WEEK 8-Assignment Two
I watched the wonderful video on Non-Fiction Reader's Advisory this morning. It runs less than 10 minutes, but is packed with good information. I like the fact that Non-fiction is actually arranged in such a way as to make Reader's Advisory easier in many respects than Fiction is. Fiction is arranged solely by author, with little concern for appeal factors.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Monday, June 10, 2013
WEEK EIGHT- Nonfiction.
I found the two articles discussing Non-fiction Readers' Advisory rather amusing. What is left out of the discussion is the general gender differences in reading choices. When I became an avid reader (post I Can Read materials) I immediately leapt into Non-fiction books on vehicles [Rockets, Planes, trains, ships, submarines, tanks, automobiles, equipment, Civil War, WW II, etc.) before i tried spooky short stories [bought my first book of Edgar Alan Poe at age 12] and finally hit upon Hero sagas and the Hobbit soon afterwards. I wanted to learn stuff in a hurry, and novels didn't do that for me. I had to learn to slow down in order to appreciate novels, just as a young person must learn to appreciate art and poetry.
Novels or long stories took too long to unfold, and as a young man-child I was too impatient for all of that. Junior High [or Middle School as it is called now] changed my reading habits. So did adolescence.
Guys built things in the 60's and 70's--models, go-carts, tree-houses, etc. and fixed things like bikes or musical instruments; or dreamt of exploring or travelling around the world. I also loved drawing. We read stuff that reflected out interests. Most of what I borrowed from the library until High School was non-fiction. I think this is pretty typical for male borrowers and readers. I always dug maps and diagrams. I still do. Most non-fiction was written by men in those days....that is not the case today.
For this reason it is important to find out up front if a reader wants fiction or narrative non-fiction. There are some people who specifically want one or the other. If a good narrative is involved, there can be a great amount of cross-over. Some fiction authors, such as Michener, Rutherford, Clancy--are barely fictional. Others like Follett, Higgins, MacLean, Cussler, Reilly, Fleming, Furst--provide information but loosely, in a more typical fictional format.
It is important to find out what kind of a) experience the reader is looking for, b) style of the author, c) content density and d) pacing of the story.
As both of the authors of the articles state, it is most important to listen to the reader and respond appropriately to their interests and expectations. We mustn't assume that they are looking for a novel any more than we assume an older veteran only wants a unit history from WW II.
"So what did you think of the Red Badge of Courage? Did it give you the feeling that I had actually been there?"
-Stephen Crane to William Randolph Hearst
I found the two articles discussing Non-fiction Readers' Advisory rather amusing. What is left out of the discussion is the general gender differences in reading choices. When I became an avid reader (post I Can Read materials) I immediately leapt into Non-fiction books on vehicles [Rockets, Planes, trains, ships, submarines, tanks, automobiles, equipment, Civil War, WW II, etc.) before i tried spooky short stories [bought my first book of Edgar Alan Poe at age 12] and finally hit upon Hero sagas and the Hobbit soon afterwards. I wanted to learn stuff in a hurry, and novels didn't do that for me. I had to learn to slow down in order to appreciate novels, just as a young person must learn to appreciate art and poetry.
Novels or long stories took too long to unfold, and as a young man-child I was too impatient for all of that. Junior High [or Middle School as it is called now] changed my reading habits. So did adolescence.
Guys built things in the 60's and 70's--models, go-carts, tree-houses, etc. and fixed things like bikes or musical instruments; or dreamt of exploring or travelling around the world. I also loved drawing. We read stuff that reflected out interests. Most of what I borrowed from the library until High School was non-fiction. I think this is pretty typical for male borrowers and readers. I always dug maps and diagrams. I still do. Most non-fiction was written by men in those days....that is not the case today.
For this reason it is important to find out up front if a reader wants fiction or narrative non-fiction. There are some people who specifically want one or the other. If a good narrative is involved, there can be a great amount of cross-over. Some fiction authors, such as Michener, Rutherford, Clancy--are barely fictional. Others like Follett, Higgins, MacLean, Cussler, Reilly, Fleming, Furst--provide information but loosely, in a more typical fictional format.
It is important to find out what kind of a) experience the reader is looking for, b) style of the author, c) content density and d) pacing of the story.
As both of the authors of the articles state, it is most important to listen to the reader and respond appropriately to their interests and expectations. We mustn't assume that they are looking for a novel any more than we assume an older veteran only wants a unit history from WW II.
"So what did you think of the Red Badge of Courage? Did it give you the feeling that I had actually been there?"
-Stephen Crane to William Randolph Hearst
Week Seven- Assignment 3 Pt. 2 Ya blogfollowing
Forever Young Adult is the other site I have been monitoring. In its own description it calls itself a site "that is a little less Y and a bit more A". It also calls itself a "girlie counterpart to the Badass Digest." This makes me ask an important question--"What is the ratio of women young adult readers to men?" My perception has been reinforced that much of YA is chicklit.
