Loesje22000 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Dh loves The Brothers Karamazov and The Catcher in the rye. I read every year one book DH loves an so I read the Brothers Karamazov in 2014. To me it was a boring book with too much descriptions and byways. This is exactly the raising dh loves it... I am not sure this is a helpful review, it depends I suppose if your ds wil like the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 1, 2015 Author Share Posted January 1, 2015 So I read up some more on The Brothers Karamazov. It is long! And it does sound seriously philosophical but really deeply so. Reminds me of Godel, Escher, and Bach in some strange way. I'll talk to him about it and see what he thinks. He might be up for the challenge when he has a lull in his other school work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Three men in a boat. Jerome (humor) Diary of Nobody. Grossmith. (humor) The thirty-nine steps. Buchan. (adventure) Scoop. Waugh. (satire on journalism) Catcher in the Rye. Salinger Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, and the Spy. Caree (thriller) As far as I remember, these should all be fine. There's implied sex in Tinker Tailor (someone was having an affair with another man's wife) but nothing explicit, I don't think. I don't know the other books you mentioned. L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I forgot that I had this Amazon list. Calvin didn't end up reading all the books, but there are a few you haven't mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loesje22000 Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 So I read up some more on The Brothers Karamazov. It is long! And it does sound seriously philosophical but really deeply so. Reminds me of Godel, Escher, and Bach in some strange way. I'll talk to him about it and see what he thinks. He might be up for the challenge when he has a lull in his other school work. Yes it is a long book. I prefer Le comte de Monte Christo personnally, also a long book, but dh couldn't make it through the book. DH is reading Don Quichotte, I preferred The Hunchback of the Notre Dame. We read the book in translation, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Well, if he doesn't read all of The Brothers Karamozov he should at least read The Grand Inquisitor. It can be read as a stand-alone. Not to be missed. Quark, after that ringing endorsement, I put Three Men in a Boat on hold for myself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 If you are looking for Russian novels that might be a little easier than Karamozov, I'm in the middle of The Case of Comrade Tulayev by Victor Serge. I'm only halfway through, but I'm enjoying it so far. It feels kind of like reading 1984 - but in the real world. It's the story of a bunch of people caught up in Stalin's purges, and life in Soviet Russia in the 1930s. ETA: It's not easy! But it ain't Doestevsky, either. It's definitely thought provoking and while it is realistic, absolutely, it fits with a lot of the dystopian themes that he enjoys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmos Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 We're doing American lit right now, so that's what's on my mind. I haven't studied your lists, lewelma, but just throwing out some ideas -- Edith Wharton, Henry James (Turn of the Screw for a gothic-loving reader), Willa Cather, John Steinbeck, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Thoreau (Walden is non-fiction but reads more like a novel). You asked about Tartt. I loved The Secret History, but I have no idea how much it would appeal to your ds. It's a murder mystery in reverse. You know what happened on the first page, and the book unfolds what led to that point. It's psychological and fast-paced, but the characters are all college students. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThoughtfulMama Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I'd agree that some poetry would be good. What about some Edgar Allen Poe poems or stories since he seems to have a bit of a dark side? And, if I recall, Utopia would be on my don't miss it list if you're going to be doing dystopia. Edit: I saw Poe on his favorite's list after I wrote this, but it still might be a good add for the poetry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I might rethink The Master and Margarita, unless he has read and enjoyed other Russian novelists - Doestoevsky, Tolstoy, Turgenev, etc. It's sort of that Russian-style magical realism that is an acquired taste, IMO. Weird book. There isn't any graphic sex I don't think, but nudity and weird relationship issues, as you might imagine! I actually thought the flashbacks to what was going through the mind of Pontius Pilate was the best part of the book. The Master and Margarita one of my favorite books, top 3 probably. A really wonderful novel but a very easy read, at least in translation. The enjoyment comes from the (surrealistic) plot. The vocabulary of of the English translation