chinese had the disconcerting habit of rising up occasionally and killing the Westerners enjoying their bounty. Captain Letcher's tour in Peking was made memorable by the beginning of World War II when Japanese and Chinese troops clashed at Marco Polo Bridge, just outside Peking. What is perhaps most remarkable is how little the war between China and Japan disrupted the good life of the foreigners inside the walls of Peking although there is a sense of gathering doom in Letcher's account.

This book consists of Letcher's letters and diary entries from 1936 to 1939. A lengthy introduction, a few photos and maps, extensive footnotes, and a bibliography supplement the text. Letcher has no startling insights or wisdom to impart, but his stories of daily life conjure up life in Peking pretty well and his eye-witness observations of the war are interesting. "Goodbye Old Peking" is a well done book of interest to scholars and those of us who are fascinated by old time China and the Westerners who lived there.

Smallchief

Very readable, & descriptive of the times in pre-WWII China.......1999-02-25

Mr. Letcher's letters were written in a style that gives the reader a "visual" description of pre World War II China. Although some of his opinions may not be politically correct by todays standards, I think he honestly expresses his feelings of the people and surroundings at the time. Some of his predictions regarding the upcoming war are almost right on--however his prediction that California would eventually be captured by the Japanese happily did not come true. Regardless of Mr. Letcher's personal opinions, his letters are well written and gives the reader the feeling of being there. A good story. The editors did a great job of keeping the story on track, and the footnote information was very informative (Their references led me to several other publications which I subsequently read). The copy I read was from the public library. I plan to buy the book for my collection in the near future.

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Thus Spake Zarathustra
Frederiche Nietzsch
Manufacturer: E P Dutton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0460008927

Book Description

In At the Will of the Body, Arthur Frank told the story of his own illnesses, heart attack and cancer. That book ended by describing the existence of a "remission society," whose members all live with some form of illness or disability. The Wounded Storyteller is their collective portrait.

Ill people are more than victims of disease or patients of medicine; they are wounded storytellers. People tell stories to make sense of their suffering; when they turn their diseases into stories, they find healing.

Drawing on the work of authors such as Oliver Sacks, Anatole Broyard, Norman Cousins, and Audre Lorde, as well as from people he met during the years he spent among different illness groups, Frank recounts a stirring collection of illness stories, ranging from the well-known—Gilda Radner's battle with ovarian cancer—to the private testimonials of people with cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, and disabilties. Their stories are more than accounts of personal suffering: they abound with moral choices and point to a social ethic.

Frank identifies three basic narratives of illness in restitution, chaos, and quest. Restitution narratives anticipate getting well again and give prominence to the technology of cure. In chaos narratives, illness seems to stretch on forever, with no respite or redeeming insights. Quest narratives are about finding that insight as illness is transformed into a means for the ill person to become someone new.

Customer Reviews:

Life Is A Group Grope.......2000-07-14

Frank's novel does a masterful job in identifying the "voice" we all need in the battle with life threatnening illness. Embracing and affirming the "whole person" through their storytelling goes far in overcoming the modernist approach in treating the illness without the person. Recognizing the struggle as an opportunity for journey also sounds the call to help others currently in the trenches to bring about healing. This is a beautiful book.

The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness and Ethics.: An article from: The Hastings Center Report

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The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness and Ethics.: An article from: The Hastings Center Report
S. Kay Toombs
Manufacturer: Hastings Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Science & Technology | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B00097S83U
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Hastings Center Report, published by Hastings Center on September 1, 1997. The length of the article is 6057 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness and Ethics.
Author: S. Kay Toombs
Publication: The Hastings Center Report (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 1997
Publisher: Hastings Center
Volume: v27 Issue: n5 Page: p39(5)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness, and Ethics

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The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness, and Ethics
Arthur W. Frank
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OOV28G

Book Description

Latinos as an ethnic group are at substantial risk for the development of diabetes. This cookbook presents recipes in a bilingual format for optimal use by the Latino/Hispanic communities. Including more than 125 recipes in both English and Spanish, there are chapters on soups, rice dishes, legumes, vegetables, chicken, meats, desserts, and much more. The book includes introductory chapters on diabetes, the role of nutrition, and basic meal planning.

