Summer Reading Blows!

[Grinning Geckos]

I could think of worse things. Then again, it depends on the class. 5 hours of art history would pretty much bore me to death.

 

[M_surinamensis]

The Scarlet Letter is a pretty miserable book... Flowers for Algernon is decent though and, as a short story, not a lot there to complain about.

There's an issue I have long had with certain books which get associated with "The Classics"- some of them are just poorly written. I don't think I ever had to read it in highschool but when I did read it (Er... prior to highschool actually and a few times since then; in whole or part) I just found myself entirely unable to sympathize with Hester there and the problems she brought upon herself... the character development was obvious and superficial and the writing style tended to drone (Heh, who am I to criticize?) and be easily led off into tangents that contributed absolutely nothing.

The benefit to having read it though... is the ability to easily see, understand and appreciate the occassional minor reference to the book in more modern popular media- some of which is being written by much more talented creative people than Hawthorne and can represent some quality satire.

Sometimes people... especially people interepreting the curriculum for school districts (Meaning teachers- there ARE some great ones but the majority who have a lot of potential tend to shy away from eighteen grand a year and having to deal with teenagers. You don't realize it as one but teenagers are idiots for the most part) make the mistake of thinking that being old is the same as being worthwhile.

Of course, on the flip side you get people who think that being old means it will be boring or difficult to read which is absolutely not the case in many instances.

The best literary critique I have run into is Twain's Criticisms of Cooper. They're amusing 'cause they're filled with trash talking... but they're also very accurate and I have used the ideas involved as the basis for "good writing" in any genre. If you understand what Twain says and why, you become better able to both write and... review... the writing of others. I don't know why it's not included in most schools but it can teach a great deal.

Edit: Find value in things, even if they're unenjoyable and most of what you learn is what was negative and should be avoided. The Scarlet Letter is a pile of garbage to read- read it and, when writing, don't make the same mistakes.

 

[LeosForLess]

Its Geometry:main_angry: Its pretty easy its just that i have the weirdest taecher EVER!!!

 

[The NY Gecko]

AHAHAHahahahahahAHAHAHAAHHAhahahahahahahahahahahahahahhHHAHAHAHHAhahahahahahAHAhahahAhahahAHAHAHahahaHAHahahahahaha

Ok brucie, whatever you say. Can you PROVE anything you say?

I CAN prove that YOU support smugglers. I CAN Prove that you LIE. I CAN prove that YOU are one of the biggest dimwits to ever touch finger to keyboard.

How come you don't post at TRR anymore brucie? HMMMMM???

As far as being like me, no, don't. It's tough to be me and I would NOT recommend it. Especially if, like the cowardly tattletale kissass brucie stephensen, you lack a spinal column.

brucie, don't get mad at ME. It was YOU who told ME you were MY friend, remember? YOU loved me until I TOLD YOU THAT YOU DID NOT MAKE THE CUT AND WOULD NEVER BE MY FRIEND. Remember that brucie? It was just before YOU changed your UNASKED for good guy rating, since we have NEVER done business together and never will, to a bad guy rating JUST BECAUSE I SPURNED YOUR ADVANCES.

You're a scumbag of the worst sort. You just don't like me saying so to all the folks you try to BUY friendship from.

No one likes you, they just like your money.

Ok knock it off the both of you, quit trying to act all hardcore on the keyboard.

 

[GeckoStud]

"I bet you can't wait to grow up so you can do what you want.
I bet you can't wait to get a job where you work 8 hours a day and get 7-14 days off a year with a few holidays thrown in for good measure."
to quote you Karen...

I'm sorry but you've got me completely wrong... i don't envy adults or their lifestyles in the least. You can keep your enslavement to society for a while, I'll be there when I get there, until then... no rush.

Never once did I say I wanted to grow up quickly, in fact I'm pretty sure I stated earlier that I wanted to enjoy my years as a teenager.

All I wanted to say and get off my chest was that I hated reading a book over the summer that I did NOT CHOOSE myself...

Believe me I will read 20 to 30 books over summer vacation other than the summer reading books, but I CHOOSE them, ME not the school board.

 

[misanthorpe]

On this same topic

Anybody have opinions on the merit of a couple of other "classics"? Specifically, 1984 and The Jungle? (I'll get the author of the latter in a minute).

I had/was assigned to read The Old Man and the Sea, and Johnnie Tremain in Junior High. I must admit that, although I would never have chosen them for myself, I enjoyed them both. Johnnie Tremain was a MUCH better lesson on the US Revolutionary time than any textbook could have provided.

Since I will be home schooling my intellectually precocial 7th grader this year, I want to provide him with some of the "classics" that are actually a pleasure to read. I am particularly interested in using well researched historical novels, biographies, memoirs for history instead of a text. Anyone have any recommendations to recommend?

 

[misanthorpe]

The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair.

 

[GeckoStud]

"To Kill a Mocking Bird" was historical and i enjoyed it but it may be an older read...

"Moby ****" or "2,000 Leagues Under the Sea" would be other classics i would recommend. But thats just me.

 

[GeckoStud]

I can't believe it censored that title, LOL i didn't even think about it.

 

[dot]

I liked/like A Separate Peace and The Great Gatsby.