is probably a 5th or 6th grade level. For me the biggest challenge was figuring out the Russian nicknames. ("Wait, who's Misha? Oh, it's Mikhail.") There is no outright sex, but there are crazy things like women flinging off their clothes and riding a flying pig into the night. There's also a very strange ball thrown by the devil. It's also a very tender and redeeming book in some ways. I think the story has a lot less meaning if you don't take the time to understand Bulgakov's life under Stalin and how he was prevented from writing and was basically keep alive because Stalin liked one of his plays. He was also prevented by Stalin from leaving the country and was basically trapped. Bulgakov wrote The Master and Margarita secretly, knowing he would die before it could be published, which turned out to be true. There are lots of pokes and jokes at the expense of the government bureaucracy and policies. The same goes for Russian literati. Understanding this background explains why people are being bumbling idiots and also why the devil can wreak so much havoc. The scenes with Pontius Pilate are among my favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 The Master and Margarita one of my favorite books, top 3 probably. A really wonderful novel but a very easy read, at least in translation. The enjoyment comes from the (surrealistic) plot. The vocabulary of of the English translation is probably a 5th or 6th grade level. For me the biggest challenge was figuring out the Russian nicknames. ("Wait, who's Misha? Oh, it's Mikhail.") There is no outright sex, but there are crazy things like women flinging off their clothes and riding a flying pig into the night. There's also a very strange ball thrown by the devil. It's also a very tender and redeeming book in some ways. I think the story has a lot less meaning if you don't take the time to understand Bulgakov's life under Stalin and how he was prevented from writing and was basically keep alive because Stalin liked one of his plays. He was also prevented by Stalin from leaving the country and was basically trapped. Bulgakov wrote The Master and Margarita secretly, knowing he would die before it could be published, which turned out to be true. There are lots of pokes and jokes at the expense of the government bureaucracy and policies. The same goes for Russian literati. Understanding this background explains why people are being bumbling idiots and also why the devil can wreak so much havoc. The scenes with Pontius Pilate are among my favorites. I believe every word you wrote! I am so not a fan of surrealistic writing, which was no doubt the problem. (So I'm really nervous about reading Murikami!) I'm reading The Case of Comrade Tulayev at the moment, and its author was in the same boat, but this much more realistic novel just works better for me than M and M did. I agree it's probably a fantastic book and I'm just surrealisticaly challenged! ;) :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 I believe every word you wrote! I am so not a fan of surrealistic writing, which was no doubt the problem. (So I'm really nervous about reading Murikami!) I'm reading The Case of Comrade Tulayev at the moment, and its author was in the same boat, but this much more realistic novel just works better for me than M and M did. I agree it's probably a fantastic book and I'm just surrealisticaly challenged! ;) :D I'm not a big fan of surrealistic writing either. I picked up the book without knowing what it was about, browsing at the library waiting for DD's book club to end. It was an old copy with a blank cover and no dust jacket, so no clue about the contents. I don't know why I checked it out, but I'm glad I did. It's one of the reasons I'm trying the Murakami too. Perhaps I have more tolerance now for surrealism than I did when I was younger and more exacting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 Are you looking for any non-fiction selections? Sorry, I did not see this. I would like to say yes, but ds is pretty clear that he does not want to read any nonfiction. He told me that he does not have time during the day to read, and at night before bed he enjoys a good novel, even a difficult classic one. So our compromise is to study short essays that we can read during our hour english class in the mornings. I often read them outloud to him. So for example we read and studied JFK's inaugural address, and we have worked through heaps of modern essays using compilations like the one in my siggy. Next year, we are going to use the Language of Composition by Shea. I also think that we could get through a number of the classical essays in Corbett's Classical Rhetoric for the Modern Student. So sadly no. But thanks anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 I forgot that I had this Amazon list. Calvin didn't end up reading all the books, but there are a few you haven't mentioned. awesome! I'll use some of them for my younger. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 4, 2015 Author Share Posted January 4, 2015 I'd agree that some poetry would be good. What about some Edgar Allen Poe poems or stories since he seems to have a bit of a dark side? And, if I recall, Utopia would be on my don't miss it list if you're going to be doing dystopia. Edit: I saw Poe on his favorite's list after I wrote this, but it still might be a good add for the poetry. excellent suggestions. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Have you tried poking around the 52 books in 52 weeks thread? Many good suggestions and knowledgeable readers in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Well, I think I got it done. :hurray: One strong English class and one non-academic history class. I will add that ds is talking about skipping a grade, so these might be 10th grade classes. Please comment if you desire! :001_smile: ENGLISH class. 9th grade We have a 4 term year, 10-weeks long. Fiction: We will read and discuss 2 books per term and write 1 literary analysis essay. He will read an additional 2 free reads each termNonfiction: We will read and discuss the essays in The Language of Composition (this book will be spread over 2 years). He will write 2 essays per term (analysis, persuasive, response, etc)Scheduling: we have 1 hour a day. We will do a 3 week rotation. 2 weeks reading and discussing, 1 week writing. Reading the books is 'homework'.Output: 12 essays TextbooksThey Say, I Say: Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. Graft and Berkenstein. 2009The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. Shea et al. 2008 Literary Analysis of Gothic/Horror Macbeth. Shakespeare. Nightmare Abbey. Peacock. 1818Hunchback of Notre Dam. Hugo. 1831. Gothic Tales. Gaskel. 1850s Ghost and Horror Stories of Ambrose Bierce. 1870s In a Glass Darkly. Le Fanu. 1872 Stories of Anton Chekhov. Translated by Pevear and Volokhonski. 1880sThe Brothers Karamazov. Dostevsky. 1880. The Treasure. Lagerlof. 1904 (sweedish) We Have Always Lived at the Castle. Jackson. 1962Master and Margarita. Bulgakov. 1967.Night Shift. Steven King. 1972 (short stories)Poetry: Poe. a selecion of gothic poems Free Reading ideas (Choose 8)ClassicDon Quiote. De Cervantes Saavedra. 1605. (Spanish, Chivalry, farce, episodic form)Tristram Shandy. 1759. Sterne (humor)The Mayor of Casterbridge. Hardy. 1886. (British, industrialization)Three men in a boat. Jerome 1889. (humor)Diary of Nobody. Grossmith. 1892. (humor)ModernA Town Called Alice (film), Pied Piper, or Trustee from a Toolroom. Shute. 1950. (australia)Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, and the Spy. Caree 1974. (film, thriller)If on a winter's night a traveller. Calvino 1979. (pleasures of reading)The New York Trilogy. Auster. 1985. (meta-detective)Body and Soul. Conroy. 1998 (child musician)Housekeeper and the Professor. Ogawa. 2009 (Japanese. Mathematician)Dystopian/Sci Fi Red Planet. Heinlein. 1949. Stranger in a Strange Land. Heinlein. 1961 House of Stairs. Sleator. 1974. Neuromancer. Gibson. 1984. Sailing to Byzantium. Silverberg. 1985.The Children of Men. 1992. James. (film)Little Brother. Doctorow. 2008.The Circle. Eggers. 2013. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Non-Academic History Course - x-post Ancient History. 9th grade The purpose of this course is for a liberal-arts education. He does not need it for university entrance here. However, just in case he decides to apply to an American university, I want to make sure it is acceptable as American humanities credit. The Plan: My DH will read to and discuss with boys the spine, nonfiction, and religion (3hr per week). DS will read Illiad, Odyssey, and Aeneid and watch the TTC lectures on his own. Movies we will watch and discuss Friday nights with pizza and popcorn! We are not planning any output except discussion. I believe this will come to a full Carnegie unit. Spine History: The Definitive Visual Guide. Ed by Hart-Davis. 2007. DK Nonfiction Milestones of Civilization. Blandford and Davidson. 2009. Oxford Children's Ancient History. Burrell. 1997. Civilizations: Ten thousand years of ancient history. McIntosh and Twist. 2001. DK 30,000 Years of Art. 2007 Persian Fire. Holland. 2005. Rubicon. Holland. 2003 Religion (library books) Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism Original Literature The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid: Box Set. Translated by Fangles. TTC lectures. Iliad and Odyssey.Vandiver. Julius Caesar. Shakespeare Historical Fiction (Free read ideas. He may choose not to read any of these) I, Claudius. Graves. 1934 A King must Die 1958, Bull from the Sea. (sequel) Renault Pompeii. Harris. 2003 Augustus. Williams. 