Recipes include: Argentinean Empanadas (Turnovers), Puchero de Pollo (Chicken Stew), Cuban Potato Soup, and Vegetable Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Olga Fuste, M.S., R.D., C.D.E., is in charge of designing and implementing a nutrition management program for older adults with the Washington State University Cooperative Extension. She is an active member of the Latino/Hispanic community.

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Mes de Comidas: Sabor Festivo Latino
American Diabetes Association
Manufacturer: American Diabetes Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Diabetic & Sugar-Free | Special Diet | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

American Diabetes Association | Nutrition | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Cocina | Libros en español | Formats | Books

General | Salud, mente y cuerpo | Libros en español | Formats | Books

Nutrición | Salud, mente y cuerpo | Libros en español | Formats | Books

Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 1580401767

Book Description

For the first time ever, enjoy the ADA's Month of Meals Series in Spanish. 20,000 menu combinations in one book! Add a different breakfast, lunch, and dinner card for every day of the month. Includes traditional basic recipes that are similar across the Latino world, with the added benefit of calories and carbs already counted. Features include:

Nutrient analysis and carbohydrate count for every meal
Every meal includes the same number of carbs no matter which you pick--45-60 grams for every breakfast, 60-75grams for every lunch, and 70-85 grams for every dinner--to keep blood sugar levels stable
High-visibility covered spiral binding
Includes complete English translation

Book Description

Usable first-aid and advice for your dog and cat, with a chapter on birds. The author is a veterinarian. This book contains many clever anecdotes and witty quotes. A great gift for all pet owners--young and old!

Pet Repair: Patching Up Spot and Sylvetster, Too! won the l989 Judges Award as Florida's "Best Non-hardbound-cover Book" in the Printing Industries of Florida.

Book Description

With the same hallmarks of the author's successful 4,000 Flower and Plant Motifs, this unique source of zoomorphic motifs will thrill animal-loving crafters everywhere. The images in this sourcebook--presented in a variety of artistic styles and from a range of cultures--are organized around specific types of animal, as well as historical periods, for easy reference. All the high-quality and original illustrations are displayed so they can be enlarged, scanned, or photocopied for work in any creative pursuit, whether it's woodworking, embroidery, quilting, graphic design, or other fields. Finally, an introductory design class by the author shows readers how to get the most out of the artwork and make their projects come to vivid life.

Customer Reviews:

Organized and a great variety of images!.......2007-01-04

There is, indeed, an encyclopedic amount of creatures in this book, all arranged ark-like by kind; that is, fish are together, birds together, and etc. The images are in black and white making them very usable for a variety of arts and crafts. The images also come from many sources, both historical and geographic. This is a useful collection for artists and a great reference for those interested in the history of image. The only improvement I can think of is in terms of usability: a spiral binding would have been welcome. Recommended.

The Best of Its Genre.......2006-07-14

This is an excellent publication for craftspeople, artists and teachers of all artforms. The beautifully presented fauna motifs of all our major art "epochs" will not fail to inspire. I have recommended this book to other artist friends who have also purchased it.

Book Description

Old Roses: The Master List is the most complete and accurate listing ever of Old Roses! It includes the names, synonyms, breeders, dates, classifications, and flower color of Old Roses both well-known and heretofore completely obscure, the result of two decades of comprehensive research by the internationally-known rose historian and author Brent C. Dickerson, whose previous works have revolutionized the study of Old Roses.

Customer Reviews:

From the Author . . ........2002-01-29

When I began studying Old Roses seriously, in 1983, I found that, in order to do my work efficiently and to achieve valid results, I needed to have at hand a complete and accurate listing of them, including their basic data such as correct name, synonymy, breeder/introducer, date, classification, parentage when known, and some indication as to the basic color--all of this for all the old roses known to rose culture before 1920--not just those grown today, not just those the legends of which live on though the varieties themselves might be extinct--but *all* of them, obscure or famous, still here or long gone. No such listing was then available, no such listing had ever been available. I decided to make one myself. As my researches developed, I assiduously kept revising this master list to reflect the progress made such that it can be said that none of my books has received more continuous attention than *Old Roses: The Master List*. Researchers and students of old rose history will find that this book paves the way to a much clearer understanding of the complicated and knotty--but always fascinating--world of Old Roses.

Average customer rating:

Love rewires the brain

This book is now titled Dreamers, Discoverers and Dynamos...

Will help you understand your child.

Helpful for dealing with bright but very difficult children.

