i spent a couple of rebellious minutes in the kid's section reshelving some Native books from Short Stories/Poetry/Folktales into History. i probably should have established my criteria a bit more but i was piqued at finding Bible stories in History when there's Religions/Holidays just below it! ...the latter was probably just someone being unobservant and shoving the books into a shelf, but i'll cop my bias.
i'm out of the habit of reading, so i only read for a couple minutes while Sir settles in for bed. i'm slowly working my way through The Voice of the Coyote, which "Deftly blends the natural history of the coyote with anecdote, tall tales and legend gathered from the author's wide reading and personal experience in his native region." it's mostly fun, but the vivid descriptions of trapping techniques gets a bit brutal for me. but i like coyotes, nature writing in general, and historical perspectives (1949, in this case.)
Ugh, as a former book store employee I can tell you that the principal outcome of that act of rebellion will be to make the Native books unfindable when someone actually wants one.
I share your pique about the Bible stories, though!
Ariana Reines, “Coeur de Lion” (a small extract available here)
Anne Carson, “Mimnermos: The Brainsex Paintings” (unavailable online; sucks to suck)
Robert Hass, “Meditation at Lagunitas” (available here)
Kim Addonizio, “To the Woman Crying Uncontrollably in the Next Stall” (available here)
Rebecca Lindenberg, “Love, a Footnote” (available here)
Loren Goodman, “Traveling Through the Dark” (available here -- oops I mean here)
"and the morning stars I have seen
and the gengars who are guiding me" -- W.S. Merwin
I'm currently reading The Manual of Detection by Jedediah Berry. It's kind of a... I'm not sure if it's surrealism or magical realism, mostly because I'm not sure of the defining characteristics of each. It's a detective novel where everyone is sort of aware of the roles and tropes they embody within the story, and a lot of things proceed by a certain level of dream logic (in some cases literally; there are crimes carried out inside dreams). I'm enjoying it but I feel like I could not at all predict who else would and would not like it
Hank Green's "An Absolutely Remarkable Thing" is a remarkable thing. I read it in one sitting in 7 hours.
Saw Hank on his book tour on Monday. He's a rad guy.
Short Synopsis: At 3:00am, a girl finds a statue of a 10 foot high robot samurai in New York. She makes a YouTube video about it and it goes viral. Her life is then turned upside down. Neat examination of fame and how it effects relationships and how others see you. Also, the book just made #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
I posted this in the books forum as well, but want as many opinions as possible. Quick question regarding Harry Potter, mostly for other parents.
I'm an old person who was out of college by the time Harry Potter became a thing and the world lost its mind. I haven't particularly paid much attention to any of it, but I have a soon-to-be seven year old daughter that gets curious about it whenever we see the huge displays at Barnes & Noble. I know that initially it started as a kids series and got more mature as it progressed, but the kids that read it back then had the benefit of a few years to mature and grow between books, whereas now my kid would want to marathon that stuff as quickly as possible. When does it cross the threshold over from kids series to "scarier" stuff, when should I maybe introduce the series to her if she continues to show interest, and how do you recommend I pace these things out so that she can emotionally deal with them on a healthy level?
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JedocIn the scupperswith the staggers and jagsRegistered Userregular
Common Sense Media recommends the first book for ages 8 and up and the seventh book for ages 12 and up, with a pretty smooth increase in between. While I think they're usually pretty cautious in their ratings, I'd pretty much agree with this, based on my memory of the books and the kind of material we recommend to library patrons in those age brackets. If you started a tradition of getting her one for Christmas and one for her birthday every year, you'd be riding that sweet spot where they're mature enough to be thrilling, but nothing that a well-adjusted child of her age couldn't handle.
The challenge is that even the first book is pretty solidly a sixth-grade reading level, especially if you're American. Books by British authors are more difficult for children in a way that vocabulary tests don't always capture, given the sheer number of assumptions and cultural shorthand that our vernacular includes.
