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Homework for Grown-Ups: Everything You Learned at School and Promptly Forgot.
"A nostalgic compendium of essential knowledge that can help you show the world that you're smarter than a ten-year-old after all!
"Have you ever stared blankly at your kids when they've asked why the sky is blue? Or clumsily changed the subject when they've wanted to know why the wind blows? If you're done with school, it's likely you're also done knowing the difference between an isosceles and equilateral triangle, and you probably leave participles dangling all over the place. Well, not anymore! Thanks to professional know-it-alls Foley and Coates, you can now gain back your self-respect and actually show those kids a thing or two as you tell it to them straight (and not make it up from fragments of facts you kind of remember).
Packed with all the basic facts that have managed to free-fall from our heads over the years, "Homework for Grown-ups" is the ultimate grammar school refresher course in book form. In fact, there's even a quiz at the end of each chapter to ensure you've been paying attention! Written in the light, engaging style of a favorite teacher and featuring lessons in English, math, history, science, geography, art, and even home economics and recess, this fun and handy guide will help you stop hemming and hawing and start speaking with a lot more authority--and a little less shame.
E. FOLEY and B. COATES are editors at Vintage who both live in London.
"Have you ever stared blankly at your kids when they've asked why the sky is blue? Or clumsily changed the subject when they've wanted to know why the wind blows? If you're done with school, it's likely you're also done knowing the difference between an isosceles and equilateral triangle, and you probably leave participles dangling all over the place. Well, not anymore! Thanks to professional know-it-alls Foley and Coates, you can now gain back your self-respect and actually show those kids a thing or two as you tell it to them straight (and not make it up from fragments of facts you kind of remember).
Packed with all the basic facts that have managed to free-fall from our heads over the years, "Homework for Grown-ups" is the ultimate grammar school refresher course in book form. In fact, there's even a quiz at the end of each chapter to ensure you've been paying attention! Written in the light, engaging style of a favorite teacher and featuring lessons in English, math, history, science, geography, art, and even home economics and recess, this fun and handy guide will help you stop hemming and hawing and start speaking with a lot more authority--and a little less shame.
E. FOLEY and B. COATES are editors at Vintage who both live in London.
432 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
228 people are currently reading
837 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 18, 2009
Although I have yet to mark my 'test papers', and I found parts of this book a bit of a drag, I did enjoy it very much. I felt as though I re-learnt a great deal that I had forgotten since my school days, and then some. Aspects that once went over my head felt much more settled and re-sorted.
To break the chapters down-
English Language and English Literature
The English Literature area provided more of a broad overview, but it allowed it to be taken in bite-size chunks. The English Language section seemed to be split more into 'higher thinking' and 'lower thinking' areas.
Mathmatics
This was more of a late-primary school section that anything else. Long division and multiplication, plus basic algebra.
Home Economics
A fun chapter that was very common-sense. I also learnt what to do in a nuclear fallout... if one should ever happen in Perth, Western Australia. It's possible, though.
History
This was very British-based, which makes sense, given the book was written in Britain. Being as I love history, though, I learnt a lot. My favourite part was the mnemonics, such as A Big Ship Came Hurrying Past. Also, divoriced beheaded died divorced beheaded survived. Great fun, and I helpful timeline down the bottom.
Science
Never my major area. The physics and chemistry areas seemed to be lower-secondary and the biology areas to be upper-secondary.
Break Time
Some fun primary-school games.
Religious Education
This was just a broad overview of world religions. They included Sikhism, which tends to be avoided in school books.
Geography
This was focused primarily on tectonic plates and the effects of them- Pangaea, volcanoes and earthquakes. Mid-secondary.
Classics
This is a very British-based chapter. It is about Greek and Roman history, philosophy and Latin. I struggled with this chapter, being as I don't know a lick of Latin. I dread to look at my test paper! But it was very interesting.
Physical Education
This provides an overview of cricket, football/soccer, rugby league and union/US football, lacrosse, hockey, other racket sports, netball and how to climb a rope.
Art
This is just visual art- no media, drama, music, dance or the like here. A bit disappointing, but it does well in talking about forms of art and famous artists.
Overall, a very interesting and enjoyable book, and good when providing an overview or reference to points of knowledge that were lost along the way.