This book was comfort food for my soul!

The Edison Trait: Saving the Spirit of Your Free-Thinking Child in a Conforming World
Lucy Jo Palladino
Manufacturer: Times Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Adolescent Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Psychology | Child Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
School-Age Children | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
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Dreamers, Discoverers & Dynamos: How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored and Having Problems in School (Formerly Titled 'The Edison Trait')

Nurture by Nature: How to Raise Happy, Healthy, Responsible Children Through the Insights of Personality Type

Beyond ADD: Hunting for Reasons in the Past and Present

The A.D.D. Nutrition Solution: A Drug-Free 30 Day Plan

Right-Brained Children in a Left-Brained World: Unlocking the Potential of Your Add Child

ASIN: 0812927370
Release Date: 1997-04-29

Amazon.com

Lucy Jo Palladino defines the Edison Trait (named after Thomas Edison) as divergent vs. convergent thinking. Edison Trait kids--one in five children--have the qualities that make innovative leaders, inventors, explorers, yet they often have a hard time in school where their personality traits may be seen as weak or negative. Palladino recasts these children in a positive light and gives specifics on understanding and becoming an ally for your Edison Trait child. The book is convincing, reassuring, and accessible. Perhaps it will help parents of nonconforming kids resist the pressure to make their kids "just fit in."

Book Description

"My daughter lives in her own world, sitting in the back of the classroom, doodling unicorns. She's a bright kid who's getting lost. How do we reach her?"

"My son can program my laptop, but I have to hound him constantly to do the simplest things. How can I motivate him?"

"My kid has to get his own way. And he's always racing around, always on the go. How can such a smart kid be so hard to live with?"

Millions of children--one in five--have what psychologist Lucy Jo Palladino, Ph.D., calls the Edison trait: dazzling intelligence, an active imagination, a free-spirited approach to life, and the ability to drive everyone around them crazy. They have the raw talent to succeed in our fast-paced, information-rich, techno-magic world. But, unbridled, their talent also brings conflict into their lives. Edison-trait kids excel at thinking divergently, brimming over with one idea after the other. However, schools, organized activities, and routines of daily living reward convergent thinking, which seeks to focus on one idea at a time. Parents and teachers get frustrated by the Edison-trait child's apparent intractability and lack of focus. A mismatch between school and child can mask the child's considerable gifts for creativity and independent thinking.

Drawing on examples from over two decades of private practice, Dr. Palladino helps parents, teachers and others appreciate this challenging aspect of their child's intellect and personality. She distinguishes and describes the three main styles of the Edison trait. Dreamers live in their own world, following no one's schedule but their own. Discoverers insist on learning about and experiencing the world firsthand. Dynamos are full of energy, with a flair for surprises, power, and speed.

A small percentage of Edison-trait kids also have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), which puts them at even greater risk for problems in school. To address parents' concerns, The Edison Trait includes chapters on defining, diagnosing, and treating ADD.

Thomas Edison, who flunked out of school was able to harness his talents to give the world some of its finest inventions. Today this same ability to brainstorm thrives in creative geniuses such as Maya Angelou, Bill Gates, and Ted Turner.

Dr. Palladino offers eight guidelines for parents to understand and help Edison-trait kids:

1 Believe in your child.

2 Watch what you say.

3 Build a parent-and-child team.

4 Encourage your child's interests.

5 Teach your child self-control.

6 Coach your child to learn how to achieve.

7 Take care of yourself.

8 Take care of your family.

The Edison trait is on the rise in our younger generation, who are growing up in a world of accelerated change. Dr. Palladino reveals the link between Edisonian thinking and Information Age success. She explains how Edison-trait children are born leaders of the twenty-first century. Her inspiring and reassuring book will light the way.

Customer Reviews:

Love rewires the brain.......2006-04-18

Pharmaceutical drugs are only one line of defense in treating ADD. Drugs can alter brain chemistry but the patient is fundamentally the same personality. Medication alone will only go so far. A combination of prescriptions and psychotherapy yield better long-term results. Thomas Edison owed his life to his mother who believed in him when the schools kicked him out at 6. There is something to be said about love ... love itself can rewire the brain of a "problem" child.

