RE: RARA-AVIS: Noir for the classroom?

From: Mark Sullivan (DJ-Anonyme@webtv.net)
Date: 08 Mar 2010

  • Next message: davezeltserman: "Re: RARA-AVIS: Noir for the classroom?"

    Actually, A Clockwork Orange's additional chapter was in the originally published version in the UK. It was lopped off when it crossed the Atlantic to the US. The US edition now contains that last chapter. Personally, I liked it better without it, though I get the point Burgess was trying to make about youth rebellion and aging. Also, the recent US edition from Norton does not contain the glossary in the back that was in the mass paperback edition (Ballantine, maybe?) which I first read. Mark

    > To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
    > From: BaxDeal@aol.com
    > Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2010 16:17:58 -0500
    > Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: Noir for the classroom?
    >
    >
    > A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess. written in a Russian influenced slang invented by the author, with a glossary at the end of the book. first person narrative by a sociopathic protagonist. compelling thematic questions if you use the version originally published that ends with the protagonist restored of his free will and embracing his dark nature. author wrote an additional chapter that I understand is now available on newer editions that apparently disavows the bleakness of the originally published version
    >
    > Devil In A Blue Dress by Walter Mosley. first of the Easy Rawlins series. beautiful writing. and the entire series is a seminar in Black history and race relations in 20th Century Los Angeles
    >
    > The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. arguably the best detective story ever written
    >
    > The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler. the reason there's an argument
    >
    > The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley. 25 years after Chandler, a drugged-out cowboy elbows his way into the discussion
    >
    > American Tabloid by James Ellroy. epic, ambitious revisionist history from a brilliant but disturbed personality
    >
    > The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris. a far better book than the movie version. worth teaching for the discussion on the double meaning of the title alone
    >
    > John Lau
    >
    >
    >
    > Everything happens for a reason. That reason is the universe doesn't care about you.
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > -----Original Message-----
    > From: d <anderd72@yahoo.com>
    > To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
    > Sent: Mon, Mar 8, 2010 9:34 am
    > Subject: RARA-AVIS: Noir for the classroom?
    >
    >
    > Hello, everyone!
    >
    > I'm a high school language arts (English) teacher, and I've just been asked to
    > come up with suggestions for a new elective class called "Great Books." The
    > idea is to have a class that would offer students compelling, contemporary books
    > that are high interest, yet have some "deeper" issues to discuss. Of course,
    > since I'm on the list, you can already guess that I'd love to include a
    > contemporary noir thriller.
    >
    > I come before you to see what you might recommend that might meet the criteria.
    > The class is geared for juniors and seniors, so a little "adult content" is
    > fine, but nothing too over-the-top. (For example, I've taught THE BROTHERHOOD
    > OF THE ROSE by David Morrell in a previous class and never gotten any parental
    > phone calls. I could probably get away with THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE, but
    > anything by Vicki Hendricks would be OUT.)
    >
    > Again, we're trying to look for books from the past few years, but I'm pretty
    > open to suggestions.
    >
    > Feel free to e-mail me offlist or reply here. Thanks in advance for your help!
    >
    > Derek Anderson
    > Mahtomedi High School
    > Mahtomedi, MN
    >
    >
    >
    > ------------------------------------
    >
    > RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
    > Yahoo! Groups Links
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    >
    > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
    >
    >
    >
    > ------------------------------------
    >
    > RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
    > Yahoo! Groups Links
    >
    >
    >
                                                   

    [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



    This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : 08 Mar 2010 EST