To break the chapters down-
English Language and English Literature
The English Literature area provided more of a broad overview, but it allowed it to be taken in bite-size chunks. The English Language section seemed to be split more into 'higher thinking' and 'lower thinking' areas.
Mathmatics
This was more of a late-primary school section that anything else. Long division and multiplication, plus basic algebra.
Home Economics
A fun chapter that was very common-sense. I also learnt what to do in a nuclear fallout... if one should ever happen in Perth, Western Australia. It's possible, though.
History
This was very British-based, which makes sense, given the book was written in Britain. Being as I love history, though, I learnt a lot. My favourite part was the mnemonics, such as A Big Ship Came Hurrying Past. Also, divoriced beheaded died divorced beheaded survived. Great fun, and I helpful timeline down the bottom.
Science
Never my major area. The physics and chemistry areas seemed to be lower-secondary and the biology areas to be upper-secondary.
Break Time
Some fun primary-school games.
Religious Education
This was just a broad overview of world religions. They included Sikhism, which tends to be avoided in school books.
Geography
This was focused primarily on tectonic plates and the effects of them- Pangaea, volcanoes and earthquakes. Mid-secondary.
Classics
This is a very British-based chapter. It is about Greek and Roman history, philosophy and Latin. I struggled with this chapter, being as I don't know a lick of Latin. I dread to look at my test paper! But it was very interesting.
Physical Education
This provides an overview of cricket, football/soccer, rugby league and union/US football, lacrosse, hockey, other racket sports, netball and how to climb a rope.
Art
This is just visual art- no media, drama, music, dance or the like here. A bit disappointing, but it does well in talking about forms of art and famous artists.
Overall, a very interesting and enjoyable book, and good when providing an overview or reference to points of knowledge that were lost along the way.
October 4, 2012
This book is exactly what it says it is: a brush-up course on all the things most adults have forgotten from high school and below. This book is not a humor book, so those of you looking for some light reading will be disappointed. However, it does an excellent job of covering fundamentals of learning that the majority of adults are without. It covers such topics as grammar, classical literature, mathematics, and history. It is laid out in a barebones, matter of fact way so don't expect any sugar coating.
January 14, 2014
This was one of those impulse buys - I liked the idea and it's a lovely tidy hard cover. It's sat there quite happily in the toilet to be perused at leisure over the last year or so (I will clarify for those who aren't British - I mean the room in which the toilet sits, not literally in the toilet - someone got confused last time I said that).
Breaking down school topics in easily understandable digests it makes me glad I don't have to remember all this information and really glad that we never had to learn Latin. I still cannot figure out long division despite.
The science chapters are relatively well told and I quite like the random examples they use to illustrate things. I think when my son gets to that age I'm going to have to work through his homework at the same rate to be able to help him out!
Fun to drop in and out of.
Breaking down school topics in easily understandable digests it makes me glad I don't have to remember all this information and really glad that we never had to learn Latin. I still cannot figure out long division despite.
The science chapters are relatively well told and I quite like the random examples they use to illustrate things. I think when my son gets to that age I'm going to have to work through his homework at the same rate to be able to help him out!
Fun to drop in and out of.
July 28, 2009
I used to find books of the "X For Dummies" type kind of scoffworthy, mostly for the implication that you have to reduce your image to a moron to get spoon-fed knowledge, instead of just reading around and practising as a sensible adult etc etc, but then I decided that that was silly, and if you have gaps in your education starting with simplification is ok. And anyway, since I went to kind of a crummy school, and I kind of didn't read books or watch TV as a teenager, I do, and I did. Though, the parts I did know about had lots of mistakes and oversimplifications, so in some ways I'm probably worse off. That's only a problem if I never look anything up again though.
February 29, 2024
An enjoyable reminder of some of the things I learnt at school.
January 25, 2012
A fascinating collection of facts on a variety of subjects - geography, history, maths, domestic science that make fun reading. This is the sort of book you dip into and read what tales your interest. I borrowed from the library.
January 22, 2020
Seemed rushed a bit, however, still interesting. Some of it still has a religious theme interspersed throughout with its own section. Very reminiscent of a bygone era.
July 15, 2024
It took me absolutely forever to get through this book because I did the entire thing like a complete nerd and took notes before taking each of the little exams. Overall, it was pretty enjoyable, and I re-learned a lot of things in the process of reading this book. However, it does already come across as pretty dated already, with some of the facts repeated here having been since disproved.
