<p>So... some of us were posting about the summer book and I told you guys that my son had read it. Well, Sherlock Mom spotted the bookmark at page 11.</p>
<p>You are not alone. The new strategy here is to read on the plane. Sigh.</p>
<p>I can’t get my DD to read it. It’s driving me crazy. I guess other students are telling her it doesn’t matter, which I find hard to believe. Does anyone know from past experience?
I’m trying not to think about it because my anxiety is heightened as it is and I don’t want to add to my stress level!</p>
<p>I just got “I’ll read the Spark Notes.” ARGH!</p>
<p>The good thing is in a couple weeks we will not be aware of these things and therefore cannot worry about them!</p>
<p>Good to know there are Spark Notes…not that I approve but it’s better than nothing! ( Isn’t it great that we are investing so much in our child’s education and they can’t even read the required reading during the summer?)</p>
<p>S told me he read it while I was away - don’t believe him at all… He will have to deal.</p>
<p>I can’t say for sure if there are Spark Notes…just that it’s what he said. I’ve been shrieking about it (“You’re going to blow off your FIRST assignment? Really??”) but I just posted to FB Tulane Parents page to see what the experienced people have to say.</p>
<p>I’m hoping my son’s roommate has read the book and might apply some peer pressure. (then again, the opposite could be true)</p>
<p>AH… someone just posted that it ‘doesn’t matter at all’.</p>
<p>WHEW. Now I can just needle him about his laundry. ;)</p>
<p>On a packing note: My S was overwhelmed as we were packing when he came to the conclusion “Omg, I will have to do all this myself at the end of the year!” Best backhanded compliment he has ever given me! I warned him that whatever condition he packs his things in May - he will get them back the same way the following Sept. from storage. Having mom around has its perks:)</p>
<p>On the reading assignment–Based on D1’s experience, knowledge of the book is not tested. That may lead some students to believe that reading it doesn’t matter. I feel very strongly about this: Just because knowledge of the book isn’t tested doesn’t mean my kid shouldnt read it. The college has set forth this requirement-I expect D2 to read the damn book. Yes, it’s dry. But, not every class, every lecture, every assignment is engrossing–or even mildly interesting to every kid. Suck it up and just do it. And while this book in particular reads like a textbook, it is timely given the news of the day (Trayvon, overcrowded jails, stop and frisk). In our household the issue is more about completing an assignment she HATES rather than the political issues. But in the end, I want her to be an educated person and not just a college graduate.</p>
<p>Just to play devil’s advocate: I think it is understandable (yet exceedingly frustrating) that these young adults are in a funny place psychologically. They just finished high school, and people made a big deal out of it. They are getting ready to leave their home and their friends, which is both exciting and terrifying, no matter how well they hide it. OK, terrifying might be over the top for some of them, but certainly most will at least be nervous. So it is not too hard to understand that digging into an assignment outside the structured environment of class and school has a fairly high energy of activation (look it up, all you non-chemists). And, to be sure, they won’t be called out on it at school if they don’t read it before getting there. But they might feel a bit left out of some of the debate if their prof decides to incorporate it into their class discussions, as is supposed to happen.</p>
<p>Bottom line, definitely not something to obsess over.</p>
<p>Edit (not playing devil’s advocate) - ditto to what Vitrac is saying, especially the part about this particular assignment and the seminars and discussions that will take place this semester being very timely.</p>
<p>My feeling was exactly the same as Vitrac’s, and that’s what I’ve been shrieking about.</p>
<p>That said, he was working at camp all summer and just not in a ‘school head’. I’m still going to tell him to read the book, but frankly if he doesn’t… it’s just something I can’t control. He’s going to have to police himself from now on.</p>
<p>I’m choosing to believe this isn’t an indication of how he will deal with other assignments once school starts.</p>
<p>I totally agree with Vitrac. This was their first college assignment. It may have been dry, but it was hardly onerous. The book is only 260 pages. I pushed. S3 complained. But he did finally finish the book a couple of days ago.</p>
<p>S2 is listening to the audiobook. For some reason that is easier! He says he can’t read when I ask him why he doesn’t just read the book! He started it on vacation last week and listened to it when we were flying or driving. I know I can’t read in motion, so that seemed like an acceptable solution to getting it done. He has been procrastinating all summer about reading it, but says it isn’t too bad really. Here is the link to the page where you can listen to it for free:</p>
<p>[The</a> New Jim Crow Audiobook Chapter One - YouTube](<a href=“- YouTube”>- YouTube)</p>
<p>They will be expected to contribute in their Tides classes to the discussion and their grades in that class depend largely on participation. If you have a long car ride, maybe this is a way for them to get through it. Just check the back seat now and then to make sure they haven’t been lulled to sleep!</p>
<p>Wow, so much venting and obsessing over a summer reading book! I must join in our esteemed colleague FC and note this is no big deal. I would also add that we all should remember what we were like at this stage in our lives, so chill!!!</p>
<p>Mine made it to page 22!!! Says there’s a documentary out there about it that he’s going to watch. 
I’m actually half way through the book and it’s a great read.</p>
<p>Also, the book is on a topic that my son has done other research on and is of great interest to him for personal reasons. I think even if he doesn’t finish the book, he will be able to contribute to the TIDES conversations. That will be an interesting conversation in the TIDES class he is in: 1970’s and 1970’s Russian Comedy Films. :-)</p>
<p>I do still hope that he reads it while on “vacation” in Florida next week. Yes, he’s taking a vacation from summer vacation before college. Oh the life.</p>
<p>So how is that going to work? Is he flying straight from Florida to NOLA and meeting you there, or flying home first?</p>
<p>The helicopter sounds are deafening…</p>