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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 1481 Views
My own answers. - 30/09/2010 04:38:33 PM 1067 Views
I'm trying to read a bit of Shakespeare at the moment - 30/09/2010 07:20:02 PM 1002 Views
Re: I'm trying to read a bit of Shakespeare at the moment - 30/09/2010 09:14:23 PM 999 Views
Get a copy with annotations! - 30/09/2010 10:56:12 PM 955 Views
Re: My own answers. - 30/09/2010 09:02:08 PM 1093 Views
Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 09:23:51 PM 1112 Views
Re: Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 09:34:06 PM 1349 Views
Re: Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 10:07:20 PM 1039 Views
Re: Powdered Soup! - 30/09/2010 10:10:32 PM 1209 Views
They are much, much worse than powder soup. - 30/09/2010 09:50:07 PM 954 Views
Well, since they're made of paper... - 30/09/2010 10:09:41 PM 1032 Views
Re: My own answers. - 30/09/2010 11:35:36 PM 1064 Views
Cliff's notes - 05/10/2010 08:05:56 PM 1114 Views
Re: Cliff's notes - 05/10/2010 09:21:06 PM 1326 Views
Re: Cliff's notes - 06/10/2010 01:40:38 AM 1116 Views
It's cool. - 06/10/2010 04:42:13 PM 1169 Views
A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 05:33:35 PM 1040 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 06:46:02 PM 1061 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 10:57:23 PM 1023 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 30/09/2010 11:39:16 PM 887 Views
Camilla, that's just because you're an atheist. - 01/10/2010 09:37:34 PM 956 Views
Yes. - 01/10/2010 09:51:32 PM 941 Views
Re: A classic is really any book with enduring value. - 01/10/2010 12:20:51 AM 1121 Views
totally problematic classics - 30/09/2010 08:07:22 PM 1083 Views
Re: totally problematic classics - 30/09/2010 09:26:46 PM 974 Views
I study them, apparently. - 30/09/2010 08:44:40 PM 1136 Views
I wish I could do that. - 30/09/2010 09:49:57 PM 1045 Views
Less fun than you'd think. - 30/09/2010 10:52:10 PM 913 Views
Good survey. - 30/09/2010 10:23:18 PM 1111 Views
Agreed. edited - 30/09/2010 10:37:48 PM 1074 Views
But but but Milton is beautiful - 30/09/2010 10:46:06 PM 1006 Views
Sometimes. - 30/09/2010 10:47:28 PM 1032 Views
Maybe I was unclear. - 30/09/2010 10:55:22 PM 1045 Views
Re: Maybe I was unclear. - 30/09/2010 10:57:41 PM 928 Views
I'm glad you approve on the whole. - 30/09/2010 11:12:00 PM 1049 Views
I generally do. - 30/09/2010 11:19:05 PM 1032 Views
Excellent. Might as well include a Hooft poem anyway, in case anyone's interested... - 30/09/2010 11:40:24 PM 1212 Views
Re: Excellent. Might as well include a Hooft poem anyway, in case anyone's interested... - 30/09/2010 11:43:20 PM 1041 Views
Dickens - 01/10/2010 02:42:42 PM 1015 Views
Re: I generally do. - 30/09/2010 11:54:11 PM 1092 Views
Oh, and link to the Flecker poem: - 30/09/2010 11:42:30 PM 940 Views
Re: Good survey. - 01/10/2010 02:52:27 AM 1183 Views
My classics - 30/09/2010 10:54:56 PM 997 Views
Re: My classics - 01/10/2010 03:01:24 AM 1086 Views
Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 30/09/2010 11:30:41 PM 1137 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 01/10/2010 03:18:58 AM 997 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 01/10/2010 05:20:10 AM 1075 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 01/10/2010 02:05:35 PM 1023 Views
Re: Ah Cliff, I bow to thee - 02/10/2010 04:07:10 AM 1043 Views
Ha, we weren't that far off after all. - 04/10/2010 08:11:39 PM 971 Views
I will not list 300+ books here, I promise - 01/10/2010 12:36:17 AM 1135 Views
O'Connor is wonderful. But I am not sure many can appreciate her. - 01/10/2010 02:50:54 AM 834 Views
I agree, thus the "confound" part in there - 01/10/2010 02:53:26 AM 929 Views
I figured as much. - 01/10/2010 03:08:26 AM 943 Views
I expected you to have quite a few as well. - 01/10/2010 03:25:06 AM 1024 Views
Re: I will not list 300+ books here, I promise - 02/10/2010 11:23:37 AM 1083 Views
Criminy, I thought I was done with essay questions years ago. - 01/10/2010 01:39:56 AM 1043 Views
Glad to bring back the school days. - 01/10/2010 01:49:48 PM 1091 Views
Re: Glad to bring back the school days. - 02/10/2010 05:32:47 AM 878 Views
not sure but I don't believe in instant classics - 02/10/2010 05:22:07 AM 1049 Views
the bf and I are going to do a "Paradise Lost" book club... - 02/10/2010 08:29:38 AM 1173 Views
Mm, Doré's engravings are gorgeous. - 02/10/2010 11:40:48 AM 1092 Views
Re: Mm, Doré's engravings are gorgeous. - 02/10/2010 09:42:37 PM 1047 Views

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