11 people got 8 A1s (1 Viewer)

[egg_]

Nabokov once said something to the effect that you learn much more from knowing one writer well than having skimmed over lots of authors; real understanding comes from rereading books.

Henry Miller said something like you only really need to read one book
I don't think he was right, necessarily, but depth is more important than breadth in a lot of things, I have found

 

[Mormon Nailer]

but depth is more important than breadth in a lot of things

Not everything apparently

 

[egg_]

I kind of like that idea.

I don't
This approach was the reason that I hated my college course - some old farts spouting information without any attempt to actually teach

 

[MDR]

Did Nabokov know much about english literature or did he just write it? Milton spent 20 years or something studying the ancient classics before he felt worthy enough to begin Paradise Lost

He was a lecturer in Russian literature and wrote various critical works on gogol and Tolstoy, among others - the notes for the first half of the penguin classics edition of Anna Karenina draw heavily of Nabokov's lecture notes.

 

[Lili Marlene]

So he was one of those people who get 10 a1's and dismiss exams as worthless?

prick.

he should post on thumped

 

[Mormon Nailer]

I don't

I think it's a useful change of perspective and it's not the same as giving some a licence to be a shit teacher.

This approach was the reason that I hated my college course - some old farts spouting information without any attempt to actually teach

I had one guy who's first announcement was that he would never anser any questions. I fucking nearly fell out of the bench.

 

[Unicron]

But the leaving isn't about intelligence. It is, largely (with a partial exception granted to practical subjects) about ability to absorb and regurgitate information, which is not to take away from anyone who excels at this,

You mean to say that I'm not clever now?

 

[MDR]

Henry Miller said something like you only really need to read one book
I don't think he was right, necessarily, but depth is more important than breadth in a lot of things, I have found

Over the past couple of years I've read almost all of Thomas Hardy's novels (about a dozen or so), some of his short stories and a bit of his poetry. It has really changed the way i read books in general. So many preoccupations, that perhaps the author wasn't even aware of, jump out at you - you also can tell a lot by what is left out of the books. You get a sense of a man feeling his way through his life by way of his writing. I've read some of his biographies, which have sometimes, though not always, confirmed my impressions of the man. Having read all the novels, there are definitely ones I want to go back to with the benfit of what i know now - i started with the best books, when I knew less about Hardy, so I'd like to see if they come across differently second time around.

edit: I went a bit off the point there, but i was trying to say something about the importance of depth in understanding literature.

 

[classic seanc]

You can get a long way in college/real life by regurgitating facts too, let's not forget. Life isn't fair, boys and girls

This is true, but……
I had a huge long post there, but basically what I think is, there’s better ways of using human brains in the economy and society that what the Leaving Cert and the whole (damn) system (man) allows for. It’s a shame, I think.
It makes the idea of a “knowledge based economy” a total farce, and it will feck us all up big time in the long run.

 

[Mormon Nailer]

large numbers of people failing maths and science is a worrying trend allright.
Especially giving all the pats on the back we give ourself about our education system.

There are more university students in India than there are people in Ireland.

 

[c0De_n1NjA]

it will feck us all up big time

i'll feck you up big time

 

[classic seanc]

i'll feck you up big time

I’ll bate you after school. You’re only a nerd pretending to be a mad yoke!

 

[Squiggle]

I’ll bate you after school. You’re only a nerd pretending to be a mad yoke!

He would break you in half, feed you your own legs and then throw you in the Liffey, don't let his stature, or the fact that he wears glasses fool you.

!ninjaaaa

 

[classic seanc]

Yeah but I’ll be wearing 3 sovereigns.

 

[Mormon Nailer]

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

 

[egg_]

basically what I think is, there’s better ways of using human brains in the economy and society that what the Leaving Cert and the whole (damn) system (man) allows for

... and human hearts, and human strength

It is a shame dude, no doubt about it

 

[egg_]

He would break you in half, feed you your own legs and then throw you in the Liffey, don't let his stature, or the fact that he wears glasses fool you.

This sort of talk reminds me of school a too much. For shame, squiggle

 

[Squiggle]

This sort of talk reminds me of school a too much. For shame, squiggle

You're right egg_ I am truly ashamed of myself. Such things shouldn't be said, even in jest.

 

[theweeyin]

Jaysus, I got so bored reading this thread I just skipped to the end. Can someone make some summary notes for me please? I don't want to fail the exam.

 

[Mormon Nailer]

Jaysus, I got so bored reading this thread I just skipped to the end. Can someone make some summary notes for me please? I don't want to fail the exam.

You could be sent to the remedial thumped class (they call it eirecore now - crazy PC world)