|
Korean Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
khyber
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Location: Compunction Junction
|
 Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2006 4:39 am Post subject: |
 |
|
"Another Roadside attraction" That's a great book i figger...(Tom robbins i think's the lad's name)
"curious incident of a dog in the night time" IS a fantastic book. Prolly really good for near english speakers, but it's pretty small and very possible to plow through it in a single day (maybe a good book to warm up with).
ANYTHING by David Sedaris....
specifically his latest...
"Dress your family in corduoury and denim". It's a great mix of crazy dyfunctional family and touching story telling.
"Me talk pretty one day" is also pretty good |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
jajdude
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:05 am Post subject: |
|
|
| I'm trying to teach "The Great Gatsby" to some grade 6 and 8 students. I'm not sure how to do this. We will have 18 classes, 40 minutes each, to read and discuss the novel. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SuperHero
Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Thanks for all the suggestions, I'll be heading to Kyobo on the weekend after printing up this thread. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SuperHero
Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 12:05 am Post subject: |
|
|
All right, I'm heading to Kyobo tomorrow morning and the only book I've eliminated from the list was The Joy Luck Club which was one of the most boring books that I've ever read, the movie wasn't half bad, but the book was terrible.
I think a few of these books may be less than 400 pages but I'll take a look at them. Anyhow I need to choose and read the next three books tomorrow.
anyhow here is a summary of what I've got so far. Further suggestions are of course welcome.
| Quote: |
About A Boy Nick Hornby
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Mark Haddon
Oryx and Crake or The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood
Soloman Gurski Was Here Mordecai Richler
The Tutor of History Manjushree Thapa
Some Great Thing Colin MacAdam
Shalimar the Clown Salman Rushdie
The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteyngart
The true history of the Kelly Gang Peter Carey
Brave New World Aldous Huxley
The Bone People Kerri Hulme
The Blind Assassin Margaret Attwood
1984 and Animal Farm - George Orwell
Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. Dick
Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
L.A. Confidential or any of the Dudley Smith trio. James Ellroy
High Fidelity or About a Boy Nick Hornby
"Another Roadside attraction" Tom robbins???? |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
| SuperHero wrote: |
All right, I'm heading to Kyobo tomorrow morning and the only book I've eliminated from the list was The Joy Luck Club which was one of the most boring books that I've ever read, the movie wasn't half bad, but the book was terrible.
I think a few of these books may be less than 400 pages but I'll take a look at them. Anyhow I need to choose and read the next three books tomorrow.
anyhow here is a summary of what I've got so far. Further suggestions are of course welcome.
| Quote: |
About A Boy Nick Hornby
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Mark Haddon
Oryx and Crake or The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood
Soloman Gurski Was Here Mordecai Richler
The Tutor of History Manjushree Thapa
Some Great Thing Colin MacAdam
Shalimar the Clown Salman Rushdie
The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteyngart
The true history of the Kelly Gang Peter Carey
Brave New World Aldous Huxley
The Bone People Kerri Hulme
The Blind Assassin Margaret Attwood
1984 and Animal Farm - George Orwell
Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. *beep*
Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
L.A. Confidential or any of the Dudley Smith trio. James Ellroy
High Fidelity or About a Boy Nick Hornby
"Another Roadside attraction" Tom robbins???? |
|
Judging by this list, Lemony Snicket's "Series of Unfortunate Events" looks a bit trivial, but it's still loads of fun to read. (If you are reluctant to use books that include sexual content, I would flag Nick Hornby, "Lovely Bones," James Elroy, Tim Robbins, and even "1984.") |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Thunndarr
Joined: 30 Sep 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 3:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
| kermo wrote: |
| SuperHero wrote: |
All right, I'm heading to Kyobo tomorrow morning and the only book I've eliminated from the list was The Joy Luck Club which was one of the most boring books that I've ever read, the movie wasn't half bad, but the book was terrible.
I think a few of these books may be less than 400 pages but I'll take a look at them. Anyhow I need to choose and read the next three books tomorrow.
anyhow here is a summary of what I've got so far. Further suggestions are of course welcome.
| Quote: |
About A Boy Nick Hornby
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Mark Haddon
Oryx and Crake or The Handmaid's Tale Margaret Atwood
Soloman Gurski Was Here Mordecai Richler
The Tutor of History Manjushree Thapa
Some Great Thing Colin MacAdam
Shalimar the Clown Salman Rushdie
The Russian Debutante's Handbook Gary Shteyngart
The true history of the Kelly Gang Peter Carey
Brave New World Aldous Huxley
The Bone People Kerri Hulme
The Blind Assassin Margaret Attwood
1984 and Animal Farm - George Orwell
Slaughterhouse Five - Kurt Vonnegut
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? Philip K. *beep*
Lovely Bones Alice Sebold
L.A. Confidential or any of the Dudley Smith trio. James Ellroy
High Fidelity or About a Boy Nick Hornby
"Another Roadside attraction" Tom robbins???? |
|
Judging by this list, Lemony Snicket's "Series of Unfortunate Events" looks a bit trivial, but it's still loads of fun to read. (If you are reluctant to use books that include sexual content, I would flag Nick Hornby, "Lovely Bones," James Elroy, Tim Robbins, and even "1984.") |
I was interested to see what people are recommending as "pulpish fiction of about 400 pages in length. " |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 4:26 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Thunndarr wrote: |
I was interested to see what people are recommending as "pulpish fiction of about 400 pages in length. " |
Whoops. I read the title but not the post.