****************************************************************

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE THE EDISON TRAIT? by Lucy Jo Palladino

He was a boy who learned only by doing. At age six, he had to see how fire worked and accidentally burned his father's barn to the ground. The next fall he began school, where he alternated between letting his mind travel to distant places and keeping his body in perpetual motion in his seat. Because he was distractible and restless, he did not last long in a formal classroom. His teacher called him "addled." Eventually, his mother had to home-school him. As an adult he would recall: "My father thought I was stupid and I almost decided I must be a dunce."

The core of his learning was his passion for experiments. As his new teacher, his mother gave his talent free rein. At the same time she infused him with the disciplines of study. With time and determination, he mastered his runaway mind. He grew up to become a prolific inventor, bringing the magic of electricity and sound recording into the world. He either invented or improved hundreds of practical conveniences. It is said that Thomas Alva Edison succeeded where others failed or never tried, because it was his nature to dare.

Today, a growing number of children have that nature to dare. Like young Edison, they are easily distracted and disorganized, but also wildly imaginative and inventive.

They have minds that are at home with meanderings and leaps of vast proportions. They make unexpected, sometimes startling, connections.

QUALITIES OF A CREATIVE MIND
There was once a man who drove a truck on a road through a town and got stuck under a bridge that had a low clearance. The men of the town gathered around the wedged truck to think of ways to dismantle the truck or the bridge. Finally, a young boy came up and asked, "Why don't you let some air out of the tires?" That is what they did, and the truck went on its way.

This was a child who had the Edison trait. He saw an element of the scene that no one else saw, because they were busily and systematically focused on what to them was relevant to the solution.

An Edison-trait child:

Expects the Unexpected
A child with the Edison trait makes sudden, astonishing connections. Because his inner critic disallows neither the ridiculous nor the sublime, he can be innovative, ingenious, and fascinating. He can see ordinary things in extraordinary ways, which is the very essence of creativity.

His sense of humor is disarming. It stems from keen perception and the ability to see things from a different perspective. Sometimes he exhibits the kind of straight-from-the-subconscious humor that makes successful stand-up comics so funny. He blurts out ideas that are just under the surface, things that most others would have automatically censored.

Thinks Autonomously
This is a child who stands up for his own ideas, especially when they are uncommon or nonconformist. He is an independent thinker and does not rely on the opinions of others to form his own judgments. In a matter of personal interest to him, he stands firm with conviction, even in the face of strong opposition.

Hyperfocuses and Persists
When the Edison-trait child is intrinsically motivated, he has formidable mental power. If he is working on a project that is his own brainstorm, he is determined, tenacious, and persevering. As if by magic, he can work for hours involved in what he is doing. He finds ways to overcome barriers; his passion sees him through. In matters of his own choosing, he has inner direction and resolve.

Is Diverse and Intense
Edison-trait children are pluralistic, nonconforming, and multifarious. Once they begin to speak on a topic of their choosing, clear your calendar ... you'll be here for a while. Flights of fancy are common. One thing leads to another, though sometimes the connections are not apparent to the rest of us.

Has a Mind That Is Holistic
The Edison-trait child notices and reacts to things from any and all directions, so he is likely to have a global sense of places he has been. Take this child to the shopping mall and he'll probably be able to lead you back to your parked car.

Lives on His Own Schedule
Time passes slowly for this child when he is not engaged in an activity of interest. Otherwise, watch out! When an Edison-trait child works on a project of his choosing, he is dedicated and determined.

Loves to Come Up with Ideas
Some do this slowly and dreamily. Others are like kernels of popcorn popping. Many do both. They have qualities of being both a whimsical Dreamer and a high-charged Discoverer or turbulent Dynamo.

DOES YOUR CHILD HAVE THE EDISON TRAIT?
All children are imaginative and enjoy make-believe, but children who have the Edison trait live even closer to their imaginations. It is their lifeblood.

Children manifest the Edison trait in various ways. Some are quiet and reserved and live in their own worlds. Others are loud, interruptive, and bold.

Your child may be a Dreamer, a Discoverer, or a Dynamo. Or he may combine features of any or all of these patterns.

Dreamers drift from place to place, on a schedule of eternal time.
Discoverers have to find things out for themselves and do things their own way.
Dynamos are always in motion, with a flair forsurprises, power, and speed.
To see how closely your child's patterns match the profile of children with this trait, take a moment and think about him since his earliest days. Then ask yourself these questions:

If your child is a Dreamer
1. Does he get absorbed or intensely involved in his own ideas much of the time?
2. Is he prone to saying things out of the blue?
3. Does he procrastinate to an extreme?
4. Are his interests and activities eclectic?
5. Does he start at least three projects for every one he finishes?