This site has immediate links to Netflix, Book Reviews and Book Clubs. There is also a jargon dictionary, that might help if evthg wsnt so abbvt tht it was hd to rd.
As I am an oldster, not into text language, and a devotee of traditional spelling and expanded vocabulary, this doesn't really work for me.
I am getting close to answering my own question from paragraph one. Reading through a few of the Publisher's YA websites, I see much more content to appeal to young ladies than young men. I have visited Harper Teen, Teens/Penguin and Little-Brown Teen, and most of these have the look of YA Romance, paranormal and otherwise. The paranormal part seems to be longest recent trend. This is evident on the WEB as well as on our YA shelves. Is this The Genre that wouldn't die ???
Forever Young Adult is the other site I have been monitoring. In its own description it calls itself a site "that is a little less Y and a bit more A". It also calls itself a "girlie counterpart to the Badass Digest." This makes me ask an important question--"What is the ratio of women young adult readers to men?" My perception has been reinforced that much of YA is chicklit.
This site has immediate links to Netflix, Book Reviews and Book Clubs. There is also a jargon dictionary, that might help if evthg wsnt so abbvt tht it was hd to rd.
As I am an oldster, not into text language, and a devotee of traditional spelling and expanded vocabulary, this doesn't really work for me.
I am getting close to answering my own question from paragraph one. Reading through a few of the Publisher's YA websites, I see much more content to appeal to young ladies than young men. I have visited Harper Teen, Teens/Penguin and Little-Brown Teen, and most of these have the look of YA Romance, paranormal and otherwise. The paranormal part seems to be longest recent trend. This is evident on the WEB as well as on our YA shelves. Is this The Genre that wouldn't die ???
Week Seven- Assignment 3 YA blogfollowing
Following CassandraClare's Tumblr. This is a Professional Author's site, discerned instantly by the high quality photos and graphics. I have not read the Shadow Hunter series of books, but a great deal of the content can be gleaned from perusing the blog. This looks like a paranormal romantic fantasy series, with angels, half-angels, demi-gods and humans thrown into the mix of major characters.
Everything about this page is high quality, from the photos and text to the other graphics which include Manga depictions of the characters. I would imagine that this is a very popular site among Young Adults, who are looking for more background and supplemental material for the books they are reading.
Following CassandraClare's Tumblr. This is a Professional Author's site, discerned instantly by the high quality photos and graphics. I have not read the Shadow Hunter series of books, but a great deal of the content can be gleaned from perusing the blog. This looks like a paranormal romantic fantasy series, with angels, half-angels, demi-gods and humans thrown into the mix of major characters.
Everything about this page is high quality, from the photos and text to the other graphics which include Manga depictions of the characters. I would imagine that this is a very popular site among Young Adults, who are looking for more background and supplemental material for the books they are reading.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Week Seven- Assignment 3 I Love you Blog, YA, YA, YA
After perusing the possibilities, I have opted to follow the YA blogs Cassandra Clare's Tumblr and Forever Young Adult. These look to be sites which are more content-rich than some of the others. I am sure this will be interesting, especially since the genre of YA was practically non-existant when I was 13-14; I actually began reading Adult novels and short stories by age 12. I was labeled a "discipline problem" in fifth grade by a teacher who was most like "Miss Haversham" in Dickens. I was actually bored to tears, and was finally given affirmation and encouragement by a brilliant and creative 6th grade teacher-- who demonstrated that I was reading materials at twice my grade level, and those for fun.
Thus, I was really a part of that older generation which skipped Young Adult entirely, and went from "Juvenile" Fiction and non-fiction, directly into Adult materials.
After perusing the possibilities, I have opted to follow the YA blogs Cassandra Clare's Tumblr and Forever Young Adult. These look to be sites which are more content-rich than some of the others. I am sure this will be interesting, especially since the genre of YA was practically non-existant when I was 13-14; I actually began reading Adult novels and short stories by age 12. I was labeled a "discipline problem" in fifth grade by a teacher who was most like "Miss Haversham" in Dickens. I was actually bored to tears, and was finally given affirmation and encouragement by a brilliant and creative 6th grade teacher-- who demonstrated that I was reading materials at twice my grade level, and those for fun.
Thus, I was really a part of that older generation which skipped Young Adult entirely, and went from "Juvenile" Fiction and non-fiction, directly into Adult materials.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
WEEK SEVEN- NOT JUST FOR TEENS
Assignment 2 -Who is Reading Young Adult ?
The articles chosen for our assignment are fascinating. I had no idea that 55 per cent of those people reading YA were over 18 years of age, and that the largest group is ages 30-44. This makes me want to investigate further. I am wondering if the Hunger Games and Twilight phenomenon account for much of this-- or if there is another factor, such as easier material, vocabulary and plot? For instance, there is a very strong argument that there has been a severe decrease in American reading vocabulary over the last 40 years (the Elephant in the living room). Back in 1999 the American Publishers Assn. attributed this to 14 year olds' reliance on TV and Internet over text-rich books, newspapers and magazines between 1949 and 1999.