December 30, 2019
Skipped over a few parts but everything else felt informative. It is just pretty basic knowledge that everyone should try to remember as they get older.
October 10, 2020
Tämän jälkeen tietovisat sujuu kuin vettä vain!
March 9, 2025
The most pretentious trivia I have ever read
April 9, 2016
Homework for Grown-Ups is essentially the summary of most things taught in British curriculum, including Science, Mathematics, Arts, Classics, English, Religious Studies, etc. It proved to be quite an interesting read. I borrowed this book mainly to refresh myself on knowledge I've learned in secondary school and to see how much I have forgotten since leaving junior college more than a year ago and enlisting in the army. While there were many familiar pieces of information littered throughout the book, there were also some new facts and figures in the book that I had not previously learned about in my years of studying in Singapore, namely the chapters on Art, Religious Studies and Classics. The book was a teacher on both the old and the new to me.
Information is written in small chunks and the authors are careful not to overflow the reader with too much information on any subject, choosing to give a brief summary or introduction to various topics before moving on to the next. This lack of depth may be frustrating for those who wish to know more but it helps the reader to digest all this old and new-found knowledge continuously without being worn out. There's bits and pieces of humour across the book and the authors give the book more of a casual vibe rather than a formal one, which is in the vein of the content of this book. That being said, there are some parts of the book that come across a little dry or too shallow. It may be due to my personal preference but at times, the book was a little difficult to read.
Overall, this book was informative and acted as a good refresher on the things I've forgotten since leaving school. 3.5/5
Information is written in small chunks and the authors are careful not to overflow the reader with too much information on any subject, choosing to give a brief summary or introduction to various topics before moving on to the next. This lack of depth may be frustrating for those who wish to know more but it helps the reader to digest all this old and new-found knowledge continuously without being worn out. There's bits and pieces of humour across the book and the authors give the book more of a casual vibe rather than a formal one, which is in the vein of the content of this book. That being said, there are some parts of the book that come across a little dry or too shallow. It may be due to my personal preference but at times, the book was a little difficult to read.
Overall, this book was informative and acted as a good refresher on the things I've forgotten since leaving school. 3.5/5
October 22, 2010
This is a lovely book - well-written, well-presented, extensive, useful and enjoyable. It also serves as a nice helping of nostalgia with its authentic cloth-bound cover, 'stippled' illustration style, and even the choice of paper - all carefully designed to evoke those fading childhood memories of the entire class being told to "turn to page 124".
To match this, the authors affect a somewhat ironic tone tailored to the modern adult reader: professorial and slightly old-fashioned, but with an unmistakable wink in the eye. With its occasional knowing references to modern life such as Google, manbags and growing UK obesity, it's an approach that could have ended up falling flat - but here it works to perfection, even if it will date over a longer timespan.
The choice of subject matter is good. The information is clear and easy to digest/recall. You really will be surprised not only at how much you'd forgotten, but also how quickly it all comes flooding back. That long division was hidden in my memory all this time - along with quadrilaterals, iambic pentameters and the diplodocus!
If you happen to be a parent, this information-packed tome should be a godsend. Even if you're not a parent, get it anyway, as you'll enjoy it regardless. It's become a bit of a cliché to talk about books being "a good present", but this one really is. I notice there's another range of similar titles out there ("I Used To Know That" etc). They're good and less expensive, but considerably smaller and not nearly as comprehensive (or nicely presented) as this one.
To match this, the authors affect a somewhat ironic tone tailored to the modern adult reader: professorial and slightly old-fashioned, but with an unmistakable wink in the eye. With its occasional knowing references to modern life such as Google, manbags and growing UK obesity, it's an approach that could have ended up falling flat - but here it works to perfection, even if it will date over a longer timespan.
The choice of subject matter is good. The information is clear and easy to digest/recall. You really will be surprised not only at how much you'd forgotten, but also how quickly it all comes flooding back. That long division was hidden in my memory all this time - along with quadrilaterals, iambic pentameters and the diplodocus!
If you happen to be a parent, this information-packed tome should be a godsend. Even if you're not a parent, get it anyway, as you'll enjoy it regardless. It's become a bit of a cliché to talk about books being "a good present", but this one really is. I notice there's another range of similar titles out there ("I Used To Know That" etc). They're good and less expensive, but considerably smaller and not nearly as comprehensive (or nicely presented) as this one.
