"But...but...you HAVE to help me!"

[protege]

Teachers like that kill the school experience for so many kids. "Oh, you did better than I think someone should do on this test, you must be a CHEATER!"

And then we wonder why kids don't like or respect their teachers. There's too many like this around.

That's *exactly* why I hated school. Too often, the teachers (and I went to a Catholic grade school) were bitter old nuns. They seemed upset that they chose to give their lives to "the man upstairs," and were upset that they hadn't gone anywhere. (Not trying to slam anyone here, OK?) As such, they were usually nasty to their students, and then couldn't understand why said students didn't respect them. Also, in many of those classes, if you tried to bring up another point of view, they'd get pissed. Everything had to follow their instructions...no opposing viewpoints allowed

Then there was my public school experience. During that time, I was told that I'd never amount to anything, simply because I didn't pay attention in reading. Sorry, but I'd taught myself to read quite well by first grade. I don't give a damn about the exploits of Dick and Jane

Didn't stay at that school long--that was my last year. That instance, plus some things that my principal said, calling me an idiot, IIRC, caused my parents to pull me from that place. Oh, and then there's the question my dad had asked. Keep in mind that it was 1982, and he was asking about their computer literacy program. The answer? "Well, we got burned on our home-ec, so we aren't going to introduce computers."

Call me crazy, but what the hell does either have to do with each other? Granted, my computer education in Catholic school didn't happen until 6th grade , and even then there were problems. Call me crazy, but how does working on 20-year-old TRS terminals help prepare me for a PC or Apple-based world? I simply couldn't come home, and try out what we'd learned that day. Sure the *concepts* were the same, but the *commands* to implement them weren't!

[AriRashkae]

OMG my fantasy bar!! I'd bring in books to swap!
Will the snacks be "whatever you feel like making, or here's a bag of peanuts?"

Pizza. With a binder of local places that do take-out.

[JoitheArtist]

Do other folks re-read things? I remember plot / characters / main lumps of story years later, but I do love to re-read most books if i enjoyed them. I find it rather comforting. The downside to the borrowing from library is the requirement to give the things back.

The only books I don't re-read are the ones I didn't like. I've been known to pick up a book and re-read just a chapter or two because that's the "flavor" I want right at the moment. Some books actually get better once the job of following the main plot is out of the way: my fav example of this is Gaudy Night, by Dorothy Sayers. The main whodunnit plot is fine, but it's not the best part of the book, and once you know who did it and don't have to follow that anymore, the other stuff comes out much clearer.

[ArcticChicken]

Do other folks re-read things? I remember plot / characters / main lumps of story years later, but I do love to re-read most books if i enjoyed them. I find it rather comforting. The downside to the borrowing from library is the requirement to give the things back.

I was so confused when I realized there are people who don't like to reread books. They'll tell me it's because they already know what's going to happen, and all I can think is "And your point is.....?" This especially confuses me when they're people who'll re-watch a movie five or six times.

I've been known to pick up a book and re-read just a chapter or two because that's the "flavor" I want right at the moment. Some books actually get better once the job of following the main plot is out of the way

I have this thing about finishing even bad novels. I find it amazingly difficult to put a book down permanently, even when I hate it. Once I read 4 and 4/5 books out of a five book series that I stopped really enjoying somewhere in book 2 before I could put it down and walk away. The only books I don't need to read all of are a few of my very favorites that I've read 10 or 12 times, those I can read a chapter here and there.

The only book I've enjoyed that doesn't get better on a reread is The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. And even then it's really good, it's just better when you have no idea what's happening. If I ever get my hands on a technology that can erase memories, the first thing I'm gonna do is erase my memory of the specifics of that book and read it again.

[LingualMonkey]

My issue with rereading is making time for it. There are so many things I want to read for the first time that I sometimes have a hard time justifying a reread.

That said, there are a half dozen or so books I read EVERY year. I should find my copy of 1984...I'm overdue on that one.

[EricKei]

I love re-reading my favorite books. I always find something "new" (especially if it's been a while since the last time) -- Sometimes, it really is a part of the text that I had just glossed over in the past and didn't really "read"; other times, it's something I'd seen before, but had forgotten. I used to do that with the first four books of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy (the 5th book doesn't count, sorry ), as they, above all, have been my annual treat. I get it with LoTR, as well, but it's considerably more dense, in a lot of ways, so it's understandable.

I had the same issue in my parochial (Catholic) high school -- I actually have seen (and had) teachers saying that a person's interpretation of a given work (i.e., their OPINION) was "wrong". Keep in mind that this applied to tests and papers, as well. It didn't matter how well your position was backed up; if it differed to far from "canon"/the proscribed view at that school, it was incorrect, and was graded accordingly.

I will have to side with the English lit prof from my last post on that matter: "Any teacher who has ever told you that is crazy!"

[Ironclad Alibi]

Do other folks re-read things? I remember plot / characters / main lumps of story years later, but I do love to re-read most books if i enjoyed them. I find it rather comforting.

I reread books occasionally. Sometimes I don't have a choice. If I open The Adolescence of P-1 I'm going to be rereading it. I just can't put it down. The thing that hinders rereading books for me is that I have too many I haven't read. Of course, mixups do happen. I once started reading a book and was half through it before I realized I had read it before. I finished it because it was a good book.

