Goals

This year one of my goals is to read all of the Reading Olympic's books before the competition in May,  I usually get pretty close but there are always two or three books that I just didn't get to.  This is double trouble because, one, I don't feel as confident judging those answers; and two, often the questions contain major spoilers.

First up was Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original "Girl Reporter Nellie Bly by Deborah Noyes.  I was eager to read this one because we reference Nellie Bly as part of the 7th grade curriculum and I would love to be able to provide a book for kids who are looking to find out more.  And if they happen to get involved in Reading Olympics too...well you won't see me complaining.

Ten Days a Madwoman was a fascinating read.  I was only familiar with Nellie's time in the "madhouse" and I was very impressed with her illustrious career that followed.  Sometimes I think people get biographies written about them just because they were famous and their lives weren't actually that interesting.  Nellie Bly definitely deserved a biography, her life was fascinating.

This book is also well arranged with a good mix of newspaper clippings, diary entries, and photographs supplementing the story line.  I read this on my Kindle while I was in Africa and I have to admit the electronic formatting was not that great.  I'm hoping the print edition showcases all those primary sources in a better way.
 

Exposing corruption...that's kids stuff.