2004 Film Egypt Cleopatra 1963 Greece Black Orpheus 1959 (camus) Electra 1962 (greek tragedy) Iphigenia (greek tragedy) Jason and the Argonauts 1963 My fair lady 1964 (pygmalion) Oedipus the King 1968 Ulysses 1967 (james joyce) The Trojan Women 1971 (euripedes) Hercules 1997 Clash of the Titans 1981 O Brother Where art Thou 2000 (odyssey, reinterpretation) Troy 2004 Rome Ben Hur 1959 Spartacus 1960 A funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1966 I Claudius 1976 (mini-series) Masada 1981 (mini-series) China Red Ciff.2008 (china 200ad) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 I hate it when you guys all go to sleep! :toetap05: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quark Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 So inspiring Ruth! Going to steal some ideas! :D ETA: DS really liked the Fagles set. And the Vandiver lectures too! My Fair Lady was a big hit as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks! Sometimes I think 3+ full days of effort for 2 classes is ridiculous, but when I am done I feel so good about the upcoming year! :hurray: Now I just have to implement all the plans. :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Could you post your younger son's list when you do it? Please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Sure. Working on it now. A lot of it is what I can find in the library because the books are just so expensive to ship here, as you well know! I don't mind buying him some books too, but his might take a day to read for $15 on book depository, and older's books will take weeks for the same price. Really frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Well, I think I got it done. :hurray: One strong English class and one non-academic history class. I will add that ds is talking about skipping a grade, so these might be 10th grade classes. Please comment if you desire! :001_smile: ENGLISH class. 9th grade We have a 4 term year, 10-weeks long. Fiction: We will read and discuss 2 books per term and write 1 literary analysis essay. He will read an additional 2 free reads each term Nonfiction: We will read and discuss the essays in The Language of Composition (this book will be spread over 2 years). He will write 2 essays per term (analysis, persuasive, response, etc) Scheduling: we have 1 hour a day. We will do a 3 week rotation. 2 weeks reading and discussing, 1 week writing. Reading the books is 'homework'. Output: 12 essays Textbooks They Say, I Say: Moves that Matter in Academic Writing. Graft and Berkenstein. 2009 The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. Shea et al. 2008 Literary Analysis of Gothic/Horror Macbeth. Shakespeare. Stories of Anton Chekhov. Translated by Pevear and Volokhonski. 1880s Ghost and Horror Stories of Ambrose Bierce. 1870s Nightmare Abbey. Peacock. 1818 Hunchback of Notre Dam. Hugo. 1831. In a Glass Darkly. Le Fanu. 1872 The Brothers Karamazov. 1880. Dostevsky Master and Margarita. Bulgakov. 1967. Night Shift. Steven King. 1972 (short stories) Poetry: Poe. a selecion of gothic poems Free Reading ideas (Choose 8) Classic Don Quiote. De Cervantes Saavedra. 1605. (Spanish, Chivalry, farce, episodic form) Tristram Shandy. 1759. Sterne (humor) The Mayor of Casterbridge. Hardy. 1886. (British, industrialization) Three men in a boat. Jerome 1889. (humor) Diary of Nobody. Grossmith. 1892. (humor) Modern A Town Called Alice (film), Pied Piper, or Trustee from a Toolroom. Shute. 1950. (australia) Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, and the Spy. Caree 1974. (film, thriller) If on a winter's night a traveller. Calvino 1979. (pleasures of reading) The New York Trilogy. Auster. 1985. (meta-detective) Body and Soul. Conroy. 1998 (child musician) Housekeeper and the Professor. Ogawa. 2009 (Japanese. Mathematician) Dystopian/Sci Fi Stranger in a Strange Land. Heinlein. 1961 House of Stairs. Sleator. 1974. Neuromancer. Gibson. 1984. Sailing to Byzantium. Silverberg. 1985. The Children of Men. 1992. James. (film) Little Brother. Doctorow. 2008. The Circle. Eggers. 2013. Nice! See, you pulled some themes out of all that random stuff we threw at you! This looks like a great year of reading and writing. Be sure to tell us how you like using They Say I Say, it's on my stack for high school, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Non-Academic History Course - x-post Ancient History. 9th grade The purpose of this course is for a liberal-arts education. He does not need it for university entrance here. However, just in case he decides to apply to an American university, I want to make sure it is acceptable as American humanities credit. The Plan: My DH will read to and discuss with boys the spine, nonfiction, and religion (3hr per week). DS will read Illiad, Odyssey, and Aeneid and watch the TTC lectures on his own. Movies we will watch and discuss Friday nights with pizza and popcorn! We are not planning any output except discussion. I believe this will come to a full Carnegie unit. Spine History: The Definitive Visual Guide. Ed by Hart-Davis. 2007. DK Nonfiction Milestones of Civilization. Blandford and Davidson. 2009. Oxford Children's Ancient History. Burrell. 1997. Civilizations: Ten thousand years of ancient history. McIntosh and Twist. 2001. DK 30,000 Years of Art. 2007 Persian Fire. Holland. 2005. Rubicon. Holland. 