Lessons From a Chapter by Chapter Approach to Learning Through Reading
Chapter 1 (of 20), A Good Café on the Place St-Michael, will take you back in time to the story that began my French culinary experiences while reading A Moveable Feast, chapter by chapter. From there, each chapter will take you to the next chapter and culinary experience.
“If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast.” Ernest Hemingway.
That’s a Wrap on I’m Taking Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast on A Moveable Feast Chapter by Chapter, accompanied by a Passionfruit Martini at 104Bar, Brick Lane.
Afterword
With no more chapters of A Moveable Feast to read, and not wanting to let go of my experience of where each chapter took me – metaphorically through the words on the page, and physically through my walk to my destination to sit and read awhile over a glass/cup/plate, I decided to take the book on one final outing, to mull things over, to be able to say: That’s a Wrap.
Notes From That’s a Wrap on I’m Taking Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast on A Moveable Feast Chapter by Chapter
A WorkLife Book Club For One
Notes on A WorkLife Book Club For One
When I began to take Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast on a Moveable Feast Chapter by Chapter, I wanted to test if each chapter could have a positive impact on my WorkLife. Throughout my WorkLife, I’ve taken lessons from books as a whole, that have helped me to do better in navigating through struggles and successes.
When I began what became a quest to discover great French cuisine to sit and read awhile, the question I posed to myself was:
Can I learn something from each chapter that I can apply to my WorkLife that will make a positive impact?
The Answer …
A resounding YES.
In each chapter, I learnt so much from Hemingway that I can apply to develop my skills as a writer. Each chapter, for me, was a masterclass in writing.
Each chapter was also a masterclass in thinking – in that, it evoked new thoughts and ideas while also reinforcing old thoughts and ideas. And it challenged my thinking in that it caused me to rethink things to consider if there are other ways to look at them.
And each chapter was a masterclass in reading – in that it reinforced what I already knew – to be a good writer, I need to be an avid reader. Reading helped Hemingway develop his skills as a writer. I know it can do the same for me.
This brings me to:
Notes on the Next Stage of a WorkLife Book Club For One
So, What’s Next?
With no more chapters to read, that’s the next question I posed to myself.
The Answer …
I’m going to go back to taking learning from reading books as a whole, rather than breaking it down chapter by chapter. The reason is because although the answer to my first question was a resounding YES. At times, while chapters served to reinforce my learning/thinking/ideas – all of which is good, it’s perhaps not necessary.
And also because I want and need to read more books.
And, so that’s what I’m setting out to do.
My intention is to read one book a week under two genres and note the learning that I take from each that I can apply in a way that can have a positive impact on my WorkLife.
The Two Genres Are:
- Learning Through the Genre of Fiction Books
I believe that fiction can tell truths that nonfiction cannot, and in doing so, can open the way for truth to emerge in a way that can have a positive impact on my WorkLife.
- Learning Through the Genre of Non-Fiction Books
I love non-fiction that reads like fiction.
I believe that fact can be stranger than fiction. and that this can open the way for truth to emerge in a way that can have a positive impact on my WorkLife.
When I was reading and making notes on the learning I took from Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast about how it connected and could be adapted to help me in my WorkLife learning, I learnt that while Hemingway was writing about real people, places and events, he considered the book a work of fiction based on reality, not a straightforward autobiography. There may be embellishments and passages left out; people may be misrepresented. But as a fiction writer, Hemingway knows fiction tells certain truths that nonfiction does not. He wants his text to enhance rather than detract from competing factual accounts of the same time, and in so doing, open the way for truth to emerge about people and events.
Source Coursehero
Let’s see where the next chapters of A WorkLife Book Club For One are going to take me …
Epilogue
I will continue to walk and explore, and as always, I will have a book (or two) in my bag. I will reflect on my discoveries from my experiences of where each book takes me – metaphorically through the words on the page, and physically through my walk to wherever I stop to sit and read awhile over a glass/cup/plate.
I also love being at home, in my own space, cosied up with a book, reading over a cup/glass/plate. I’ll also reflect on where those discoveries take me.
That’s a wrap on I’m Taking Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast on A Moveable Feast Chapter by Chapter.
Words of Wisdom
But as Hemingway said, “There never is any ending to Paris.” The experiences I have taken from the journey A Moveable Feast has taken me on, haven’t ended and will remain with me long after I close the book on the last chapter
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Today I enjoyed a Passionfruit Martini at 104Bar, Brick Lane.
I think Hemingway would have approved.
Se souvenir de toi, Norma.
#FunFact1The Passionfruit Martini is not a true martini. The classic martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth and garnished with an olive or a twist of lemon. The Passionfruit Martini uses vanilla vodka for the cocktail’s base spirit. The drink was inspired by a visit to a club in Cape Town. In 2018, it was reported to be the most ordered cocktail in the UK.
#FunFact2 104baruk makes the best Passionfruit Martini in town, Shaken, Not Stirred. Though I might be a tad biased, as it’s run by family & friends. Though not really, because it truly is as good as it looks.
#FunFact3 Long before the cocktail scene hit Brick Lane; it was home to the world’s largest brewery Truman Brewery which is now East London’s revolutionary arts and media quarter.
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School of WorkLife helps you self-direct your WorkLife learning through resources that have been created to help you to take ownership of your learning in your own space and in your own time.
What is Self Directed Learning?
Self-Directed Learning is when an individual is motivated to take the initiative and responsibility on decisions related to their own learning. It is a series of independent actions and judgements free from external control and constraint.
Resources to Help You Self-Direct Your Learning
You may want to self-direct your learning by starting your WorkLife Book Club For One, For Two, or for more people. Guidelines for Starting and Running Your WorkLife Book Club will help you do that.
You may find the books below from The School of WorkLife Book Series helpful in meeting your learning needs as a self directed learner. Tap the book title to see a preview of what’s inside each book.
How To Be Autonomous in Your Development and Growth
How To Self-Coach, Direct and Lead Effectively
You can view the complete collection here: The School of WorkLife Book Series.
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Founder of School of WorkLife, Carmel O’ Reilly is a learning practitioner and writer. She creates resources to help people self-direct their WorkLife learning. These include a Collection of Books which originated from her first book, Your WorkLife Your Way and a Learn Through Reading Series of Case Studies. which originated from her latest book WorkLife Book Club.
That’s the power of writing (and reading, which is an integral part of the craft for writers), it helps you find, develop and tell the right story at the right time in all WorkLife situations – in day-to-day communication: WorkLife and feedback conversations, presentations, talks, and negotiations, at interviews, and when socialising and networking in building and maintaining good relationships. The practice of writing helps you to tell the stories that express who you are in an interesting and engaging way.