Yea, AP English (are you taking AP Literature?..the fiction one)..I had to read Their Eyes Were Watching God over the summer for that last year and boy was it terrible. Come to think of it, the only books I enjoyed were Hamlet and Candide..never been one for the English class reading lists.
Thankfully have not read The Kite Runner.
I wouldn't be able to do AP or Honors English. The types of books they assign are the reason I try and stay away form those classes. It they assigned better books, like Sherlock Holmes, maybe I'd take the class.
I am taking AP Psychology this year, which seems pretty interesting. I'm excited for the part of the class about sleep. As a lucid dreamer, I want to learn as much about it as I can.
Unfortunately, Their Eyes are Watching God is on the book list for the year...
I loved reading Candide in my European class last year, though It was tragic, but in a hilarious way.
I wish my school offered AP Psychology or something cool like that. All we have are core subjects and 5th year languages for Advanced Placement.
(I also wish I could lucid dream, that seems awesome.)
I had to read October Sky )Rocket Boys) over summer one year. That's pretty much the biggest reason I don't go for the higher level classes. That, and I don't think I'd do so well. English isn't my strongest subject.
As for lucid dreaming....
Unfortunately, the way the AP Psychology test works is a rather glancing look at each chapter/topic...for me the course did not really go too deeply into something like lucid dreaming. The test was a very "on the surface" sort of examination, so the course naturally could not deeply examine each topic due to time restraints and making the course most in line with what the students were going to see.
As for Their Eyes Were Watching God...just do your best to tolerate the inane vernacular and shallow plot.
(Jul. 09, 2012 3:15 AM)Fluke Wrote: [ -> ]Yea, AP English (are you taking AP Literature?..the fiction one)..I had to read Their Eyes Were Watching God over the summer for that last year and boy was it terrible. Come to think of it, the only books I enjoyed were Hamlet and Candide..never been one for the English class reading lists.
Thankfully have not read The Kite Runner.
I love Hamlet. Im probably gonna re-read it in high school so im glad its a good book. I like most of the books i read except three years ago (5th grade) we read a book called grayson. Worst. Book. Ever. or at
least for me. And the teacher didnt get mad when wehad to write book reports and i ranted about how a whole chapter was used to describe the sunset. Ah. Fifth grade.
What was a book I had to read in High School just before graduation? The whole class did?
Twilight.
Texas needs help, bad.
(Jul. 10, 2012 12:28 AM)Syncrystal Wrote: [ -> ]What was a book I had to read in High School just before graduation? The whole class did?
Twilight.
Texas needs help, bad.
That made me cry (NOT THE BOOK- but the actual fact you were forced to read that sorry excuse for a book).
(Jul. 10, 2012 12:34 AM)Insomniac Wrote: [ -> ] (Jul. 10, 2012 12:28 AM)Syncrystal Wrote: [ -> ]What was a book I had to read in High School just before graduation? The whole class did?
Twilight.
Texas needs help, bad.
That made me cry (NOT THE BOOK- but the actual fact you were forced to read that sorry excuse for a book).
Don't bash on Twilight. How would you like it if you wrote something and everyone said that they hated it, sent you death threats, and other violent things? Have you read it, Insomniac? If you haven't you have no right to call it "a sorry excuse for a book". You have your opinion, I can understand that, but this type of opinion is just unfair. People like this book series.
(Jul. 10, 2012 12:46 AM)Tech Wrote: [ -> ]Don't bash on Twilight. How would you like it if you wrote something and everyone said that they hated it, sent you death threats, and other violent things? Have you read it, Insomniac? If you haven't you have no right to call it "a sorry excuse for a book". You have your opinion, I can understand that, but this type of opinion is just unfair. People like this book series.
Hm, never heard about that- lol. I did read it, the first one. Since the hype was around, I figured I would. Now, not being a real hater here. But the plot
could be appealing to some people. But the actual text is not that great.
My opinion on this book, perfectly summed up in 17 words:
Fangirls are so blinded by their love for Edward and Jacob that they don’t realize the book is terrible.
That also insults the fan girls too, Yah know!
Degenerative myopia: Is this what I have? I mean, I did have myopia when in 4th grade. And it got worse and worse over the years, especially when I started puberty. Is that hard evidence of having this type of myopia? I'm not sure... What do you guys think?
Myopia can only degenerate as far as I know, unless you really start being absolutely careful about how you use your eyes, but even then, it will only stay at that state of myopia.
(Jul. 10, 2012 12:46 AM)Tech Wrote: [ -> ]Don't bash on Twilight. How would you like it if you wrote something and everyone said that they hated it, sent you death threats, and other violent things? Have you read it, Insomniac? If you haven't you have no right to call it "a sorry excuse for a book". You have your opinion, I can understand that, but this type of opinion is just unfair. People like this book series.
Death threats? Dang. The world is filled with terrible people, case closed.
I haven't actually read the Twilight books, but I honestly don't care to for two reasons:
1. Not really into "romantic" stuff
2. Those ultra-rabid fangirls
Even if the books were even
remotely good, which I have my doubts on, those rabid fangirls probably ruin most non-fangirls' enjoyment towards the books. People like that frighten me. A lot.
(Jul. 10, 2012 12:55 AM)Insomniac Wrote: [ -> ]My opinion on this book, perfectly summed up in 17 words:
Fangirls are so blinded by their love for Edward and Jacob that they don’t realize the book is terrible.
Hahahahaha. I totally believe this statement.
