Comments on: First Book http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:04:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: admin http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-153 admin Tue, 02 Sep 2008 00:46:09 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-153 We now have an N of 2 proving that Hardy Boys = liberal arts success and incredible cross-country skiing prowess. We now have an N of 2 proving that Hardy Boys = liberal arts success and incredible cross-country skiing prowess.

]]> By: Luke S http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-152 Luke S Mon, 01 Sep 2008 23:56:06 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-152 I have read, and probably still own, EVERY single one of the original 50-odd Hardy Boys books. Most of them read multiple times. I also used to read anything in reach. Twice. Or three times. I have read, and probably still own, EVERY single one of the original 50-odd Hardy Boys books. Most of them read multiple times. I also used to read anything in reach. Twice. Or three times.

]]> By: admin http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-140 admin Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:23:22 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-140 Mnmom: I can see you cutting through the elementary-school reading like butter! The ability to imagine yourself being married to Igor the goat skinner had to arise someplace - where better than grade-school fiction? Beyond that, though, your mention of SRA readers gave me a start. I'm SURE I had those same things in my elementary school. I found them excruciatingly boring. The quizzes after each one were so ridiculously simple that I could barely complete them. I didn't know then that quite a bit of education is just makework. I probably wouldn't have survived if my Michmom didn't take me to the Carnegie Library in Ironwood, Michigan, and let me check out just about anything I wanted, such as - once, in sixth grade or so - a bunch of Peanuts cartoon books, three or four volumes in the Time-Life series on World War II, and <i>The Grapes of Wrath</i>. Good times. Mnmom: I can see you cutting through the elementary-school reading like butter! The ability to imagine yourself being married to Igor the goat skinner had to arise someplace – where better than grade-school fiction?

Beyond that, though, your mention of SRA readers gave me a start. I’m SURE I had those same things in my elementary school. I found them excruciatingly boring. The quizzes after each one were so ridiculously simple that I could barely complete them. I didn’t know then that quite a bit of education is just makework. I probably wouldn’t have survived if my Michmom didn’t take me to the Carnegie Library in Ironwood, Michigan, and let me check out just about anything I wanted, such as – once, in sixth grade or so – a bunch of Peanuts cartoon books, three or four volumes in the Time-Life series on World War II, and The Grapes of Wrath.

Good times.

]]> By: admin http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-139 admin Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:16:58 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-139 Q: Trust me on this one - when you finish your dissertation, and after the sense that "I should be reading something important" fades away (for me, this took years), you will be ravenous for reading anything and everything. I probably haven't read this widely since I was beginning high school. It's wonderful. Q: Trust me on this one – when you finish your dissertation, and after the sense that “I should be reading something important” fades away (for me, this took years), you will be ravenous for reading anything and everything. I probably haven’t read this widely since I was beginning high school. It’s wonderful.

]]> By: admin http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-138 admin Sat, 30 Aug 2008 03:15:24 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-138 Nice to hear from you, Dean! I'm with you on the book being pretty strange. "Spiraling out of control" is an accurate summary of the action so far! Nice to hear from you, Dean! I’m with you on the book being pretty strange. “Spiraling out of control” is an accurate summary of the action so far!

]]> By: Dean http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-133 Dean Fri, 29 Aug 2008 04:21:41 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-133 Hmmm, I'm not sure what this means but I've read the Chesterton book and not any of the Hardy Boys books (that I can recall). I came upon the man who would be Thurday in an odd manner. You'll no doubt recall my phase of reading every word of Hemmingway years ago. There is a short story where Nick Adams and a friend are getting drunk and "Chesterton" is mentioned in the dialogue. Since I'd never heard of him I looked him up at the library and the only book of his they had on hand was ...Thursday. This was at least ten years ago so I don't recall all the details but that it was a good read. I just remember the way the plot spiraled out of control steadily. Hmmm, I’m not sure what this means but I’ve read the Chesterton book and not any of the Hardy Boys books (that I can recall). I came upon the man who would be Thurday in an odd manner. You’ll no doubt recall my phase of reading every word of Hemmingway years ago. There is a short story where Nick Adams and a friend are getting drunk and “Chesterton” is mentioned in the dialogue. Since I’d never heard of him I looked him up at the library and the only book of his they had on hand was …Thursday. This was at least ten years ago so I don’t recall all the details but that it was a good read. I just remember the way the plot spiraled out of control steadily.