If your child is a Discoverer
1. Is he easily attracted to sights and sounds around him?
2. Is it vital for him to express his opinion?
3. Does he crave novelty, power, and excitement?
4. Is he always ready to speak, especially if you're talking?
5. When he wants his own way - which is almost always - is he relentless?

Or, if your child is a Dynamo
1. Does he get aggressive or intensely emotional about his own ideas much of the time?
2. Is some part of his body always in motion?
3. Are chances to run and climb as vital as the air he breathes?
4. Does he have boundless energy, enough for about three children his age?
5. Do you find yourself wondering if he lacks common sense?

The more "yes" answers you gave to these questions, the more reason there is for you to read on.

DREAMERS
Dreamers are mind wanderers. These Edison-trait youngsters seem to be lost in timeless space. From time to time, they have blank expressions on their faces or may look a little dazed. Actually, they are floating through one or several ideas in another realm, a world of their own.

I dwell in Possibility
A fairer house than Prose,
More numerous of windows,
Superior of doors.

Like Emily Dickinson, the author of these words, Edison-trait Dreamers are self-styled visionaries and poets. They have an ephemeral quality, a digressive style of thinking, and an inclination to see things from an unusual, even quixotic angle. In the classroom, after a lesson is taught, the Dreamer may not give the expected response, so others presume he just didn't "get it." But ask him and you'll find out that if he was tuned in, he probably "got it" all right - in an entirely unintended or uncommon way. He produces the kind of answer that makes you think twice.

Dreamers like sensory experience. They are drawn to color, sound, texture, taste, and fragrance. Often, Edison-trait Dreamers remember odd and seemingly unrelated facts and details, knowledge of an idiosyncratic nature. Seldom can they say exactly why they are drawn to these particular thoughts or recollections, but their fascination can become intense. What appears as spaciness to us is felt as absorption by them.

DISCOVERERS
Discoverers are Edison-trait adventurers who must blaze their own trail. They are high-spirited and have to see "what would happen if . . ." They are spontaneous and they must do things their own way.

Discoverers are multi-sensory, usually with a strong preference for visual input. This is a child who craves, and often creates, the stimulation of power, surprise, or diversity. He wants to explore his own ideas and express his own opinions. He wants life to keep him interested. If he does not find people stimulating, he will stimulate them, usually by provoking laughter or anger.

Discoverers like to live in the moment, without giving too much mind to what will happen in the future. Typically, they are not planners. Discoverers live with the attitude that they'll discover what's going to happen when it happens. That's what makes life interesting.

When a Discoverer is on the trail of an idea or project of his own, he feels a sense of urgency or impatience. During these times the Discoverer may "hyperfocus." He pays attention to what he is doing with an unusual degree of intensity and to the exclusion of all else. Discoverers also "multitask." Multitasking means doing more than one thing at a time. Dreamers and Dynamos hyperfocus and multitask, too. But Discoverers do it more.

DYNAMOS
Dynamos are fuel-injected speedsters. They have erratic spurts of energy. They overexcite easily, and when this happens, trouble is on the way.

In some ways, a Dynamo is also a Discoverer. He is impulsive. He acts first and thinks later. Like the Discoverer, the Dynamo loves power and speed. And like the Discoverer, the Dynamo is strong willed and immovable in his position.

The distinguishing feature of the Dynamo is his boundless physical energy. Dynamos keep their bodies in motion, one way or another, almost all the time. They walk, run, skip, kick, climb, jump, bounce, leap, bound, pounce, bolt, dash, race, sprint, dive, swim, splash, and fly.

Dynamos act with gusto and zest. They are risk takers and daredevils. And they are constantly entertaining. Life in their company is never dull.

THE EDISON TRAIT IS LIFELONG
The Edison trait is a personality characteristic. It endures. As Edison himself did, people with the trait have to make good matches between their aptitudes and their life work.

TURNING THE LIGHTS ON
As the parent of an Edison-trait child, you have probably asked yourself some variation of the following question: "If my child can recall the entire roster of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, why can't he remember that eight times seven is fifty-six?"

