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Re: Powdered Soup! Camilla Send a noteboard - 30/09/2010 09:34:06 PM
I conclude that Amazon's list needs to be put out of its misory. Tolkien, yes. The other two...

There were plenty of other surprises on there, leading me to believe that, yes, that list was worthless.

I enjoy Jane Eyre. But that is because I immediately forget the religious nonsense.

I have often wondered, and please don't take this the wrong way, if you have to be female to identify with or enjoy Jane Eyre. I don't remember ever hearing from a male who loved it. Not that that's an appropriate excuse not to read it.


That is possible. I think it helps to have a slight crush on Rochester.

Well those first few pages were horrid and the Cliff's Notes that got me through class were dull too. I think at this point it’s more of an ingrained habit of avoidance. Am I missing something?

Why anyone would want to use Cliff's Notes is beyond me.

Are you missing something? Yes. What makes it literature. The reason why it is good. Cliff's Notes are like ... powder soup. It is not soup. It is just a powdery, boring extract of soup and it lacks the soupness of it.

I meant was a missing some appeal to Austen or Bronte that I should endevour to read it, not comparing to the quality of Cliff's Notes to the actual work. I do enjoy the soup analogy though, that was well done.


Thank you. I was quite happy with the soup analogy. But I do think that a lot of the impression that classics are boring comes from people choosing Cliff's notes.


I definitely think you may be missing something, if nothing else the many references to these books in later fiction. I know Austen can appeal to men (my boyfriend is quite a fan). Brontë probably also, altough I haven't asked around. They may be more intellectual reads if you do not have a crush on anyone in the story.
*MySmiley*
structured procrastinator
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The Classics - general discussion / survey - 30/09/2010 03:52:53 PM 1589 Views
My own answers. - 30/09/2010 04:38:33 PM 1201 Views
I'm trying to read a bit of Shakespeare at the moment - 30/09/2010 07:20:02 PM 1103 Views
Re: I'm trying to read a bit of Shakespeare at the moment - 30/09/2010 09:14:23 PM 1107 Views
Get a copy with annotations! - 30/09/2010 10:56:12 PM 1047 Views
Re: My own answers. - 30/09/2010 09:02:08 PM 1224 Views
Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 09:23:51 PM 1218 Views
Re: Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 09:34:06 PM 1445 Views
Re: Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 10:07:20 PM 1159 Views
Re: Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 10:10:32 PM 1302 Views
They are much, much worse than powder soup. - 30/09/2010 09:50:07 PM 1046 Views
Well, since they're made of paper... - 30/09/2010 10:09:41 PM 1112 Views
Re: My own answers. - 30/09/2010 11:35:36 PM 1160 Views
Cliff's notes - 05/10/2010 08:05:56 PM 1209 Views
Re: Cliff's notes - 05/10/2010 09:21:06 PM 1405 Views
Re: Cliff's notes - 06/10/2010 01:40:38 AM 1220 Views
It's cool. - 06/10/2010 04:42:13 PM 1283 Views
A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 05:33:35 PM 1150 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 06:46:02 PM 1168 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 10:57:23 PM 1167 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 11:39:16 PM 982 Views
Camilla, that's just because you're an atheist. - 01/10/2010 09:37:34 PM 1053 Views
Yes. - 01/10/2010 09:51:32 PM 1059 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 01/10/2010 12:20:51 AM 1222 Views
totally problematic classics - 30/09/2010 08:07:22 PM 1170 Views
Re: totally problematic classics - 30/09/2010 09:26:46 PM 1069 Views
I study them, apparently. - 30/09/2010 08:44:40 PM 1241 Views
I wish I could do that. - 30/09/2010 09:49:57 PM 1145 Views
Less fun than you'd think. - 30/09/2010 10:52:10 PM 1012 Views
Good survey. - 30/09/2010 10:23:18 PM 1219 Views
Agreed. edited - 30/09/2010 10:37:48 PM 1185 Views
But but but Milton is beautiful - 30/09/2010 10:46:06 PM 1095 Views
Sometimes. - 30/09/2010 10:47:28 PM 1122 Views
Maybe I was unclear. - 30/09/2010 10:55:22 PM 1134 Views
Re: Maybe I was unclear. - 30/09/2010 10:57:41 PM 1012 Views
I'm glad you approve on the whole. - 30/09/2010 11:12:00 PM 1208 Views
I generally do. - 30/09/2010 11:19:05 PM 1135 Views
Excellent. Might as well include a Hooft poem anyway, in case anyone's interested... - 30/09/2010 11:40:24 PM 1300 Views
Re: Excellent. Might as well include a Hooft poem anyway, in case anyone's interested... - 30/09/2010 11:43:20 PM 1146 Views
Dickens - 01/10/2010 02:42:42 PM 1095 Views
Re: I generally do. - 30/09/2010 11:54:11 PM 1187 Views
Oh, and link to the Flecker poem: - 30/09/2010 11:42:30 PM 1022 Views
Re: Good survey. - 01/10/2010 02:52:27 AM 1286 Views
My classics - 30/09/2010 10:54:56 PM 1089 Views
Re: My classics - 01/10/2010 03:01:24 AM 1178 Views
Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 30/09/2010 11:30:41 PM 1258 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 01/10/2010 03:18:58 AM 1106 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 01/10/2010 05:20:10 AM 1168 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 01/10/2010 02:05:35 PM 1151 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 02/10/2010 04:07:10 AM 1130 Views
Ha, we weren't that far off after all. - 04/10/2010 08:11:39 PM 1059 Views
I will not list 300+ books here, I promise - 01/10/2010 12:36:17 AM 1247 Views
O'Connor is wonderful. But I am not sure many can appreciate her. - 01/10/2010 02:50:54 AM 928 Views
I agree, thus the "confound" part in there - 01/10/2010 02:53:26 AM 1007 Views
I figured as much. - 01/10/2010 03:08:26 AM 1022 Views
I expected you to have quite a few as well. - 01/10/2010 03:25:06 AM 1111 Views
Re: I will not list 300+ books here, I promise - 02/10/2010 11:23:37 AM 1165 Views
Criminy, I thought I was done with essay questions years ago. - 01/10/2010 01:39:56 AM 1128 Views
Glad to bring back the school days. - 01/10/2010 01:49:48 PM 1184 Views
Re: Glad to bring back the school days. - 02/10/2010 05:32:47 AM 970 Views
not sure but I don't believe in instant classics - 02/10/2010 05:22:07 AM 1150 Views
the bf and I are going to do a "Paradise Lost" book club... - 02/10/2010 08:29:38 AM 1296 Views
Mm, Doré's engravings are gorgeous. - 02/10/2010 11:40:48 AM 1173 Views
Re: Mm, Doré's engravings are gorgeous. - 02/10/2010 09:42:37 PM 1170 Views

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