]]> By: Dad http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-131 Dad Fri, 29 Aug 2008 02:20:29 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-131 I remember that "sentence completion project" and I was....well...ahh..."you read this whole book this afternoon?' And I remember C saying yes. Its imbedded in my memory as if it had happened this morning. I remember that “sentence completion project” and I was….well…ahh…”you read this whole book this afternoon?’ And I remember C saying yes. Its imbedded in my memory as if it had happened this morning.

]]> By: Question http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-127 Question Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:48:58 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-127 Because I could read well ahead of the other kids, I was given special permission to leave my first grade classroom and read to the kindergardeners. I was so bored with first grade reading. My mom was a librarian so I always had plenty to read and she never cared if it was above my grade level. While I had many of the Nancy Drew books, I couldn't get into them. I didn't like Nancy (still don't) because she was too perfect. I wish I could remember which of the "bigger" books was my first. Maybe something by Judy Blume? I haven't read much that's interesting lately. Lots of crappy paperbacks and mysteries. I keep telling myself that as soon as school is over I will go back to reading higher quality stuff. Because I could read well ahead of the other kids, I was given special permission to leave my first grade classroom and read to the kindergardeners. I was so bored with first grade reading.

My mom was a librarian so I always had plenty to read and she never cared if it was above my grade level.

While I had many of the Nancy Drew books, I couldn’t get into them. I didn’t like Nancy (still don’t) because she was too perfect.

I wish I could remember which of the “bigger” books was my first. Maybe something by Judy Blume?

I haven’t read much that’s interesting lately. Lots of crappy paperbacks and mysteries. I keep telling myself that as soon as school is over I will go back to reading higher quality stuff.

]]> By: Jordan http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-126 Jordan Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:16:59 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-126 Yes, I too loved The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. I recognize that Hardy Boys book, actually! It's always good to read your blog to find out what my husband does with those long evenings when I'm working. ;-) Very cool idea. The bookish child in glasses is currently complaining to me because Daddy won't let him read ahead in Harry Potter (we only let him read the HP books on his own if we've read them with him first, given the scare-your-pants-off nature of them for a 7-year old!). More than one person has noted that him getting glasses this week seems appropriate, given his predilection for all things literary and factual. It's a lot of fun to watch our children share our love for books, that's for sure. Yes, I too loved The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew. I recognize that Hardy Boys book, actually! It’s always good to read your blog to find out what my husband does with those long evenings when I’m working. ;-) Very cool idea.

The bookish child in glasses is currently complaining to me because Daddy won’t let him read ahead in Harry Potter (we only let him read the HP books on his own if we’ve read them with him first, given the scare-your-pants-off nature of them for a 7-year old!). More than one person has noted that him getting glasses this week seems appropriate, given his predilection for all things literary and factual.

It’s a lot of fun to watch our children share our love for books, that’s for sure.

]]> By: Mnmom http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/2008/08/27/first-book/comment-page-1/#comment-124 Mnmom Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:53:28 +0000 http://www.tassava.com/blowing-and-drifting/?p=209#comment-124 I was like you. I'd zip through our Dick and Jane readers in the time it took for the teacher to get comfy in her chair. Then the class would take . . . turns . . . reading . . . parts . . . out . . . loud. And I'd think I was going to completely DIE of boredom. We also had these bizarre boxes of 2 or 3 page stories called SRA readers with tests at the end, and they were colored coded as the levels went up, all the way to Gold and Silver which no lower elementary student could reach in a school year. Or so they thought. My friends Chuck, Bethany, Gail and I would hit the gold and silver levels by Sept 30th. Teachers hated us. Luckily outside of the classroom my Mom took us to the library almost everyday with no restrictions. Early I found Nancy Drew and was hooked. Now I'm obsessed with reading and usually have 2 or 3 going at one time. I think my kids have caught the bug too. Right now my twins are immersed in the new vampire series by Stephanie Meyer. I was like you. I’d zip through our Dick and Jane readers in the time it took for the teacher to get comfy in her chair. Then the class would take . . . turns . . . reading . . . parts . . . out . . . loud. And I’d think I was going to completely DIE of boredom.

We also had these bizarre boxes of 2 or 3 page stories called SRA readers with tests at the end, and they were colored coded as the levels went up, all the way to Gold and Silver which no lower elementary student could reach in a school year. Or so they thought. My friends Chuck, Bethany, Gail and I would hit the gold and silver levels by Sept 30th. Teachers hated us.

Luckily outside of the classroom my Mom took us to the library almost everyday with no restrictions. Early I found Nancy Drew and was hooked. Now I’m obsessed with reading and usually have 2 or 3 going at one time. I think my kids have caught the bug too. Right now my twins are immersed in the new vampire series by Stephanie Meyer.

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