August 14, 2008
Why reading?, links
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Novel Ideas picked out an interesting article inNew Scientist magazine (28th June). The issue reports on the mental benefits of reading fiction. Keith Oatley, a professor emeritus of cognitive psychology, has conducted research which shows that people who read more fiction may find it easier to discern the thoughts and feelings expressed by people’s eyes. He likens fiction to a simulation that runs on the software of our minds, and may help us when negotiating the complexities of social life.”
(Via Novel ideas : Manly Library.)
Oatley’s has also published investigation into emotions of literary response and some interesting work on deduction and inference in literature.
August 14, 2008
links
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I would like to introduce you to a new blog, Scalpel’s Edge. Since becoming more active on Twitter, I have been itching to have a place to share my PhD and surgery experiences. I prefer to have more blogs and keep them on topic, rather than one big melting-pot blog. For example, I am trying to restrict posts here to literature and books.
I invite you to go an check out some of my posts at Scalpel’s Edge, like the story of why I chose to become a surgeon.
August 4, 2008
Finding books, Review
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eBooks are infuriating, and using a reader on my phone gives me eyestrain in the dark, but I now couldn’t do without them!
I recently downloaded Stanza (free) for my iPhone and downloaded a whole bunch of open access books from Feedbooks. Over the weekend, I travelled to an interstate birthday party. I took my book with me, of course, but I got at least as much reading done on my phone.
My last book, Neuromancer, took me about 3 weeks to read. I am so far halfway through the Trial, after just three days. I admit that I am reading very slowly at the moment, but the iPhone reader has made a huge difference. During the last week, I read my electronic copy of The Trial:
- While sitting in my car, waiting for my sleeping baby to wake
- While waiting for hubby to finish filling the car with petrol
- Waiting in line at the register at Target
- Lying in bed in a darkened room, as my daughter was sleeping in our room
- Sitting in the airport lounge waiting for Qantas to get it together
These are all times I wouldn’t get my book out, o wouldn’t normally have ti with me. A couple of pages have let me read more of this novel, and keep my train of thought through a very busy weekend. Even though the format is difficult (I mean, who is happy with a chapter of 53 pages?), it has been a life-saver.