I just read this book by David Albert, and I am aware that MDC has been involved with his teaching. Overall, accepting his terse, academic style of written expression, his thoughts are presented concisely and the references at the end of sections is very helpful- probably the sole reason I'll keep the book in our home even though I've finished reading it and likely won't do so again.
I am left with a distinctly bad taste in my mouth though, that began about half-way through as I realised that descriptions of his younger daughter's participation in the family were generally segues into what he would elucidate about his eldest daughter, Ali. This continued to the end of the book.
Initially, I thought that because his first experiences were, naturally, with his eldest daughter, so he wrote about her and his observations and evaluations of her growth. I expected that as Meera, his younger daughter, grew and began to participate more, he would describe the new and interesting considerations and observations, new learning and adjustments he and his partner made to their methods and activities. This never happened.
In the one chapter entitled 'Cinnamon Bear,' so named according to the nickname Ali had given to her Indian-born adopted sister, Meera, I again had hope that I would learn something of the diversity of their experiences due to her presence. This chapter again was woefully devoid of any depth of description of Meera and instead was another platform for describing the precocious feats of Ali and the author's stance on subjects of racism. He does describe Meera as precocious, athletic, a reluctant reader, excellent pianist, and relational with an interest in physiology, but doesn't add any depth to these descriptives. He is clearly capable of doing so- he did for the entire book about Ali.
I have four boys and I seek out descriptions of the experiences of others that incorporate how they adjusted for their subsequent children's dispositions and interests, personalities, and the unique challenges that occur when considering more than the needs of just one child.
Mr. Albert didn't deliver this, which would be completely fine if in being involved in the education of his children, he found that they were so similar that no such adjustments needed to be made, but in his book, he makes it clear that his daughters differ greatly, but then spends the book describing his involvement with only one of them.
Clearly he doesn't owe to me to meet my need for specific information, but it just feels off to me that what I learned about Meera from the whole book could be fit into a half-page. I found this very disturbing. Did anyone else? Or can anyone offer insight into why this is the case? Does anyone know him or about him well enough to put this concern of mine to rest?
My dh was so upset by this that he won't read the book. I read aloud the segues that Meera's participation provided for the (seeming) real subject of the author's interest- Ali.
I am left with a distinctly bad taste in my mouth though, that began about half-way through as I realised that descriptions of his younger daughter's participation in the family were generally segues into what he would elucidate about his eldest daughter, Ali. This continued to the end of the book.
Initially, I thought that because his first experiences were, naturally, with his eldest daughter, so he wrote about her and his observations and evaluations of her growth. I expected that as Meera, his younger daughter, grew and began to participate more, he would describe the new and interesting considerations and observations, new learning and adjustments he and his partner made to their methods and activities. This never happened.
In the one chapter entitled 'Cinnamon Bear,' so named according to the nickname Ali had given to her Indian-born adopted sister, Meera, I again had hope that I would learn something of the diversity of their experiences due to her presence. This chapter again was woefully devoid of any depth of description of Meera and instead was another platform for describing the precocious feats of Ali and the author's stance on subjects of racism. He does describe Meera as precocious, athletic, a reluctant reader, excellent pianist, and relational with an interest in physiology, but doesn't add any depth to these descriptives. He is clearly capable of doing so- he did for the entire book about Ali.
I have four boys and I seek out descriptions of the experiences of others that incorporate how they adjusted for their subsequent children's dispositions and interests, personalities, and the unique challenges that occur when considering more than the needs of just one child.
Mr. Albert didn't deliver this, which would be completely fine if in being involved in the education of his children, he found that they were so similar that no such adjustments needed to be made, but in his book, he makes it clear that his daughters differ greatly, but then spends the book describing his involvement with only one of them.
Clearly he doesn't owe to me to meet my need for specific information, but it just feels off to me that what I learned about Meera from the whole book could be fit into a half-page. I found this very disturbing. Did anyone else? Or can anyone offer insight into why this is the case? Does anyone know him or about him well enough to put this concern of mine to rest?
My dh was so upset by this that he won't read the book. I read aloud the segues that Meera's participation provided for the (seeming) real subject of the author's interest- Ali.
) to look at it if it was the same as the book.