You might consider getting the first book this Christmas and reading it to her as a bedtime story. That would help cement it as a tradition that would explain why she just can't shotgun the whole series, and you'd be there to explain any weird Britishisms or dark scenes that crop up. I know a dude who started reading it to his boys when they were about that age, and it became such an important tradition that they all read the last book out loud to each other even though they were about to graduate high school.
The 'mature' themes that develop are mostly things like: death of a parental figure, more complex and nuanced morality than the fairytale black/white that you often get in preteen stories, and stupid teen crushes.
I don't think there's anything in there that needs to be heavily policed by parents. I'm not a huge fan of holding back content till it's deemed age appropriate - mostly children self-regulate fairly well - but there's definitely nothing in the first three books that should be emotionally challenging for a kid under 10. After that - i mean, you know your kid better than us, some kids would just find them a cool adventure, some kids might have a lot of trouble handling concepts like betrayal or mortality. Read them first, and judge yourself. They're quick reads.
Think my daughter was 8-9 when she finished the Harry Potter books but she did read them aloud with my wife ( my son and I did the same thing earlier). She’s been rereading/listening to them on audio book on her own now at 10 yo in 5th grade.
Reading them out loud actually was a big driver with both of my kids getting them over the hump where reading could be difficult to them having critical mass of known words that made everything easier.
Because phonics is bullshit and my and my kids brains don’t work that way and it’s all about memorization of a critical mass of words.
My daughter is already reading at a third grade level in first grade so I’m less worried about the language and more so about the content. She’s empathetic to the nth degree and things can freak her out that many would consider tame.
We have a family rule that we have to read the HP books before seeing the movie or listening to the audio books.
That said the audio books are nothing short of magical. One guy doing all the voices - amazing. (And if you will be doing any long drives with your family, they simply annihilate time.)
JedocIn the scupperswith the staggers and jagsRegistered Userregular
My only beef with Jim Dale is that he makes Hermione sound like such a whiner all the time, when it's absolutely clear that she is the most competent and badass character in the series.
But yeah, other than that he's like if Christmas started narrating audiobooks.
Making a mental note (and a physical note, here) to check out Rosewater, which is described as "Afropunk SF" and so is gonna be either ridiculous or exactly my jam.
Holy shit, Nemesis Games is certainly making up for Cibola Burn.
I know they've been talking about dropping rocks on people for 4 books but I didn't actually expect it to happen.
Cibola burn is like the 2nd hill on a roller coaster and Nemesis Games is it's drop, you've already had some thrills and some twists and turns, but everything is calmed down and its all good then you're right back to "oh holy shiiiiiiiiit!!!!" again.
I am about to finish my 15th Discworld novel this year. I really wish I had started these while Sir Pratchett was alive so I could have voiced my enjoyment.
Gamertag: KL Retribution
PSN:Furlion
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JedocIn the scupperswith the staggers and jagsRegistered Userregular
Which one are you on?
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DepressperadoI just wanted to see you laughingin the pizza rainRegistered Userregular
which one's your favorite, is it Night Watch? 'cause Night Watch might be my favorite
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
edited October 2018
I just finished up the Death series of Discworld. I think the Death books might be potentially stronger stand alone books than the night watch series but I really enjoyed the overarching storyline of the Watch books. I Really liked Susan though, she was a great character. I think I'm going to start up the Rincewind line of books next.
JedocIn the scupperswith the staggers and jagsRegistered Userregular
I'm not sure Soul Music holds up as my favorite overall book, but it definitely has some of my favorite quotes. Ditto Hogfather.
Monstrous Regiment might be my favorite. Or Going Postal. Night Watch is definitely my favorite Vimes book.
Man, I might just have to read through the entire series again.
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David_TA fashion yes-man is no good to me.Copenhagen, DenmarkRegistered Userregular
Night Watch might be my favorite book, period.
I... I guess in writing, that should just be "my favorite book."?
Yeah, I have a couple of weeks vacation, it might be time for a re-read.
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Munkus BeaverYou don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPAregular
I... I guess in writing, that should just be "my favorite book."?
