FoxTrot Classics by Bill Amend for November 22, 2012

Put the slash over the number, but Jason knows that

@dukedoug: Hmm. For so many years I had wanted to travel to Australia, even considered living there. But I guess those are just INSANE thoughts. LOL

But I agree. The worst part of English: plowing through what someone decided was ‘classic.’ I have a B.A. in English. I prefer contemporary, concise writing. I do not care for Melville spending 200 words just to say to the effect of “I’m Ishmael. I was bored staying ashore, so I decided to sail.” Neither Melville’s nor my line would catch a publisher’s eye today. But the classics tend to lull any modern reader. We’ve grown to have shorter attention spans and need the plot to get started sooner.

When I was in English Lit class, we had to read “Lord Jim”, a horribly long, boring book. It did nothing to promote any interest in reading with me. But our teacher did explain that back in those days, authors were paid by the word, thus explaining why those novels were soooo long and wordy.

Maybe it has big print and lots of pictures?

Advice to young students: When studying “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, do not express the opinion that this stuff would probably make sense if we were allowed, when reading it, to smoke whatever Coleridge was smoking when he wrote it.

You made me yawn and its morning.

I’m a mature adult taking on-line classes for my field of study and I cannot understand why we have to take Comp II not ment for career at all. Literature reading is rough. Mean time.

I got to admit I did not care for Catcher in the Rye either. My favorite book from school was Marathon Man. Good movie, great book….The words “Is it safe?” still affect me to this day.

The Great Gatsby. Three damn Lit courses required it. At this point I just want to walk up to each and every character in the book, slap them and say, “Get over yourself.”

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. Wishing you all the best today and throughout the year.

Happy thanksgiving everybody.

Catcher in the Rye was banned when I was in HS! Our one illicit copy had been passed around for a decade and devoured by students. There was a waiting list to read it!

Actually, it can be done. I consider that to be light reading. I can read that in 1 day.

Just sit down and read. You could do it if it were a magazine or something