To better understand your youngster, picture him wandering through an empty house alone. Most of the rooms are dark. One or two are well lit. When your child enters a bright room, he is filled with enthusiasm to explore. He remembers those bright rooms and develops a strong preference for them. Of course, the way you see it, he should be able to turn the lights on in any room, if only he would use the light switch. When you ask him to and he doesn't, a strain of tension develops between you.

From his point of view - and this is his house - his lights are wired differently. In the past, your Edison-trait child has tried to use the same kind of switch he sees others use, but to no avail. He senses that he doesn't operate the same way. He has a different configuration. Problems start getting solved when you work from his blueprints, not yours. You empower him to figure out his own circuitry, and the rules and methods to turn his lights on.

CONVERGENT, NO - DIVERGENT, YES
Having the Edison trait makes some things easier for your child and some things harder. The things that come easy are

Thinking up wild or unusual ideas
Standing up for, feeling strongly about, and getting involved in those ideas
Making things up, and imagining the future
Trying things out
Starting new projects
The things that come hard are

Focusing on someone else's ideas
Letting go of his own ideas
Remembering things he's been asked to do
Practicing skills repeatedly
Finishing things
The things that come easy are divergent thinking skills. In divergent thinking, one thought stimulates many others; thinking branches out. The things that come hard require convergent thinking. In convergent thinking, many thoughts reduce to a single one; thinking funnels in.

Read the lists again. It is no surprise that Edison-trait children will not shine in a typical classroom, or on the playground, or in most forms of organized sports. In settings like these, their chemistry sets them apart. They are the exceptions to our implicit rules of how children should think and perform, rules that say they should behave like uniform convergent thinkers.

CONVERGENT THINKING AS THE NORM
It is a natural human tendency to assume that all minds work the same way. We tacitly agree that all minds should naturally be able to follow through on one idea at a time, from beginning to end, with attention to detail. We call convergent thinking the norm and we presume it's what comes naturally if a brain is "normal." Divergent thinkers are viewed as having "attentional problems."

We label convergent thinking as right and divergent thinking as wrong. We base the methods we use to train our children on this premise. We expect children to focus in a linear fashion for as long as we say they should. This is true at home and at school. And at school, as class sizes get larger and children get more diverse, a teacher's tolerance for a student's divergent thinking necessarily diminishes. The same curriculum gets taught to all students in the same way and at the same pace.

The brains of Edison-trait children are misunderstood, not inferior. As students they are attentionally disadvantaged because we punish, and fail to appreciate, their unique creative slant. They get blamed for not completing desk work in the allotted time. They are scolded for not staying in their seats until recess. They are forced to work at an unsuitable tempo, and then get graded down for poor handwriting, and errors in grammar, spelling, and math facts. These outcomes are inevitable artifacts of a mismatched approach.

We teach to their weaknesses, not to their strengths. We insist that they see things our way, but we won't see things theirs. These children are stunningly divergent. They are on a quest for discovery, exploration, and stimulation. Surely we can be flexible and accommodate their style. They can and will develop convergent skins, but only if their desire to learn is protected and kindled with success.

WE CAN HELP EDISON-TRAIT CHILDREN DEVELOP SKILLS

We Can Guide Them to Motivate Themselves
These children need extra incentive and stimulating rewards. They need to experience success so that they can believe in it. They need reasons compelling enough to keep up the extra effort to get through the glass maze.

We Can Communicate - Think and Talk - in Their Language
A child with the Edison trait needs to feel he's in control. He will accept help only if it does not threaten his autonomy. He is prone to feeling crowded and seeing adults as overbearing.
The Edison-trait child is easily overwhelmed. For this reason, he needs clear direction, phrased in brief, concise messages. He needs his workload assigned in manageable portions. He needs structure, simple categories, and prominent visual cues.

For this same reason, he needs frequent breaks and relief from tension. He responds best to a calm and steady voice, devoid of emotional charge.

The Edison-trait child thinks in images and stories. He needs instruction that is attractive and captivating. He responds to metaphors and identifies with characters he likes. Creative approaches work best. Humor is a strong ally.

Your goal is to value your child's divergent thinking, while at the same time teaching and encouraging him to think convergently. With guidance and support, he will learn how to concentrate, shift focus, and do things in sequence. He'll make his own ways to organize his thoughts, words, papers, time, and money, to follow through, plan, schedule, and stay on track. He will come to appreciate conventional wisdom and the merit of reflective thought.