Yeah, I have a couple of weeks vacation, it might be time for a re-read.
Night Watch is my favorite book, but it's impossible to recommend straight up because the enjoyment comes from the history of Vimes books prior added into it.
Which is why I always go with the close second, Small gods
Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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knitdanIn ur baseKillin ur guysRegistered Userregular
I’ve been working my way through the Watch books, Night Watch is up next. I guess my one complaint is there’s not been much character growth in 5 books, aside from Vimes. I’m hoping at least some of the stuff between Angua and Carrot gets resolved or at least addressed in The Fifth Elephant. Getting a bit tired of them not communicating with each other about the big things and just pretending everything is fine.
“I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
I’ve been working my way through the Watch books, Night Watch is up next. I guess my one complaint is there’s not been much character growth in 5 books, aside from Vimes. I’m hoping at least some of the stuff between Angua and Carrot gets resolved or at least addressed in The Fifth Elephant. Getting a bit tired of them not communicating with each other about the big things and just pretending everything is fine.
Munkus BeaverYou don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPAregular
Isn't the Fifth Elephant before Night Watch in the chronology?
Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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David_TA fashion yes-man is no good to me.Copenhagen, DenmarkRegistered Userregular
It's Guards! Guards! - Men At Arms - Feet Of Clay - Jingo - Fifth Elephant - Night Watch - Thud! - Snuff, as I recall.
Fake edit: Checking wikipedia, yeah, that's the Watch chronology.
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knitdanIn ur baseKillin ur guysRegistered Userregular
Yes I am currently readin Fifth Elephant so once they is done I will read Night Watch.
I believe I have been following chronology based on a complicated chart I found online.
“I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
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Munkus BeaverYou don't have to attend every argument you are invited to.Philosophy: Stoicism. Politics: Democratic SocialistRegistered User, ClubPAregular
Yeah, there's a thing that happens in the Fifth Elephant that Vimes keeps bringing up in Night Watch so I was pretty sure that it came before. I was just confused by your wording.
Fifth Elephant Spoiler:
It's the "I killed a werewolf with my bare hands" bit.
Which, he did, but he got better, Vimes.
But he actually does ice a werewolf with a plucky attitude and some fireworks, so....
Humor can be dissected as a frog can, but dies in the process.
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
which one's your favorite, is it Night Watch? 'cause Night Watch might be my favorite
As much as I really like the Watch books I think I enjoy the Witch books more. I think so far it might be I shall wear midnight at least in part because that is an excellent title. I have not read night watch yet either.
I have not been following any sort of guide to read them, basically just going in alphabetical order although I think I am going to start going chronologically now.
Posts
i'm out of the habit of reading, so i only read for a couple minutes while Sir settles in for bed. i'm slowly working my way through The Voice of the Coyote, which "Deftly blends the natural history of the coyote with anecdote, tall tales and legend gathered from the author's wide reading and personal experience in his native region." it's mostly fun, but the vivid descriptions of trapping techniques gets a bit brutal for me. but i like coyotes, nature writing in general, and historical perspectives (1949, in this case.)
I share your pique about the Bible stories, though!
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
Ariana Reines, “Coeur de Lion” (a small extract available here)
Anne Carson, “Mimnermos: The Brainsex Paintings” (unavailable online; sucks to suck)
Robert Hass, “Meditation at Lagunitas” (available here)
Kim Addonizio, “To the Woman Crying Uncontrollably in the Next Stall” (available here)
Rebecca Lindenberg, “Love, a Footnote” (available here)
Loren Goodman, “Traveling Through the Dark” (available here -- oops I mean here)
and the gengars who are guiding me" -- W.S. Merwin
Saw Hank on his book tour on Monday. He's a rad guy.
Short Synopsis: At 3:00am, a girl finds a statue of a 10 foot high robot samurai in New York. She makes a YouTube video about it and it goes viral. Her life is then turned upside down. Neat examination of fame and how it effects relationships and how others see you. Also, the book just made #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List.
