Ali’s Comments (group member since Feb 21, 2013)

Ali’s comments from the Classics Without All the Class group.

I make vocabulary lists for the classics on Quizlet for my students. Recently, I took a vocabulary assessment. My score was higher than I expected. All of the words that I knew that were "weird" on the assessment came from classics. This site makes learning the words fun and easy. 451 has less unfamiliar words than some of the older classics. I had to look up lots of words in The Phantom of the Opera. Here you go. You will need a password to use the lists. PW: QuizletAli~ http://quizlet.com/24859143/fahrenhei... Enjoy!

Hello Everyone,
I have a book coming out August 30, The LITClub. It is all about reading the classics with your friends and having a really good time. It's for all ages.
It's my first book. It would be so awesome if you would help me spread the word, that is if you watch the trailer or read the blurb and think it's something you want to get behind and share with your friends. If you have 2 minutes, watch the trailer. Then listed below the trailer are various ways you can win prizes.

Here's the trailer:
http://youtu.be/sqIHjKKCNwI

There are 4 ways you can win a prize.
1. On Goodreads, follow this link and scroll midway down and click the button to enter. Then put The LITClub on your TBR list and tell your friends about the give way. This give away ends August 29. 5 autographed copies will be given way. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...

2. The Book Trailer Contest is another way you can win a prize. This contest ends August 4. You can read about it here. http://www.alident.org/2013/07/the-li...

3. This giveaway is for people who get a kick out of spreading the good news about good-reads. http://www.alident.org/2013/07/step-i...

4. The LITClub Book Give Away, Trivia Question Contest will begin August 5th. Each Monday August 5, 12, 19 and 26 a trivia question will be posted. The winner receives a free book. You will find those posts at http://www.alident.org

Please let me know what you think and if I can help any one out, let me know.

I told my son last night that when he gets the time I think he will love it. He grew up reading the classics with me and now he's heading to college and who knows how much pleasure reading he will have time for. I am struck by the writing style. I think it is ahead of its time. Does anyone else feel that way?

I'm in chapter 17 but this is going on my favorites list. I am still astounded that I didn't know this story was a novel. I thought is was just a musical play and later adapted for film. Thanks CWoAtC for introducing it to me.

I am so glad you chose this book for us to read. Enjoying.

These first two comments got me excited to get started. Here goes!

Karena wrote: "Since we started the CWAtC blog we are even more interested in book blogs than usual. If you post your literary blog here, we'll link to it on ours!

If you like ours, make sure you follow us! Comm..."

I just added yours to mine. This is a great idea.

Here's mine.
Ali Dent: Living Outside the Lines
http://www.alident.org

His happens to me a lot. It took some years for me to relax with the idea of starting a book and then laying it down. My age and situations make a book more or less enjoyable. I tried the Three Musketeers and Great Expectations when I was in the eighth grade and neither worked for me. As an adult I read The three Musketeers just fine, didn't love it and I read Great Expectations and now it's one I my top ten favorites.

Don Quixote is mentioned in The first chapter of the Three Musketeers. Dumas says, " A young man, -- we can sketch his portrait at a dash. Imagine to yourself a Don Quixote of eighteen;" he proceeds to describe D'Atagnan in relation to qualities lacking in Don Quixote and ten items of clothing in addition to the picture one might imagine of Don Quixote.

This is great. Our high school literature club is reading Hamlet and creating a puppet show. We'll discuss it in April. I love the coincidence of that with this reading group.

I started Anna last night. I know it's just March 7 but my boys go on chorus tour in April and my oldest son has graduation in May after which we are going to Florida to rest:) I have always wanted to read this book and knowing the group is reading it too motivates me. Therefore, I'll get it done in small bites.

I too finished Scandal in Bohemia. I think she appears again. She is surely a presence in other stories even if she isn't a player.

Audio will probably be my game plan. I really want an abridged print version for my first time around. Reading an easy version and then the full version is a tool I use with the LitKids and I have tried it a few times for myself when life was busy. I am a slow reader. The first time I read Les Miserables I read a kid's version. The second time was a good abridged version and then the full blown 1600 page version a few years later. Reading is hard for me. So, by getting the skeleton of the story in place on an easy version makes my reading experience is more enjoyable on a longer version. I went on Amazon looking for a solid abridged version and the only ones there were audio books. If I listen to the audio version I'll go ahead and get the unabridged.

I am reading Hamlet with my LitClub. Since it's a play we read the book but watching a movie brings it more to life. Anyone have a recommendation? I bought two versions, the one with David Tenant and another with Mel Gibson.

Here's a free audio version.
http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/book...

Karena wrote: "Jeane and I talked about how to handle Sherlock and decided he's still as difficult as he was in the books. ;) We decided to let you guys decide which of Sir Arthur's stories that you wish. We have..."

I started Sherlock Holmes this weekend. I've read the Great Classics version for kids and The Hound of the Baskervilles as a stand alone. Thanks for making this our read this month. I love Sherlock — in print, TV and on the big screen. Since it's the book of the month it will push me to enjoy more of Conan's style. Should prove to exciting!

The Life of Pi

My bookmark is at the end of The Scarlet Letter. The kids and I will discuss it next Monday evening. I need to get my thoughts together. Anyone read it before? Any questions to offer to the kids? They have the most amazing ideas.

Hi, I live in San Antonio, TX.