BRIDGES, NOT FENCES
Pretend for a moment that when babies are born, they already know how to talk. Right from the cradle: "Hello, Mother. Hello, Father. Please feed me. I'm hungry."

Now let's say 80 percent of the babies in the United States are born speaking English, but you're a parent of one of the 20 percent who speak a foreign language. You know you must help him to learn English somehow, so he can get along with everybody else. But it's clear your little guy likes his language better than yours.

He learns barely enough English to get by, but no more. He prefers the sound and the flow and the feel of his own tongue. He doesn't know how much of your language he can learn, even if he tries. And why should he try, when everyone acts as if he already should speak English fluently, and people make a bigger deal over his failures than his efforts?

At first, you forbid your child to speak his language. That doesn't work.

Next, you reward him when he speaks only English. That works some, but it's a strain on everyone.

Finally, you make a commitment to learn and appreciate the language he speaks. You enter his world - through his sounds, his words, and his expressions. You don't insult his language; you find what is beautiful and useful about it.

At the same time, you acknowledge every attempt he makes to speak English - regardless of whether he succeeds or not. You let him know you recognize his efforts and his desire to communicate with you. You tell him that you see his courage and his hard work.

And then, a funny thing happens.

The more good you see in his world, the more good he sees in yours.

You build bridges, not fences.

You become enriched by your knowledge of his language. And he grows in his motivation to learn yours.

Excerpted from Dreamers, Discoverers and Dynamos by Lucy Jo Palladino

This book is now titled Dreamers, Discoverers and Dynamos..........2005-01-28

The less expensive version of this book has a different title: Dreamers, Discoverers and Dynamos : How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored and Having Problems in School.

We have been searching for The Edison Trait online today since the copy we are using is due back at the library. Fortunately we discovered that it has been retitled and is now sold as Dreamers, Discoverers and Dynamos : How to Help the Child Who Is Bright, Bored and Having Problems in School.

My wife has kept the library copy until it is overdue and has a hold on it. This is the most excited I have seen her about a book since we were married. She has found some very practical tools to help us with our children.

Will help you understand your child........2001-12-06

I now understand my child so much better after reading this book.

Helpful for dealing with bright but very difficult children........2000-12-13

This is a very compassionate book about smart but difficult to manage children. These "Edison-trait" children are spirited, passionate children who are very intense and hard to live with. The author calls them "divergent thinkers", who are very creative, imaginative, and see things in a different way than others. They have problems focusing on others' ideas and letting go of their own. School can be very frustrating for them. For example, they don't like practicing skills repeatedly. I found Chapter 12 on School to very helpful. It gives some good tips to help these children succeed at school and to feel good about themselves regarding school. There are ways that parents and teachers can help them and provide encouragement without the child feeling labeled or stigmatized. There is also a large section in the book on ADD and ADHD. The author writes "While just about all children who have ADD have the Edison trait, not all children with the Edison trait have ADD." While they share the same traits, such as being easily distracted, disorganized, and disobedient, in the child with ADD, these traits are excessive and disrupts his functioning. The problems are more severe in the ADD child. This book is very compassionate regarding the needs of the children. It provides hope for parents.

This book was comfort food for my soul!.......2000-01-21

This is the first book I have EVER found myself in. I have always been fascinated by psychology, but have never fit into anyone's theory or box. I have usually found myself relating to the negative characteristics of two opposite types in someones personality groups. My spirit was broken by well intentioned parents trying to make me fit in with what is supposed to be "normal" in our society. Lucy Jo Palladino has seen in children what so many professionals refuse to, or cannot see. I saw Dr. Palladino on TV promoting this book and was drawn to it because at that time I was beginning to see the hopelessness in my 2yr old son that I remembered feeling as a child, but never did understand. Dr. Palladino understands how my brain works. I never understood it, I just knew I was different but didn't know why. The book is invaluable now that my son is 5 and I need guidance on how to teach him self control and discipline. It's not easy, but the methods in this book help me nurture and teach to his strengths instead of trying to change the very nature of who he is. The biggest surprise in this book was that I found out my husband is also an Edison thinker, just a very different one than I am. He's a dreamer and I and my son are discoverers. By the way I don't label lightly, this book seems to be written about my family. Is there anymore out there about this? Is there any way to write to the author? I am so thankful for this book and would recommend it to anyone who thinks their child might be in this book. It could literally save their life. I am very fortunate that my attempts to check out of this world that did not accept or understand me were not successful.