I just read Memoirs of a Geisha (couldn't put it down!) and I think that one qualifies. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
lawyertood
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Location: Seoul, Incheon and the World--working undercover for the MOJ
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
The Bobster
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
Superhero, I don't think you ever mentioned how old your students are. I have a similar sitch with a class of only two students, 11 and 12, one who lived and schooled in NX for 3 years, the other who went to a hoity-toity British school in Qatar who uses bigger words in conversation than I usually do. We've done the first two Narnia books, tired of the series, so switched to Roald Dahl, one of his more advanced-level books, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. Problem is, the kid who studied in Qatar, hard to find anything in kidlit he hasn't already done - he uses Amazon to order the latest Harry Potter (in English) as soon as it's available. Yeah, Kermo, he's gone through all the Lemony Snicket books long ago ...
We're almost finished with the Dahl, looking for something else. Help, anyone? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
| If their tastes run to sf/fantasy, you might consider CS Lewis's Space Trilogy -- Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandra, & I forget the name of the 3rd one. Provocative & fun reads for adults as well as smart kids. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Thunndarr
Joined: 30 Sep 2003
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
For young adults, I would recommend the Chronicles of Prydain, the first book of which is called "The Book of Three."
A testament from one satisfied customer on amazon.com reads:
| Quote: |
There are books that you don't want to see come to an end.
There are books that rattle in your brain, heart and soul, and stay with you, never to be forgotten.
Lloyd Alexander's magnificent series falls into these categories. I first read them at the age of 13 and have just read them again at 35. This series was the first that I did not want to see end. It's what got me started on reading Tolkien, Lewis, Donaldson, Piers Anthony, Dune, and others. I'm glad to see so many people love these books as well.
And why not? The characters are dynamic, engaging and more real than the average fantasy ones. The stories move along nicely with few if any slow moments. The classic elements of good and evil are all here with some twists.
There were some aspects that I was too young to appreciate the first time. One was the humor, most noticeable in The Book of Three, as we see some of the characters getting to first know each other. The other aspect was the theme/message that the way of the warrior is not the only path to nobility, honor, and courage (or to adulthood). There is as much honor in taking care of a garden as there is in being a warrior, to very loosely paraphrase one of the characters. In this day and age, when so much of the culture says be the biggest, baddest, toughest, strongest, richest etc person who destroys or gobbles up things, the message of taking care of one's garden, creating something of beauty be it a woven cloak or a clay pot, or honoring a friend's request is refreshing and not heard enough.
To the other reviewers who feel Alexander borrowed characters and motifs heavily from Tolkien, these have been part of literature and mythology for a long time. Long BEFORE Tolkien. If Dallben is Gandalf, well, Gandalf is Merlin. And Merlin was borrowed from other myths or folktales. Alexander borrowed some from The Mabinogen, the Welsh treasury of mythology. Tolkien borrowed from Beowulf and other English sources. These stories have been recreated or recast for ages. Sure, there are similarities but then this is a genre where dwarves, wizards, and enchanted objects are the norm. But assistant Pig-Keepers, frustrated ex-giants who whine about their lack of stature, a traveling bard with a second job as a King, or a trio of witches with an unusual, unpredicable sense of logic who switch identities daily(they deserve a book of their own!)? Hardly. And where have you ever seen a character quite like Fflewdur Flam? (Well, maybe in Dickens or Mark Helprin's A Winter's Tale)
For the kids (or adults) who love Harry Potter: you've got till July before the 4th book is out. There are no Quidditch matches but Taran may remind you of Harry and Dallben may remind you of Dumbledore. Check these five books out. (But avoid the inaccurate animated version of The Black Cauldron)
I've read the Lord of the Rings twice and for a long time considered it the best book I'd ever read. But it doesn't hold quite the special spot in my heart that the Prydain books do. And at least Lloyd Alexander spared us his version of those boringly long elf or dwarf songs and poems. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
sconner
Joined: 26 Jan 2006
Location: South Carolina
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 8:40 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Nick Horby's High Fidelity is great, and if you like him Bret Easton Ellis is better although the subject matter is a little touchy. I just finished Teacher Man by Frank McCourt which is said should be mandatory reading for teachers, and although not as good as Angela's Ashes, was still a pretty good book. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SuperHero
Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 1:30 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| The Bobster wrote: |
| Superhero, I don't think you ever mentioned how old your students are. |
University first year students. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
vox
Joined: 13 Feb 2005
Location: Jeollabukdo
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:42 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Dodgy Al wrote: |
| Decent list apart from Dan Brown. |
Dan Brown's DaVinci Code was recently torn apart in MacLean's magazine. I think it would make a better History class treasure hunt for historical errors.. that's not being facetious.
How about Fall On Your Knees by Ann-Marie MacDonald?
If you're into fantasy, Arthurian tales or feminism, The Mysts Of Avalon (particularly the first book on Morgan LeFay is really interesting) by Marion Zimmer Bradley. A great re-telling of the legends from the eyes of the women characters |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
SuperHero
Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Superhero Hideout
|
| Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2006 10:11 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Anyhow here is a list of the books I have chosen. I went to Kyobo and a few of the books recommended were short and several i couldn't find. I actually only got one of the recommended books The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold. I also picked up She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb and Going Postal by Terry Pratchett
| Quote: |
Yann Martel Life of Pi 401
Dan Brown The DaVinci Code 489
John Grisham The Pelican Brief 436
Sophie Kinsella Confessions of a Shopaholic 348
Alice Sebold The Lovely Bones 372
Wally Lamb She��s Come Undone 465
Arundhati Roy The God of Small Things 340
Dan Brown Digital Fortress 429
Terry Pratchett Going Postal 409
John Grisham The King of Torts 465 |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
