I promised I'd post the list of books (etc.) I chose for my mystery as lit class - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T05:18:53Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/i-promised-id-post-the-list-of?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A183838&feed=yes&xn_auth=noGreat list! This is definitel…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-21:537324:Comment:1838382009-02-21T15:44:44.166ZReece Hirschhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/ReeceHirsch
Great list! This is definitely a class I would have signed up for back in the day. Personally, my favorite Chandler is The Long Goodbye, but you can't go wrong with The Big Sleep.
Great list! This is definitely a class I would have signed up for back in the day. Personally, my favorite Chandler is The Long Goodbye, but you can't go wrong with The Big Sleep. I'd love to know what your st…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-20:537324:Comment:1837282009-02-20T23:16:59.963ZPate Grantwellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/PateGrantwell
I'd love to know what your students think of the ending to "The Name of the Rose." After the addictive build-up, I felt underwhelmed by the ending. However Umberto Eco is an incredible writer, so I'd like to know if I am simply the one who doesn't know a brilliant ending when he sees one.
I'd love to know what your students think of the ending to "The Name of the Rose." After the addictive build-up, I felt underwhelmed by the ending. However Umberto Eco is an incredible writer, so I'd like to know if I am simply the one who doesn't know a brilliant ending when he sees one. The novel The Exorcist has a…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-20:537324:Comment:1837192009-02-20T22:58:27.358ZJohn McFetridgehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JohnMcF
The novel <i>The Exorcist</i> has a character very much like Columbo, right down to the, "One more thing," on his way out the door. I always wondered if that novel inspired the character at all.
The novel <i>The Exorcist</i> has a character very much like Columbo, right down to the, "One more thing," on his way out the door. I always wondered if that novel inspired the character at all. I wish you were, too, Naomi.tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-20:537324:Comment:1837152009-02-20T22:28:55.923ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
I wish you were, too, Naomi.
I wish you were, too, Naomi. Thanks, Joe. I hope so--they…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-20:537324:Comment:1837132009-02-20T22:28:28.435ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
Thanks, Joe. I hope so--they seem to be enjoying it so far.
Thanks, Joe. I hope so--they seem to be enjoying it so far. It certainly forces you to or…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-20:537324:Comment:1836262009-02-20T17:50:50.028ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
It certainly forces you to organize your thoughts in a way that makes sense. And yeah, I have a good core of smart, insightful students who often point stuff out that I hadn't noticed. It's a good group, though too big at 30 students.
It certainly forces you to organize your thoughts in a way that makes sense. And yeah, I have a good core of smart, insightful students who often point stuff out that I hadn't noticed. It's a good group, though too big at 30 students. I showed it right after we'd…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-20:537324:Comment:1836222009-02-20T17:43:14.623ZJon Loomishttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
I showed it right after we'd finished Orient Express because it occurred to me that Columbo is really Poirot, repackaged for a 1970s American audience. One of his tricks is that the killer always underestimates him--like Poirot he's a "funny little man" that needn't be taken seriously. So, it's an identity thing: the killer is not what he/she seems, but neither is the detective. Also we'd been talking a little about puzzle plotting, and how methodically it's all laid out, with the big reveal…
I showed it right after we'd finished Orient Express because it occurred to me that Columbo is really Poirot, repackaged for a 1970s American audience. One of his tricks is that the killer always underestimates him--like Poirot he's a "funny little man" that needn't be taken seriously. So, it's an identity thing: the killer is not what he/she seems, but neither is the detective. Also we'd been talking a little about puzzle plotting, and how methodically it's all laid out, with the big reveal scene at the end. Columbo's interesting because it's a reverse puzzle: you see the killer commit the crime, and the fun is in watching Columbo drive them crazy as he sorts it out. We've been talking about sidekicks, too (Poirot tends to bounce ideas off of whoever's handy); Columbo recruits the suspect as a kind of surrogate sidekick, often asking them to imagine how the crime was committed. It's a great technique--really inspired. Finally, there's an obvious class drama always cooking in Columbo--he's this working-class Italian guy whose uncle drove a beer truck, or whatever, and the killers are always rich and/or famous. It appeals to our populist streak, I think, watching a working-class guy like Columbo outsmart the Hollywood swells. Columbo and Poirot are also sexually negligible, which is interesting--they have to relate to women differently than a Marlowe, say. I'll probably show more film as the semester goes on: I'm winging it still, a bit. This is a class I wouldn't mi…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-20:537324:Comment:1836162009-02-20T17:40:56.812ZDana Kinghttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
This is a class I wouldn't mind taking. Varied, but I can see where everything has its place. Thanks for sharing.<br />
<br />
I agree with the previous commenters who mentioned they learned more from teaching than they did from, well, learning. Few things incite the mind like exposure to young minds putting something together for the first time. I miss that.
This is a class I wouldn't mind taking. Varied, but I can see where everything has its place. Thanks for sharing.<br />
<br />
I agree with the previous commenters who mentioned they learned more from teaching than they did from, well, learning. Few things incite the mind like exposure to young minds putting something together for the first time. I miss that. That's a good list. Columbo s…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-20:537324:Comment:1836072009-02-20T17:23:28.675ZJohn Dishonhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/whiteskwirl
That's a good list. Columbo stands out. I'm interested, what did you talk about when you talked about this show?
That's a good list. Columbo stands out. I'm interested, what did you talk about when you talked about this show? Sounds like it would be a fun…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-02-20:537324:Comment:1835952009-02-20T16:43:07.315ZJoe Baronehttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JoeBarone
Sounds like it would be a fun class.
Sounds like it would be a fun class.