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2.93 AVERAGE
2.93 AVERAGE
1.5 stars
I've liked how Davis has set up his previous books, in their question-and-answer format, so I figured that's what this one would be. But I was very disappointed.
It's made up entirely of short trivia quizzes (4-6 questions usually), with a paragraph introduction/summary of the work or author. Of course there were some authors and works that I did learn some things about, but the answers to the quiz questions were just short explanations, not the longer, in-depth, usually comprehensive answers like in previous books. It was a quick half-day read, not a useful book of tidbits to ration for quick reading times like other DKMA books I've read.
This also made many of the questions about authors and works that I know, have read, or enjoy pretty easy to answer, and I didn't really learn anything new. The only thing that it really warranted was a good reminder of lots of classics that I want to read as well as some quirky, authorly tidbits (Steinbeck's "Pigasus" logo was my favorite).
It was more of a middle school read, good for introducing students into the world of classical literature for English class. I have a feeling even adults who "don't know much about literature" would find the simplicity of this a bit degrading.
I've liked how Davis has set up his previous books, in their question-and-answer format, so I figured that's what this one would be. But I was very disappointed.
It's made up entirely of short trivia quizzes (4-6 questions usually), with a paragraph introduction/summary of the work or author. Of course there were some authors and works that I did learn some things about, but the answers to the quiz questions were just short explanations, not the longer, in-depth, usually comprehensive answers like in previous books. It was a quick half-day read, not a useful book of tidbits to ration for quick reading times like other DKMA books I've read.
This also made many of the questions about authors and works that I know, have read, or enjoy pretty easy to answer, and I didn't really learn anything new. The only thing that it really warranted was a good reminder of lots of classics that I want to read as well as some quirky, authorly tidbits (Steinbeck's "Pigasus" logo was my favorite).
It was more of a middle school read, good for introducing students into the world of classical literature for English class. I have a feeling even adults who "don't know much about literature" would find the simplicity of this a bit degrading.
A fun trivia book about classic literature. Each page is a different subject, like "Fictional First Lines," "Banned Books," or specific authors. There's a brief paragraph of information on the topic, and then a quiz. It definitely piqued my curiosity about some of the classics I'd never read, and some authors I'd never even heard of! A good way to amuse yourself while compiling an extensive reading list.
I did not think this was a trivia book. I was expecting a book with synopses of great works of literature not quizzes.
What made [b:Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned|57572|Don't Know Much About History Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned|Kenneth C. Davis|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388179542s/57572.jpg|56090] good was its irreverent yet balanced tone. Unlike many history books, it didn’t just focus on the sunny side, but also didn’t villanize any more than necessary. It was one of the only history books I’ve read that really highlighted that everyone has always been as hapless as they are today.
The problem with Don’t Know Much About Literature is that Davis totally switched up his approach. The conversational and light-hearted tone is the same, but instead of a chronological outline (which, admittedly, doesn’t work as well with all of literature as it does with United States history), he went with a weird quiz book approach. There is a different entry every other page: a paragraph about the writer or topic, then a handful of quiz questions about them. Each treatment is very shallow. It basically tells what their major works are and an interesting tidbit or two about them, rather than actually talking about their work.
I’m going to go ahead and say it. This is one for the poopers. Take it with you to the john. I’ll let you decide what to do with it when you get there.
The problem with Don’t Know Much About Literature is that Davis totally switched up his approach. The conversational and light-hearted tone is the same, but instead of a chronological outline (which, admittedly, doesn’t work as well with all of literature as it does with United States history), he went with a weird quiz book approach. There is a different entry every other page: a paragraph about the writer or topic, then a handful of quiz questions about them. Each treatment is very shallow. It basically tells what their major works are and an interesting tidbit or two about them, rather than actually talking about their work.
I’m going to go ahead and say it. This is one for the poopers. Take it with you to the john. I’ll let you decide what to do with it when you get there.
Lots of interesting literary trivia - and we all know I love trivia....especially about books
This book was something I didn't expect. I thought it would be paragraph after paragraph on different writing but I was happily proven wrong. For every author or famous work there is a paragraph that gives some background and then you have a quiz to test your knowledge on the particular topic. I got to see how much or rather how little I knew. This got me through my finals exams when I had nothing else to do.
informative
relaxing
medium-paced