Book Description

"Mike Alewitz's art has given eloquent voice to the aspirations of working people throughout the world. His heroic figures and vibrant colors are powerful weapons in the hands of the oppressed."
--Martin Sheen

This strikingly beautiful volume is the first-ever published collection of the internationally recognized labor, political, and environmental murals of Mike Alewitz.

The most prolific U.S. labor muralist since the 1940s, Alewitz follows the traditions of Diego Rivera, José Clemente Orozco, and David Siqueiros as well as the early painters of the Russian Revolution. With a demonstrated blend of artistic integrity and political commitment, Insurgent Imagescombines grand historical themes with enlivening detail, and illustrates the interplay between personality and event. Alewitz brings to this tradition his own rich sense of irony, humor, and fantasy to illuminate the hidden spaces where connections between the multiracial, multi-gendered workforce of the U.S. and its extended relatives across the planet are to be found.

Insurgent Images contains murals for the Teamsters, the Oil Chemical and Atomic Workers, the Communications Workers, United Electrical Workers, the United Farmworkers, as well as the Highlander Folk School and other labor institutions.

Other works respond to dramatic developments such as the 1984 strike of P-9 workers in Austin, Minnesota, the 1991 rebellion in Los Angeles, and the tragedy at Chernobyl. Altogether, this collection is an inspiring artistic reading of our epoch, sometimes poignant and yet full of promise.

Customer Reviews:

Vivid and powerfully themed mural artworks.......2002-10-07

Insurgent Images: The Agitprop Murals Of Mike Alewitz by muralist and labor activist Mike Alewitz in collaboration with historian and academician Paul Buhle presents a vibrant, full-color presentation of the vivid and powerfully themed mural artworks done by Alewitz, an outspoken labor activist since the 1940s. Presenting a strong political theme of worker's rights and solidarity, capturing the imagination with its outspoken message, and offered alongside a sensible commentary that places pieces in context to the labor and humanitarian issues they illustrated, Insurgent Images is a stunning collection of art created to serve showcase and advance the cause of worker and human rights.

INSURGENT IMAGES: THE AGITPROP MURALS OF MIKE ALEWITZ. Foreword by Martin Sheen.

Average customer rating:

INSURGENT IMAGES: THE AGITPROP MURALS OF MIKE ALEWITZ. Foreword by Martin Sheen.
Paul & Mike Alewitz. Buhle
Manufacturer: Monthly Review Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7GKRC

Customer Reviews:

Irish 20c political, scientific, national & republican action: joint biography.......2006-12-27

My review is of a revised Irish edition published by Tyndall Publications in Carlow in association with and distributed by Lilliput Press, Dublin, in 2005/6. This newer edition updates the 2003 version referenced here, and the newer book can be purchased for international buyers via the Lilliput Press site.

In the 576 densely printed pages of the joint biography of his father, Joe, and himself, Dr Roy Johnston compresses an enormous amount of what he acknowledges will be more source material for historians than a polished narrative. Belying the succinct review of an earlier near namesake, Dr (Sam) Johnson, unlike Paradise Lost, I did wish this tome to be longer. Maybe you are familiar with the Provisional IRA version of events, as this version has gained media and historical attention. But what became after the 1969-70 split the Official IRA and SF has never received in-depth treatment for its own sake, through primary sources that document the Republican Movement's politicisation that began around 1960 and that continued long after Roy J. left the increasingly brutalised, compromised, and militarised factions competing for control of the Officials in the early 70s. The period bookended by the defeat of Seán Cronin's Operation Harvest and the Séamus Costello-INLA fracture with the Officials aroused my initial interest. Yet, Johnston warns that this tumultuous span is merely one among many. As a physicist, consultant on the international development of science, and as a Quaker and Green activist, his career far pre- and long postdates his tenure as a leader of what became the Officials. He, like his father, accomplished much political work amidst their own academic, family, and professional commitments. Reading this auto/biography, both father and son demonstrate their idealism, their pragmatism, and the wisdom, rare in activists, to balance these two characteristics.

(Excerpted from a long review article to be published on the Belfast on-line site The Blanket.)

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