Week 8: Reading Review Week--A Lengthy Assessment

So far this semester, in reverse order, I have read Tibetan Folktales, West African Folktales, Voyages of Sindbad, Georgian Folktales, Arabian Nights, Ovid's Metamorphoses I, and Ovid's Metamorphoses III for my various reading units.  My favorite units so far have been Ovid's Metamorphoses (both), Voyages of Sindbad, and the West African Folktales--an odd mixture, but a fun one.  I can't say that there has been any unit that I haven't enjoyed thus far, though the Georgian Folktales could get kind of confusing and nonsensical at times.

My reading/note-taking is very stream-of-consciousness, writing down notes as I read.  The result is a very odd and random series of thoughts, but it definitely helps me to remember what I've read and what I thought about the story and characters at the time.  The one major problem with this is the length of the posts (they can get insanely lengthy), but it would seem that I'm just a long-winded blogger in general, haha.

For my Storybook project, I am definitely doing a lot of outside reading and research.  Since my Storybook is just based off of supernatural creatures and not necessarily folktales or stories, I have been reading a lot of sites on the descriptions and origins and behaviors of creatures, the cultural setting in which they are set, and any other fun facts I find.  There are definitely a lot of sources out there on the internet for some of the more common creatures, though some of the more obscure creatures are somewhat difficult to find info on (especially since I'm basically limited to the internet being off campus and in Italy, lol).

Usually I do a lot of reading outside of class for pleasure, though this semester that has been toned down a lot by the extensive travel opportunities and the multitude of events/socialization available here at OUA.  I'm not saying that I don't do any pleasure reading, by any means--I doubt that I could survive that--but it's been lessened to roughly a book a week, lol.  I'm such a bibliobibuli!

I have no suggestions for improving the reading component of this class, because it is already so varied and intriguing and just plain awesome, haha.  As for future students, I would just advise that you keep ahead (something I am failing miserably at this semester) and that you read a random story from a unit before deciding on the full unit, just so that you know what you are getting yourself into.

Buona giornata!!!


Image Information.  Antique Books 2, photo by DamselStock.  DeviantArt.