08-22-2010, 10:56 AM | #1 |
The Dank Side of the Moon
Posts: 35,872
Karma: 118716293
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
|
What should College Freshmen be Reading?
There was an article in today's Parade:
2. What Should College Freshmen Be Reading? Many colleges now assign all incoming freshman one book to read before classes begin. While conservative scholars complain that the schools’ choices are insufficiently rigorous, administrators say they’re meant to serve as ice-breakers, not course material. These five nonfiction titles are popular among colleges this fall. Enrique’s Journey, Sonia Nazario. A 17-year-old boy risks his life traveling from his native Honduras to the U.S. in search of his mother, who left when he was 5. The Soloist, Steve Lopez. In this memoir turned movie, a journalist befriends a homeless violinist and tries to help him find success onstage. Zeitoun, Dave Eggers. A New Orleans resident who stays behind after Hurricane Katrina is arrested and accused of belonging to Al-Qaeda. This I Believe, Jay Allison and Dan Gediman, eds. The editors collected essays from the National Public Radio series about people’s guiding values. The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Michael Pollan. A critical look at the American food chain from cornfield to factory farm to drive-thru window. That all look pretty interesting! Not sure about ebooks.... |
08-22-2010, 11:03 AM | #2 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
I have to confess that I've never heard of any of them!
|
Advert | |
|
08-22-2010, 11:14 AM | #3 |
Omnivorous
Posts: 3,281
Karma: 27978909
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Rural NW Oregon
Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1
|
I recognize three. Heard Public Radio pieces on the Soloist, and This I Believe.
And Harry must not be a foodie.. All us foodies know Mr. Pollan. I have three of his books and they are all interesting reads. Last edited by jgaiser; 08-22-2010 at 11:16 AM. Reason: Need to preview more carefully! |
08-22-2010, 11:16 AM | #4 |
eBook Enthusiast
Posts: 85,544
Karma: 93383043
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: UK
Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6
|
All the books seem to have a distinctly American theme; perhaps it's simply that they are better known in the US than here in the UK.
|
08-22-2010, 11:23 AM | #5 |
The Dank Side of the Moon
Posts: 35,872
Karma: 118716293
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
|
Harry, Harry, and they say Americans are navel gazers. Glad to know it goes the other way some times.
Here's the Kindle Edition of "This I Believe" http://www.amazon.com/This-Believe-P...=AG56TWVU5XWC2 The Soloist was the book that the movie was based on: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0821642/ |
Advert | |
|
08-22-2010, 11:41 AM | #6 |
The Dank Side of the Moon
Posts: 35,872
Karma: 118716293
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
|
Just bought "This I Believe" from Amazon....looks wonderful!
|
08-22-2010, 11:44 AM | #7 |
Big Ears
Posts: 191
Karma: 2229
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Pontoise, France
Device: Onyx Boox 60, iPad
|
It's a bit of an odd list. What could you expect the reasonably educated youth to acquire knowledge about? I'd have thought you would want to cover :
The Cosmos. Sagan or Hawking Life and how it works. Steve Jones's rewrite of 'The Origin' - Almost Like A Whale The history of our species. McNeill and McNeill's 'The Human Web: a Bird's-eye View of World History Urban living - John Reader's 'Cities' The problems we need to solve - Diamond's 'Collapse' is an obvious candidate. For fiction, leave them to their own devices. They'll find the books they need.
|
08-22-2010, 01:20 PM | #8 |
Member Retired
Posts: 274
Karma: 4446
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Florida
Device: PRS-350-SC: Sony Reader Pocket Edition
|
Neither have I.
Anyways, I got assigned When the Rivers Run Dry: Water--The Defining Crisis of the Twenty-First Century (I think they sent me the copy) but I never read it and it never came up, except perhaps as a half-hearted "did you/anybody read the book?" to which the response was in the negative. As long as these books are meant as nothing more than light ice-breakers, I would recommend "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character as something that is enjoyable to both read and talk about. |
08-22-2010, 01:28 PM | #9 | |
The Dank Side of the Moon
Posts: 35,872
Karma: 118716293
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Denver, CO
Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire
|
Quote:
|
|
08-22-2010, 01:47 PM | #10 |
Zealot
Posts: 139
Karma: 698
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Texas
Device: Astak EZReader, Dell Axim x50v, iPod Touch, nook
|
What should college freshmen be reading? As much as possible about as many different subjects as possible. That is the time to find out what interests you, and a good way to do that is read about a variety of subject.
|
08-22-2010, 02:07 PM | #11 |
Maratus speciosus butt
Posts: 3,292
Karma: 1162698
Join Date: Sep 2009
Device: PRS-350
|
They also all sound like they have a distinctly liberal theme, from the American view of liberalism. Seems like overtly political choices. (I've also never heard of any of them.)
|
08-22-2010, 03:09 PM | #12 |
Bah, humbug!
Posts: 39,073
Karma: 157049943
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chesapeake, VA, USA
Device: Kindle Oasis, iPad Pro, & a Samsung Galaxy S9.
|
I smell flavor of the month.
|
08-22-2010, 03:10 PM | #13 |
I spit hot fire
Posts: 91
Karma: 13464
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: USA
Device: Nook, or as I call him, Sir Nookington
|
I can't for the life of me remember what they made me read my freshman year.. I think there was a short story and a clip from the Elephant Man?
Anyway, I think a book assigned to incoming freshmen should be memorable, accessible, and engaging to be useful. I think excerpts from Justice: What's the Right Thing to Do? by Michael Sandel could be great. Or maybe Go Tell It On the Mountain by James Baldwin. Above all, it must be a book worth discussing. |
08-22-2010, 05:46 PM | #14 |
It's Dr. Penguin now!
Posts: 3,909
Karma: 4705733
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: (USA)
Device: iPad mini, Samsung Note 3, Sony PRS-650 (rarely used now)
|
I havenʻt heard of any of those either. As an incoming freshman back in the day, we had to read Homerʻs Odyssey.
|
08-22-2010, 05:52 PM | #15 |
Maratus speciosus butt
Posts: 3,292
Karma: 1162698
Join Date: Sep 2009
Device: PRS-350
|
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Ebook reader for college student (reading textbooks) (making notes in them) | silverback88 | Which one should I buy? | 19 | 08-22-2010 05:56 AM |
iPad College Humor on iPad | petercreasey | Apple Devices | 2 | 02-01-2010 09:20 PM |
I want to buy a kindle for college..but... | Phillyboy | Amazon Kindle | 2 | 08-17-2009 05:14 PM |
Report: A Kindle for college kids? | Madam Broshkina | Amazon Kindle | 26 | 02-22-2009 02:48 AM |
college biology/chemistry content????? | guest user | Sony Reader | 1 | 03-11-2007 09:36 AM |