2003 Religion (library books) Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism Original Literature The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid: Box Set. Translated by Fangles. TTC lectures. Iliad and Odyssey.Vandiver. Julius Caesar. Shakespeare Historical Fiction (Free read ideas. He may choose not to read any of these) I, Claudius. Graves. 1934 A King must Die 1958, Bull from the Sea. (sequel) Renault Pompeii. Harris. 2003 Augustus. Williams. 2004 Film Egypt Cleopatra 1963 Greece Black Orpheus 1959 (camus) Electra 1962 (greek tragedy) Iphigenia (greek tragedy) Jason and the Argonauts 1963 My fair lady 1964 (pygmalion) Oedipus the King 1968 Ulysses 1967 (james joyce) The Trojan Women 1971 (euripedes) Hercules 1997 Clash of the Titans 1981 O Brother Where art Thou 2000 (odyssey, reinterpretation) Troy 2004 Rome Ben Hur 1959 Spartacus 1960 A funny thing happened on the way to the forum 1966 I Claudius 1976 (mini-series) Masada 1981 (mini-series) China Red Ciff.2008 (china 200ad) Oh, I especially love this film list! I'm stealing this for our Ancients year next year. My kids are film/theater lovers. We're starting Movies as Literature today. This list will be awesome for us! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Non-Academic History Course - Slacker.... :toetap05: If this is your non-academic version, I shudder to think what the academic version would hold... :svengo: Thanks for sharing the list, Ruth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Slacker.... :toetap05: If this is your non-academic version, I shudder to think what the academic version would hold... :svengo: Heehee. Well, I've posted it on the high school board for comment and thought for sure they would say, "Where is the output? How can you have a classical education in ancient history and not write a single paper?" So just kind of a code word for don't be hard on me. :001_smile: But seriously, can I get away with less? Because if so, I might just do that. I was working with 180 Carnegie hours for a credit: 90 hours of read alouds with dad (30 weeks of 3 hours each) 30 hours to read literature 24 hours to listen to lectures 30 hours to watch movies 174 hours Plus, it seems like a lot of passive involvement. The only thing *he* is doing is reading Homer and Virgil. The rest is just listening/watching. So, seriously asking here, can we do less and still have it count as a credit? Because if he gets too busy and something has to go, it will be hours off this class! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Oh, I especially love this film list! I'm stealing this for our Ancients year next year. My kids are film/theater lovers. We're starting Movies as Literature today. This list will be awesome for us! Well, if you have any to add, please tell me! I went through a bunch of 'top 10 movies about the ancients' lists. And kicked off the scary ones (one was a reinterpretation of a myth where the god comes down to kill the woman's children :huh: ), the sexy ones (one famous one was a full blown erotica movie, I forget which myth it was following!), and the violent ones (recent Sparticus and Gladiator). And this is what I was left with. I think it will be super fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Nice! See, you pulled some themes out of all that random stuff we threw at you! This looks like a great year of reading and writing. Be sure to tell us how you like using They Say I Say, it's on my stack for high school, too. We started it last term. It went *very* well. I read a loud a chapter and we discuss it, then we do the exercises orally or I type them. For a small book, it is taking us longer than expected to get through it, but the exercises are very good. He wrote his last 2 papers using their way of thinking about entering a conversation and it was a massive improvement, massive. Should have started it a year earlier! He did struggle in his first 2 papers after starting the book with using the templates. I really needed to sit there with him and flip through the book and talk about what would be good. But I'm sure by a year or two, he will get the idea, use the templates, internalize them, and then not need them any more. Very highly recommended! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xahm Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 As a companion to MacBeth, and really any Shakespeare or other works of the time, I'd recommend reading The Elizabethan World Picture by Tillyard, a short(ish) work that explains the perspective of the time regarding proper hierarchies and the relationship between one's personal choices, society, and even nature. It lends itself well to a lot of discussion and makes it much easier for bright young students to have their own insights. My classmates and I read it in college and the discussions went out of the classroom, into the dining hall, and everywhere. If you were working on King Lear, I'd say this book, or at least a synopsis of it, would be an almost necessary companion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 For The Master and Margarita most recommend the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation, the Glenny translation next. I don't speak Russian so I have to rely on the opinions of others as to accuracy, but I enjoyed the P&V the most. Glenny and Ginsberg both had to work with a censored version of the Russian manuscript due to communist politics. The other translations are from the entire Russian manuscript. No matter which translation you choose, someone will have a problem with it, though. