<p>I saw something about summer reading on the first year site
<a href="http://www.dartmouth.edu/%7Efrstyear/work/orientation/reading.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.dartmouth.edu/~frstyear/work/orientation/reading.html</a></p>
<p>Is this book required?</p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>The summer reading is not required but I would reccomend it. There is the book prize, but there will also be a lecture/discussion during orientation by the Professor who assigned it. Plus, it looks like a really good book (as opposed to last year's reading) I am actually an Undergraduate Advisor (UGA) next year and we are required to read it as well (I am literally holding it in my hand right now). So, though it is not required, read it.</p>
<p>Interesting--I'll have to get a copy.</p>
<p>Is it a good book? (Since you have a copy already...)</p>
<p>Haha, just because I have a copy doesn't mean I've read it, I was actually given it by our residential staff less than an hour before I read your post. To be completely superficial though, I have thoroughly perused the cover of said book and noticed the text "Winner of the Pulitzer Prize" which tells me that academics must like it. I also witnessed the type stating "New York Times Bestseller" which tells me that average Joes must like it too. But, of course, that is judging a book by its cover and somebody once told me that that was a no no. In addition, I am in the assigning professors Race, Immigration, and Ethnicity class and when he mentioned his selection to us, there were several audible murmurs of approval. ... For what it is worth...</p>
<p>DON'T DO IT!!!!
NO ONE does the assignment. Don't listen to the UGA, it's his/her job to tell you to read it.
You aren't graded. No one will know if you did it. NO ONE DOES IT.
Literally 10 people showed up at the "Summer Reading Session" last orientation - they were the nerds and no one socializes with their kind (they lock themselves in the library during the weekends). The books are usually BORING and a waste of time. The summer reading book is used as a door stop during orientation.
Spend your summer as a senior is supposed to: FREE!! Don't do homework, I know you've had to do it for high school for the past few years and hated it! Now is your time to relax. College has no summer work (minus soph summer, but that's barely work!)
Don't waste your time or your money - see a movie instead. Or get drunk. You will never need that book in your life.</p>
<p>Though I shouldn't help myroomatedances out, I should mention that I didn't finish our reading, or went to the session, and my book has served as a door stop at least once. But of course, the book we were assigned was shelved under womens studies/nature and was labeled as a "mormon family saga." The book that you '09's have been lucky enough to be assigned looks much more interesting. S/he is wrong to say that "no one does it," the sessions during orientation were plenty filled and most people at least attempted to wade through our book before giving up. In addition, if you havn't locked yourself in the library on at least one weekend, you do not go to Dartmouth.</p>
<p>Quite a few people on campus (my school, not D) have read that book and word has gotten around that it's a very inspirational read. A few kids liked it so much that they found some way to bring Dr. Paul Farmer (you'll find out about him in Mountains Beyond Mountains) to campus to speak.</p>
<p>Of course, a book will always be there for you to read. Summer vacation, however, comes and goes.</p>
<p>hahaha! sorry jester, i was a bit harsh. i just wish someone had told me that it was as much as a joke as it was. senior summer is such a great experience, i'd hate for any moment to be killed because of unneeded stress. (oh, i'm a "he", and i have yet to go to the library but still attend dartmouth, lol)</p>
<p>glad to know someone else is up killing time on collegeconfidential! wohoo.</p>
<p>While I don't doubt for a minute that the Summer Reading Session is a bit of a "joke" - Mountains Beyond Mountains is a very readable, interesting book, as Jesters said "average joes must like it". It is inspirational, but not syrupy or apologetic at all. Tracy Kidder is one of the best, most approachable, non-fiction writers today. Try reading his books "House" and "Among Schoolchildren"?title. It is really a good choice for a summer book - won't strain anyone on the beach, and it is not too long ;).</p>
<p>
[quote]
DON'T DO IT!!!!
NO ONE does the assignment. Don't listen to the UGA, it's his/her job to tell you to read it.
You aren't graded. No one will know if you did it. NO ONE DOES IT.
Literally 10 people showed up at the "Summer Reading Session" last orientation - they were the nerds and no one socializes with their kind (they lock themselves in the library during the weekends). The books are usually BORING and a waste of time. The summer reading book is used as a door stop during orientation.
Spend your summer as a senior is supposed to: FREE!! Don't do homework, I know you've had to do it for high school for the past few years and hated it! Now is your time to relax. College has no summer work (minus soph summer, but that's barely work!)
Don't waste your time or your money - see a movie instead. Or get drunk. You will never need that book in your life.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Wow, you're nice. Nerds that nobody socializes with huh? Why do you think anyone's going to want to socialize with you? I mean I didn't go to it either, but what the hell, man, if somebody goes to a book discussion he/she is a non-socializing nerd? Didn't even realize there were people like you at Dartmouth...</p>
<p>Play nice children...</p>
<p>"Didn't even realize there were people like you at Dartmouth..."</p>
<p>That's was mean....You are a meany!!</p>
<p>Hehe I'll see most of you next year</p>
<p>Will either Paul Farmer or Tracy Kidder be coming to campus to speak, or is it only the professor who assigns the selection?</p>
<p>Wow, didnt know my post would be taken so badly. I was obviously exaggerating. My point was that you should take advantage of this social time available at Orientation. We're all closeted nerds here, we couldn't have gotten in if we didn't appreciate scholastic activities, but at the same time a lot of us want a long-needed break from school work. I was simply trying to make sure that no one makes the mistake of doing work that they don't want to do simply because they feel that they need to do it.
Then again, I do feel like you shouldn't always lock yourself in the library - if your only reason for comming here is to study than you're missing out on most of the college experience. If you don't spend any time learning how to work with your peers than you'll have a difficult time in the real world after college.</p>
<p>I'm sorry Xanatos... :-(</p>
<p>I agree. Read it if you think it'll be interesting- but that's with any book really. Why read this particular one just because it is "assigned" (yet really is not...)? Don't worry. If you want to read it, do it for your enjoyment, if you don't want to- it's absolutely not required and nobody will notice. Our book was something about cancer and birds and Utah and whatever- and I honestly would sit down to read it, and never could get past page 30 because it was just so dreadfully boring. So I just quit, but do as you will.</p>
<p>Jaromy (jester)- still envious of your single in the highly coveted mid-mass ;)</p>
<p>Everyone go visit him now that you know wwhere he'll be living, ha ha ha ha.</p>
<p>Appro, who are you? (you can blitz me if you want... ) But yes, my room next fall is literally the best room on campus. A 240 square foot single with a full bath on the second floor of the most centrally located dorm on campus.</p>