One way to look at this is to compare Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys novels written between 1926 and 2000. These books were always aimed at the same audience, but take a look at the difference in the texts and vocabulary !
The other side of the argument might be that writers feel they have more freedom to experiment with storyline and topic than mass-marketed adult fiction, which is almost always formulaic. This seems to be especially true with Science Fiction and Fantasy novels, where some of the best writers in those genres seem to be writing for Young Adults. These are genres which also seem to have a high WOW factor for readers (Mind expanding, new possibilities, and surprise).
IMHO, I sincerely hope that there will be more "paranormal fatigue" if such fatigue includes zombies, vampires, werewolves, etc. I think writers have taken this genre about as far as it can go. This phenomenon reminds me of the old network television shows. If a police or hospital show was a success one season, every single network had a wannabe program on prime time the next season. Even teens eventually realize that this is pure commercial marketing and become jaded about the product. They see that the superficial elements have trumped the content.
Assignment 2 -Who is Reading Young Adult ?
The articles chosen for our assignment are fascinating. I had no idea that 55 per cent of those people reading YA were over 18 years of age, and that the largest group is ages 30-44. This makes me want to investigate further. I am wondering if the Hunger Games and Twilight phenomenon account for much of this-- or if there is another factor, such as easier material, vocabulary and plot? For instance, there is a very strong argument that there has been a severe decrease in American reading vocabulary over the last 40 years (the Elephant in the living room). Back in 1999 the American Publishers Assn. attributed this to 14 year olds' reliance on TV and Internet over text-rich books, newspapers and magazines between 1949 and 1999.
One way to look at this is to compare Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys novels written between 1926 and 2000. These books were always aimed at the same audience, but take a look at the difference in the texts and vocabulary !
The other side of the argument might be that writers feel they have more freedom to experiment with storyline and topic than mass-marketed adult fiction, which is almost always formulaic. This seems to be especially true with Science Fiction and Fantasy novels, where some of the best writers in those genres seem to be writing for Young Adults. These are genres which also seem to have a high WOW factor for readers (Mind expanding, new possibilities, and surprise).
IMHO, I sincerely hope that there will be more "paranormal fatigue" if such fatigue includes zombies, vampires, werewolves, etc. I think writers have taken this genre about as far as it can go. This phenomenon reminds me of the old network television shows. If a police or hospital show was a success one season, every single network had a wannabe program on prime time the next season. Even teens eventually realize that this is pure commercial marketing and become jaded about the product. They see that the superficial elements have trumped the content.
Monday, June 3, 2013
WEEK SEVEN- NOT JUST FOR TEENS
Assignment 1- What to Read Next
While I have not had a request for read-alikes for the Hunger Games lately, I know there will be interest generated in this title and its kind when the New Movie debuts. I found many good options from the What to Read Next link, and Scott Westerfield is just one good lead.
I like the way the read-alikes are broken down into subgenres like, Environmental Disaster: with the selections by Terry Pratchett and Susan Beth Pfeffer,
or Survival in a Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic World, (but I would include Stirling's Dies the Fire in this group, which is a novel very much like the television programme Revolution. In that world electricity no longer works, and everyone is thrust into a pre-industrial lifestyle and thus forced into survival mode.
or the wonderful world of Dystopian SF [my favorite] with the now-classic Feed by M.T. Anderson; House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer; Ender's Game by Card; and Epic by Kostick. These are all GREAT modern SF classics. These are also wonderful "starter" SF titles to give to people who want to, or are assigned to read an SF title, but are reluctant to do so.
All of these are wonderful choices for readers who have digested the Hunger Games books and are yearning for more....
Assignment 1- What to Read Next
While I have not had a request for read-alikes for the Hunger Games lately, I know there will be interest generated in this title and its kind when the New Movie debuts. I found many good options from the What to Read Next link, and Scott Westerfield is just one good lead.
I like the way the read-alikes are broken down into subgenres like, Environmental Disaster: with the selections by Terry Pratchett and Susan Beth Pfeffer,
or Survival in a Dystopian or Post-Apocalyptic World, (but I would include Stirling's Dies the Fire in this group, which is a novel very much like the television programme Revolution. In that world electricity no longer works, and everyone is thrust into a pre-industrial lifestyle and thus forced into survival mode.
or the wonderful world of Dystopian SF [my favorite] with the now-classic Feed by M.T. Anderson; House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer; Ender's Game by Card; and Epic by Kostick. These are all GREAT modern SF classics. These are also wonderful "starter" SF titles to give to people who want to, or are assigned to read an SF title, but are reluctant to do so.
All of these are wonderful choices for readers who have digested the Hunger Games books and are yearning for more....
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