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Oh wow, does this look good. I'm thinking that perhaps I need to skip both plays I have scheduled for this year, and do a full Shakespeare unit the following year. We are just not going to have time to do Shakespeare well this year and it would fit better with our chronological history next year. Do you think exposure this year with a fuller study next year is a good idea; or do you think I should skip Shakespeare this year and think big next year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 For The Master and Margarita most recommend the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation most, Yup, that's the one in the book depository cart. I'm using Fangles for Homer and Virgil, and Pevear/Volokhonsky for the three Russians. I'm actually buying these books so I can get the current translations (This is a big deal for me :tongue_smilie: ). Obviously, lots available in the public domain, but I think the translations are worth the $$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xahm Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Oh wow, does this look good. I'm thinking that perhaps I need to skip both plays I have scheduled for this year, and do a full Shakespeare unit the following year. We are just not going to have time to do Shakespeare well this year and it would fit better with our chronological history next year. Do you think exposure this year with a fuller study next year is a good idea; or do you think I should skip Shakespeare this year and think big next year? I hope this is in response to me because that would mean I've made my first contribution to someone on this board! I am basing this on what I dream of doing with my kids someday and what I would have enjoyed, but I'm of the opinion that, if you are studying a Shakespeare play as literature, you'll get more out of it as part of a focused study. If, however, one fits really well in a unit you are doing, it might whet his appetite for more the following year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 I hope this is in response to me because that would mean I've made my first contribution to someone on this board! It sure was. Congrats! And welcome to the board. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Your list is extensive and interesting. To have had someone intentionally creating a curriculum for me like that at that age - I can't imagine how beneficial and supportive that would have been. FWIW, are there any female authors/contributors to the list? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Your list is extensive and interesting. To have had someone intentionally creating a curriculum for me like that at that age - I can't imagine how beneficial and supportive that would have been. aw, thanks. I enjoy doing it and I'm on school holidays so have the time! I definitely think it makes a difference to my math-loving child's perception of the humanities. He enjoys these classes I make. FWIW, are there any female authors/contributors to the list? eek. no. He has already read Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights? What else can I add in gothic/horror? ETA: Ann Radcliff, The Mysteries of the Udolpho.This is a seriously old novel at 1794. Is it any good? Or would it be more a study on the development of the genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Northanger Abbey? But I think you said he wasn't an Austen fan. I really love Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier, but I don't know that it's the best pick for a 14 year old boy. I've never read any Elizabeth Gaskell, but she often figures on Gothic lists. Oh, Shirley Jackson! We Have Always Lived at the Castle is good and creepy. I like it even better than The Haunting of Hill House. Flannery O'Connor? She's great for short stories, I don't care much for her novels. Ooo, Afterward by Edith Wharton looks good - I've never read it, but I love her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 Can I just say, you are very well read, Rose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaughingCat Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Creepy is an excellent word for "We Have Always Lived at the Castle" (never read The Haunting of Hill House - only saw the old movie version "The Haunting" many many years ago) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 Northanger Abbey? But I think you said he wasn't an Austen fan. I really love Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier, but