What is the most useless GCSE?

[mumofboy]

Hi it is nice to see you here. I was just easing my pain, so what next are we reading?

I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed reaing the banter on this thread and is easing the pain of waiting for a school place

[Snowdrops]

Jolly good idea to set up a book club!!

Perhpas we should set up a poll of suggested books, we can vote on the book to read and then give everyone (say) 2 weeks to read it, then we can get a thread going to give our views on it.

This doesn't mean each book has to be a classic or intellectually challenging book. I think we can have 'light' books people enjoy reading too.

What do we all think?

Perhaps someone can get a thread going in 'Everything Else' with suggestions for the first book then, in a few days (say Wednesday), we can start the poll. Once things get underway we can organise each book quicker as people will know to look out for the deadlines.

[East lancs mumof4]

Fab idea Snowdrops! Count me in!

[KS10]

Me, too. I am a bit worried though that it will eat into '11+ Forum' time . How on earth will I manage when I'm back at work on Monday!

Do you think Mike will join?

[bromley mum]

Perhaps someone can get a thread going in 'Everything Else' with suggestions for the first book

Your wish is my command . Thread has been set up. Now waiting for response.

[inkypinkyponky]

To Kill A Mockingbird was awful and I can't believe my yr10 DD1 is having to read it for GCSE. Surely there have been some decent books written since I did my O level 1983?!!!
/

I was going to bed until I read this Nooooooooooo! It is a novel with profound insight into human nature and social change.It was inspirational to me at 14.
It is a true modern classic - a stunning work A window into a world of prejudice that still resonates strongly today,
Read it again IPP

Oh blimey, I think I must've missed a big something during my English Lit lessons. I remember the teacher being away on maternity leave, so lessons being taken by a succession of cover teachers who never seemed to know what was going on. Sadly my Dad had terminal cancer at this time too, so to be quite honest I didn't give a monkey's do-dah about school and exams.

Maybe I'll give To Kill A Mockingbird another go then, Chelmsford Mum.

And to risk being shot down in flames by all those Lit people, I really don't understand a word of that Shakespeare chappy. It's all greek to me!

[Chelmsford mum]

I was being a deliberately a little OTT in my last post but it really is a very good book. So much depends on the teacher.If she/he can't bring the book to life for a child, then they will walk away unimpressed.
Have you ever seen Shakespeare performed? It does bring it all to life and seems less "Greek".
Romeo and Juliet with leonardo di Caprio is a very good film - well worth a watch.

[inkypinkyponky]

Yes, have seen Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth performed on stage, but found the language so difficult to follow, that my brain just turned to mush. (No different from normal then, says OH. Thanks love)

One of my nieces is a Shakespeare nut and is always nagging me to watch Leo in Romeo, so I may just have to give in to her demands and watch it!

[bestpossibleoutcome]

The film of 'Much Ado about Nothing' (Emma Thompson and friends) is good fun. My daughter watched it several times and her enjoyment of it stood her in good stead when she had to write about it for a coursework. There is just one bit that fortunately went 'over her head' when she was younger.

I asked her as she came into the room just now "Did you really enjoy the film of MAAN?" and she went into paroxysms of delight (as only an almost 16 year old can) and then counted off on her fingers all her other favourites... Midsummer Nights Dream, Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night (I think we may have that on DVD too) and The Tempest.

I think we may be watching Much Ado again later today

BPO