Steam - Talon Valdez :Blizz - Talonious#1860 : Xbox Live & LoL - Talonious Monk @TaloniousMonk Hail Satan
I'm an old person who was out of college by the time Harry Potter became a thing and the world lost its mind. I haven't particularly paid much attention to any of it, but I have a soon-to-be seven year old daughter that gets curious about it whenever we see the huge displays at Barnes & Noble. I know that initially it started as a kids series and got more mature as it progressed, but the kids that read it back then had the benefit of a few years to mature and grow between books, whereas now my kid would want to marathon that stuff as quickly as possible. When does it cross the threshold over from kids series to "scarier" stuff, when should I maybe introduce the series to her if she continues to show interest, and how do you recommend I pace these things out so that she can emotionally deal with them on a healthy level?
The challenge is that even the first book is pretty solidly a sixth-grade reading level, especially if you're American. Books by British authors are more difficult for children in a way that vocabulary tests don't always capture, given the sheer number of assumptions and cultural shorthand that our vernacular includes.
You might consider getting the first book this Christmas and reading it to her as a bedtime story. That would help cement it as a tradition that would explain why she just can't shotgun the whole series, and you'd be there to explain any weird Britishisms or dark scenes that crop up. I know a dude who started reading it to his boys when they were about that age, and it became such an important tradition that they all read the last book out loud to each other even though they were about to graduate high school.
I don't think there's anything in there that needs to be heavily policed by parents. I'm not a huge fan of holding back content till it's deemed age appropriate - mostly children self-regulate fairly well - but there's definitely nothing in the first three books that should be emotionally challenging for a kid under 10. After that - i mean, you know your kid better than us, some kids would just find them a cool adventure, some kids might have a lot of trouble handling concepts like betrayal or mortality. Read them first, and judge yourself. They're quick reads.
Generally speaking, the end of book 4 kicks the heavy up a notch, again at the end of book 5, and then 6 and 7 gradually head up to the final level.
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
Reading them out loud actually was a big driver with both of my kids getting them over the hump where reading could be difficult to them having critical mass of known words that made everything easier.
Because phonics is bullshit and my and my kids brains don’t work that way and it’s all about memorization of a critical mass of words.
Nintendo ID: Incindium
PSN: IncindiumX
That said the audio books are nothing short of magical. One guy doing all the voices - amazing. (And if you will be doing any long drives with your family, they simply annihilate time.)
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
But yeah, other than that he's like if Christmas started narrating audiobooks.
Cibola burn is like the 2nd hill on a roller coaster and Nemesis Games is it's drop, you've already had some thrills and some twists and turns, but everything is calmed down and its all good then you're right back to "oh holy shiiiiiiiiit!!!!" again.
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
PSN:Furlion
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
Monstrous Regiment might be my favorite. Or Going Postal. Night Watch is definitely my favorite Vimes book.
Man, I might just have to read through the entire series again.
I... I guess in writing, that should just be "my favorite book."?
Yeah, I have a couple of weeks vacation, it might be time for a re-read.
Night Watch is my favorite book, but it's impossible to recommend straight up because the enjoyment comes from the history of Vimes books prior added into it.
Which is why I always go with the close second, Small gods
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
it does!
Fake edit: Checking wikipedia, yeah, that's the Watch chronology.
I believe I have been following chronology based on a complicated chart I found online.
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
Fifth Elephant Spoiler:
Which, he did, but he got better, Vimes.
But he actually does ice a werewolf with a plucky attitude and some fireworks, so....
Origin ID: Discgolfer27
Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
I just finished Jingo and am starting Light Fantastic.
As much as I really like the Watch books I think I enjoy the Witch books more. I think so far it might be I shall wear midnight at least in part because that is an excellent title. I have not read night watch yet either.
I have not been following any sort of guide to read them, basically just going in alphabetical order although I think I am going to start going chronologically now.
PSN:Furlion
Lords and Ladies still makes my top 3.
What the fuck is this you cant watch a novel.