I don't know that it's the best pick for a 14 year old boy. I've never read any Elizabeth Gaskell, but she often figures on Gothic lists. Oh, Shirley Jackson! We Have Always Lived at the Castle is good and creepy. I like it even better than The Haunting of Hill House. Flannery O'Connor? She's great for short stories, I don't care much for her novels. Ooo, Afterward by Edith Wharton looks good - I've never read it, but I love her. I agree with your suggestions (and commentary) regarding Austen, DuMaurier, and Wharton! I'm not overly familiar with O'Connor, though. Also, I've only read Jackson's Hill House. I've wondered about Castle for a while. Guess it's time to read it! Regarding Gaskell, Dd and I have both enjoyed what we've read of hers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Incognito Posted January 6, 2015 Share Posted January 6, 2015 aw, thanks. I enjoy doing it and I'm on school holidays so have the time! I definitely think it makes a difference to my math-loving child's perception of the humanities. He enjoys these classes I make. eek. no. He has already read Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights? What else can I add in gothic/horror? ETA: Ann Radcliff, The Mysteries of the Udolpho.This is a seriously old novel at 1794. Is it any good? Or would it be more a study on the development of the genre. I am not nearly as well read as many here, but I can beat my dead horse and re-suggest Selma Lagerlof. I just read The Treasure by her (it took an hour or so) and it is somewhat horrific (the murder of a household, followed by a person being unwittingly befriended by a cold blooded murderer), and full of themes that could be quite interesting to discuss. I suppose her work isn't as old as what you are looking for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 ETA: Ann Radcliff, The Mysteries of the Udolpho.This is a seriously old novel at 1794. Is it any good? Or would it be more a study on the development of the genre. YES! It's fabulous on it's own, but it also adds to one's understanding and appreciation of Northanger Abbey. Udolpho is one of my favorite books. It's so good, I tracked down an *old* edition, which I treasure. Very few books have prompted me to do that. With that said... Would I recommend it to a 14-year-old boy? None that I've met. Maybe yours is different. ;) There are so very many good books. No one will read them all. I'm glad I read Udolpho, but I don't think it's a must read for everyone. :) For the record, it's not that old! This is a classical education board, remember? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 My daughter recently read Terrifying Transformations: An Anthology of Victorian Werewolf Fiction, 1838-1896 I haven't read it, so I don't know any details - only that she is enjoyed it. It looks like it might fit in with your list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 YES! It's fabulous on it's own, but it also adds to one's understanding and appreciation of Northanger Abbey. Udolpho is one of my favorite books. It's so good, I tracked down an *old* edition, which I treasure. Very few books have prompted me to do that. With that said... Would I recommend it to a 14-year-old boy? None that I've met. Maybe yours is different. ;) There are so very many good books. No one will read them all. I'm glad I read Udolpho, but I don't think it's a must read for everyone. :) For the record, it's not that old! This is a classical education board, remember? :lol: Oh,I'm glad to hear such an enthusiastic endorsement! This is going on my to-read list for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodland Mist Academy Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 On a dark and stormy night would be best... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Since your older is reading Stranger in a Strange land, I'm going to put in a plug for having your younger read Red Planet (and possibly have the older read it with him). Red Planet introduces the Martian society that later forms the basis for Stranger, and it's kind of neat to see how that develops. Besides, Red Planet is a fun, adventure-type novel with a neat "pet" (who turns out to be FAR more than a pet). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewelma Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 So I'm adding Gothic Tales by Gaskell, We have always lived at the castle, The Treasure, and Red Planet. I'm going to save Mysteries of the Udolpho and match it with Northanger Abbey next year. Thanks everyone! And just in case anyone is reading this for gothic ideas, my ds loved Late Victorian Gothic Tales by oxford world's classics. It includes stories by: lee, wilde, james, kipling, croker, doyle, allen, lorrain, machen, shiel. It was excellent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Nice! This whole thing has re-started me on a Gothic kick, I just started listening to The House of the Seven Gables tonight. So far it's really good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.