I remember for a while back in the 4th grade, I was reading a book a day. Most of them were by Robert Heinlein. I was never discouraged from reading, or told I couldn't read anything. My wife is also an avid reader. She was reading Thomas Costain novels in her pre-teens.

[zzapp the witch]

God, I love you guys.

[Tigress]

I almost wouldn't need the printout to read Jabberwocky. I always got compliments when I would read things aloud for class. I'm told I was the most understandable and interesting of the people in my class, because I read like I'm familiar with the work, even if I've never seen it before.

This reminds me: My husband can recite "Jabberwocky" from memory.

[Jetfire]

/waves his hand. "Another bookworm here."

I've been reading since I was 2 or 3 years old. My neighbour used to joke a bit (pleasant jokes not nasty ones) about my habit of sitting in the snowbank next to her driveway, reading a book while waiting for the school bus. And I do occasionally do the walk and read. (I also read in restaurants if I'm eating alone).

If I recall correctly, I was reading the likes of the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Tom Swift, Bobbsey Twins, Trixie Beldon, Boxcar Children and so forth by the time I hit Grade 3 and I'd exhausted the Elementary school library by the time I finished grade 5.

In Grade 6 and 7 I was tilting heavily into Sci Fi, including my first readings of Clark, Asimov, Wells and Verne. I was also jumping between the adult fiction and teen fiction in the town's library. Three Investigators, Ghost Squad, Susan Cooper's works (like the Dark is Rising), Anne McCaffrey, Piers Anthony and Poul Anderson all entered my reading lists around that time. For my French Immersion clases, we had to read some novels in french, so I tended to read French translations (or in Verne's case, updated originals) of classic Sci Fi, including 20,000 leagues and Journey to the Centre of the Earth and the Time Machine.

By High School, I was in the adult section of the library almost all the time, only dropping back to YA for old favorites I loved to read/reread (which I still do occasionally; I didn't discover Duane's Wizardry series until University).

I was lucky too in that my teachers didn't give me a hard time for my reading (partly, I suspect in hindsite because my mom was a Teacher herself and the Union rep for the district for a number of years when I was growing up). My work never slacked, even when I had my nose deep in a book; my physics teacher often jokes how he would get stuck trying to outline a problem, so he'd call on me to solve it. I'd point out the mistake / finish the solution, and go back to my reading.

Now, my reading has slowed a little, but it can go in spurts too; if something really grabs me and/or I ahve time, I'll read from dawn to dawn. (like I almost did reading a book recently; finished a 500 pager in 1 day). I have no idea how big my own library is, but it's probably nearing a thousand+ (not counting the 3k comic books I have). My to-read pile is never empty and at the moment I've got 4-5 books started. (Jim Butcher's "Turncoat" just interrupted the queue and jumped to the front. )

[ArcticChicken]

(Jim Butcher's "Turncoat" just interrupted the queue and jumped to the front. )

Ooh, I didn't know he had a new one out.

Damn, my local branch doesn't have a copy. Oh, well, the turnaround time on holds is pretty good. I'll have it in a day or two.

Is it bad that I have my library card number memorized so I don't have to pull it out to place a hold?

[JoitheArtist]

AUGH, I can't afford more books right now! But...but...I love the Dresden books....waaaaaaant....

[AriRashkae]

Is it bad that I have my library card number memorized so I don't have to pull it out to place a hold?

Nope. I amaze anyone around when I do that at the local library.

[Alpha Strike]

She pulled me out of the classroom, and screamed at me in the hallway that I CHEATED! I cried. She took this as a sign of guilt.

I'm also glad to hear that your mother stood up for you, especially given your age. Many years before I met her, my girlfriend had a similar experience like this in college. The one difference is that she did NOT cry and her professor took THAT as a sign of guilt. No, I don't understand it either.

I'm working through scanning the barcodes in with "Delicious Library" - a session usually ends when I start reading something I should be scanning. For quite a few years my boyfriend and I lived in a studio apartment while saving for the house, I had really limited storage and got into the habit of only keeping books I would re-read, and farming some of the others out to parents / friends / siblings who I could reclaim them off.

Curse you! That program looks like something I must have! I hope it's as good as the description sounds.

The thing that hinders rereading books for me is that I have too many I haven't read. Of course, mixups do happen. I once started reading a book and was half through it before I realized I had read it before. I finished it because it was a good book.

Me too! I'm constantly finding books that I want to buy from Amazon or borrow from the local library and I have to remind myself that I've got a whole bookshelf at home of unread books.

Ooh, I didn't know he had a new one out.

Damn, my local branch doesn't have a copy. Oh, well, the turnaround time on holds is pretty good. I'll have it in a day or two.

Butcher's latest has gotten some pretty positive reviews. When I saw it on sale at Barnes/Nobles I was tempted to buy, but it's hard to justify spending the money when the library has 6 copies in circulation. Of course, I'm number 18 on the list to get those, but I'm patient... I can wait! *twitch*

[Argabarga]

I remember my 10th grade English teacher taking my copy of The Andromeda Strain from me because I was reading it in class instead of the assigned text.