Readings, Teaching ideas, and non finance stuff etc

Sorry I had not posted for a few days, but it is summer here, which is vacation time right?  ;) lol.
 
Ok, so this will be my once a week, not strictly finance post.  But I will start off with a finance type question.  "What interesting ideas or strategies do you use to make classes more interesting?" or if you are a student "what would you like to see your FinanceProfessors do in class?"  Email me at JimMahar@FinanceProfessor.com and I will include the best of the suggestions  in future posts and in the newsletter. 
 
What have I been reading?  I finished three books this week.  The first was The Teller of Tales, the biography of Sir Arthur Connan Doyle by Daniel Stashhower.  It was good.  I really enjoyed most of it, but the end when it focused so much on Spiritualism dragged on for a while.  But overall, I am really glad I read it and I learned a ton.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0805066845/finpapers/104-9378365-5272442
 
I also finished Hallowed Grounds: a Walk at Gettysburg by James McPhearson.  Sure it was too short, and informal, but I liked it.  I wish I had ristened to it BEFORE this recent trip to Gettysburg. 
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0739306812/finpapers/104-9378365-5272442
 
The Glory of their Times provides a fascinating look at Baseball in the 1900-1920 era.  It is a series of interviews with star players done in the early to mid 1960s when Lawrence S. Ritter was writing his classic book of the same name.  This is just a collection of the actual interviews.   It is really cool to see what has changed (salaries, willingness to play through injuries, homeruns, and relief pitching) and things that have not changed (past players thinking they were better, drugs and alcohol wrecking careers, and extremely competitive players who make the sport great.   Highly recommended as a fun book!
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1565112539/finpapers/104-9378365-5272442 
 
 
Ok, that is enough about my reading etc.  I am sure many of you are not interested, but I honestly do get emails asking me why I have not been updating my reading list on the blogs, so I hope it is not too annoying to the rest of you!
 
Have a great week!
 
Jim
 
* who is doing his Tyler Hamilton imitation in more ways than one. :(   First our dog Quincy died of cancer.  He went very very fast which is the only good thing I can say about it.  Then this past Sunday I crashed my bike.  Lots of scrapes and bruises, but fortunately nothing serious save having to buy a new helmet. 
 
* who is listening to every Tour stage on Eurosport.  Surely the Tour is the most exciting three weeks of the year in sports.  Even in Olympic years! 
 
* who is really ready for hot weather.  It has been quite cool and wet in Western New York.