July 28, 2009
The first section I read was English Language - I don't even remember hearing of a zeugma or a chiasmus let alone a neologism. However, I've managed to work neologism (meaning a word that has just been invented) into my conversation once or twice now - mainly with my children. I also went on to read English Literature right away and was so pleased that I was able to pass the quiz at the end of the chapter before I read the whole chapter... not so with all the chapters. My husband read the Chemistry chapter first and got all excited when I pointed out that there was a section on the laws of thermodynamics. Glad someone gets excited about that. The strangest thing I've found in this book a chapter on How to Survive a Nuclear Attack, it's in the Home Economics section. I did read in the introduction that this book was meant to entertain as well as educate so I'm assuming.... I mean, "draw thick curtains if you have them so they can help protect against the blast"?!
Anyway, the book is fun - and obviously educational. Nothing intense, but a nice little refresher course which is particularly valuable if you have school age kids who still expect help from mom and dad.
Anyway, the book is fun - and obviously educational. Nothing intense, but a nice little refresher course which is particularly valuable if you have school age kids who still expect help from mom and dad.
October 11, 2019
This book is brilliant, and I constantly recommend it.
Have you ever wanted just tidbits of info that you had forgotten from middle/high school?
Have you just needed a reminder of how to do complex division or how to find the area of a pyramid?
Did you forget the historical art periods immediately after you learned them?
Well, this book helps. It's a little guide for when you don't know what you don't know.
It's certainly not meant to replace the internet or an actual guide on a specific subject matter. But what it can do is give you a little boost when you need it, to remind you that the information you seek is out there and not that hard to find. Or that you knew this stuff all along.
Have you ever wanted just tidbits of info that you had forgotten from middle/high school?
Have you just needed a reminder of how to do complex division or how to find the area of a pyramid?
Did you forget the historical art periods immediately after you learned them?
Well, this book helps. It's a little guide for when you don't know what you don't know.
It's certainly not meant to replace the internet or an actual guide on a specific subject matter. But what it can do is give you a little boost when you need it, to remind you that the information you seek is out there and not that hard to find. Or that you knew this stuff all along.
January 3, 2011
Highly recommended. It really is what it advertises: a good summary of what you ought to take from a decent primary education. I read it on an airplane and two passengers (not related to each other) asked me for the title, rather sheepishly admitting that they had been reading over my shoulder for much of the flight.
February 18, 2010
Educational and somewhat entertaining, but remember when teachers / parents used to say "you'll need this when you get out of school . . ." Don't believe them!
This was the first time I'd laid eyes on some of this stuff since high school.
This was the first time I'd laid eyes on some of this stuff since high school.
March 17, 2013
Basic overview of all the things you're supposed to know but probably forgot. Some glaring errors make me think there are probably others, but as I'm not as familiar with the other subjects I wouldn't recognize them
March 6, 2015
I really enjoyed this one!
It was great to have a refresher, yet also pick up new ideas that I had never come across before. It's a book best enjoyed over a period of several months, so don't try to do it all at once.
It was great to have a refresher, yet also pick up new ideas that I had never come across before. It's a book best enjoyed over a period of several months, so don't try to do it all at once.
September 10, 2013
I loved this book.
April 28, 2013
Definitely worth flipping through. I didn't even hate reading about long division! (Which I totally didn't know how to anymore.)
May 7, 2015
If you want to recall your GCSEs (or dare I say O'Levels) then this is a great book.
November 18, 2015
A great review
I love this book. It's just enough basic knowledge in a nutshell in a variety of subjects. I highly recommended this book
I love this book. It's just enough basic knowledge in a nutshell in a variety of subjects. I highly recommended this book
January 13, 2016
Bought as a joke when the kids were younger, now indispensable!
April 29, 2016
A unique and handy-dandy reference guide for those of us who want to brush up on our grade-school knowledge. It lacks in content but compensates with wry, witty, warm writing.
March 14, 2016
This was informative!
I liked the History, Religious Education and Classics sections the most.
I liked the History, Religious Education and Classics sections the most.
July 28, 2011
I mostly skimmed it - good refresher of curriculum subjects, fairly funny too.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews