Aggie Goose Rhymes

Outside Reading

"From the outside looking in, you can't understand it...From the inside looking out, you can't explain it..." (About Texas A&M) Unknown


So, the picture isn't clear but I wasn't able to get a better picture of the book. Also, I chose a quote that didn't come out of the book. I think it's fitting and in sense it explains why I chose to write about a book related to A&M... In a few short months I'll have graduated and have will have all the time in the world to sleep in and read FOR PLEASURE. I'll enjoy the time off, but hopefully by this time next year I will be living in Ft. Worth and in seminary... But for now, I have to focus on school. I know it'll be over sooner than I can possibly imagine. These five years, yes I'm '07, has been better than I could have ever imagined that it would be. Anyway, needless to say A&M has and always will be a big part of who I am... As I've walked through these wonderful, old and dusty buildings I've felt more connected with my past- family members whom I have never met attended A&M. And as I walk around campus and get ready to graduate, I sincerely hope that I will one day pass on this legacy; that I will instill a love for this university that was instilled in me at a very young age. One way others have done this is in writing Aggie tales and having them published. Author Debbie Leland has done the same for those special Aggies in her life... Now for the post.

I know we haven't covered poetry yet, but I figured that I would go ahead and write about this book. Basically, this book has adapted the well known Mother Goose nursery rhymes and has an Aggie twist. For instance,Jack&Jill don't climb up the hill to fetch a pail of water, but instead they climb up to reach the top of Mt. Aggie. In another one of the rhymes, Little Miss Muffet sits on her tuffet but she doesn't eat her curds and whey. This version doesn't really say what she's doing but we know that she's in front of the MSC. The last tale or rhyme rather that I'll write about is well- related to Elephant Walk. It's an original and in my opinion is rather touching. Basically a senior buys his Senior boots and his ring and goes to Elephant Walk.... In the end, after reading this book we are brought to several conclusions or can make several statements.

1. From the inside looking out you can't explain it... What I mean is that while this book tells of Aggie traditions and does it well. However, the fact remains that say an alum of Harvard wouldn't be likely to buy this book. More than likely the audience for these Aggie books is the son, daughter, granddaughter, etc. of an alum. These books give an insiders perspective and teaches Aggie hopefuls abt. traditions that their loved one once took part in.

2. From the outside looking in you can't understand it... As previously mentioned, a Harvard alum probably would not buy this book. No one else, really understands how precious and how sacred our traditions are to us. Honestly, if I weren't an Aggie I'd find this book a little bizarre. You have to truly experience A&M in order to understand it. You can't just read abt. it.

3. Realistically speaking, the audience is probably small and consists of Aggies as aforementioned. Most likely, and I'm totally guessing here- this book is probably only sold in the Bryan/ College Station area. I couldn't picture happening upon these books at another Hastings or Barns and Noble elsewhere.

So, I think that wraps it up. Generally speaking, I was touched that someone would write and adapt these tales. WHOOP for Aggie literature.