Yukio Wrote:Degenerative myopia: Is this what I have? I mean, I did have myopia when in 4th grade. And it got worse and worse over the years, especially when I started puberty. Is that hard evidence of having this type of myopia? I'm not sure... What do you guys think?
I was previously diagnosed with myopia before. They weren't sure (they said I had to wait a few years to be sure), but so far, my eyes went from 20/20 to 20/45 or 50. Basically, I went from reading line 7 on that eyechart, to barely seeing line 2 now. Luckily, glasses are doing enough now, and I'm able to play tennis, but yeah...
IMO, once you can't see the 2nd line, I'd consult your eye doctor and talk about the possibility of that being the case... Your eyes just might be bad, but never leave out that chance...
(Jul. 08, 2012 3:58 PM)Mickey Wrote: [ -> ]Good job Wolf, if I had a chance to take that job, I would because I love talking, especially to an audience, what makes it more fun is that you're changing the world.
thanks man
also.. this being a city job.. makes it better (not to mention it fits my abilities XD).. and because of the type of work it is.. it really can open my life to good jobs latter in life
I know. I got glasses now. I can read everything fine now! But, I just wanted to know if my shortsightedness would get worse...
(Jul. 10, 2012 1:42 AM)Yukio Wrote: [ -> ]I know. I got glasses now. I can read everything fine now! But, I just wanted to know if my shortsightedness would get worse...
Nah, it's not gonna get worse unless you let your eyes encounter things that could damage them more, such as straining them a lot or something like that...
(Jul. 10, 2012 12:46 AM)Tech Wrote: [ -> ] (Jul. 10, 2012 12:34 AM)Insomniac Wrote: [ -> ] (Jul. 10, 2012 12:28 AM)Syncrystal Wrote: [ -> ]What was a book I had to read in High School just before graduation? The whole class did?
Twilight.
Texas needs help, bad.
That made me cry (NOT THE BOOK- but the actual fact you were forced to read that sorry excuse for a book).
Don't bash on Twilight. How would you like it if you wrote something and everyone said that they hated it, sent you death threats, and other violent things? Have you read it, Insomniac? If you haven't you have no right to call it "a sorry excuse for a book". You have your opinion, I can understand that, but this type of opinion is just unfair. People like this book series.
Twilight being notable enough for a reading curriculum? We lost a war at some point in literary tastes.
I appreciate reading in general, but if we're talking of graded curriculum, make it a classic at least. Classic literature is a timeless educational material nobody should neglect.
That, I don't agree with, though. Not as classroom reading...
(Jul. 10, 2012 1:46 AM)Syncrystal Wrote: [ -> ]Twilight being notable enough for a reading curriculum? We lost a war at some point in literary tastes.
I appreciate reading in general, but if we're talking of graded curriculum, make it a classic at least. Classic literature is a timeless educational material nobody should neglect.
TKAM>Twilight
In general, books that gets teens hyped up are a bad choice. True story, applies to most things.
The problem with Twilight..is well, it's pandering. Yes people like those books, but that does not make them any better than they are, objectively. Of course anytime we speak of subjects that are viewed as subjective, people will bust out the "well, that's your opinion man" thing, but let's be real..Twilight is worthy of no merit other than being a rather ingenious means of becoming very wealthy.
It's really rather close to the whole dumb radio thing...most music played on popular radio stations simply panders to the club crowd or teenagers who romanticize their life. People like those songs, but that doesn't make them good. It's easy to understand why the popularity/fandom of these things (popular music, Twilight, etc.) gets under the skin of people who have appreciations and understanding of music/literature beyond those things...
TL;DR - Twilight's bad because it's a series of books that panders to its targeted audience.
Classical literature I am iffy on. A lot of it's dated and just isn't really fit to be read as part of a curriculum. At least not most of the "classical" literature out there..by this I speak of guys like Thomas Hardy, Hawthorne, etc. For their time, they fit stylistically, and even for decades afterward. But now, they are mostly painful to read. Some things just don't translate well to the modern day and that's ok. it doesn't make them worse or less notable, but sometimes you just have to put up the bust in the hall of fame.
If I were to organize a curriculum, I'd probably focus on post-modern literature. I believe that is where the real value lies (David Foster Wallace, Pynchon, etc.)
Though this is probably venturing into the media section's territory so I'll leave it there.
I was thinking the other day that there is a threshold for everything. For example, I dislike crowds (and, unsurprisingly, am mostly an introvert). However, I'll make exceptions and brave the packs of people for my favorite music acts (Modest Mouse, Moonface). A cruise does not cross the threshold of being worthwhile to face a crowd for me. Similarly, there are thresholds for what we find offensive or distasteful.. though usually these thresholds are never firmly outlined or pointed out, often leading to hurt feelings or grave misunderstandings.
Main stream books are usually terrible. Twilight isn't the first bad book in the world, there are many like it. The best books are usually the ones that none of your friends have read yet. When everybody is reading something, even people who don't usually read, it tells you something. People who don''t read often will usually enjoy almost any book because that's just it, they hardly read. When they do read, they read what's popular at that time. They just don't see how bad it is because they've never read anything better.
When it comes to my taste in books, I'm a big fan of Sherlock Holmes. That's honestly the best series I've ever read. I like a good mystery. Other than that, I mostly read manga. Although I will pick up a good book from time to time.
Lets just end this Twilight thing lol. It's becoming more than it needs to be.
if anyone's looking for a good book series though, maze runner trilogy
I have a Stephen King collection but I prefer the older books of his or the ones not widely talked about. At least, old hat. Misery and Geralds game are disturbingly amazing.