Wild Things: YA Grown-Up discussion

I apologize in advance, because this will probably turn into more of a rant than anything else, but Oh. My. Goodness. What was the Newbery Committee thinking?! I understand that this book was written in 1921, but ugh. I did not enjoy this book at all.

It's a history of mankind, from when we started out as amoebas until the 'present day'. But I didn't understand his pacing at all. He would spend 3 pages on Ancient Egypt and then 12 on Medieval knights and chivalry. His section on the American Revolution, something I know quite a bit about is awkward and covers almost no relevant information about the revolution.

I understand that this was a huge undertaking, and it must have been impossibly hard to decide what to include. But wow. It was also impossibly hard to read. It's the ramblings of a dry, dull old man who believes himself to be terribly witty and clever.

I tried it and gave up on it. And put it out of my head - so I don't remember exactly what I didn't like but your comments seem apt.

I would have given up on it after a few pages, but it won the first Newbery Award, and I made it a goal a few years ago to read them all. So, I was forced to suffer...

How do you get the oldest ones? Another group that I'm in is trying to read them but lots are hard to find. I'd love to get a copy of Pran of Albania but I don't want to pay serious money for it!

I found this really great old copy (1st Ed, 5th printing) in a used bookstore for 10 or 12 dollars. A lot of the Newbery books are still in print, so they aren't too hard to find.

But, used book stores and used sellers on amazon/B&N/Half.com/Ebay etc are great for fairly inexpensive older books.

I love half.com, and alibris, and Abe - but I guess my budget doesn't have the same priority for these. I'm very happy for you that you've had good luck though!

I don't buy a lot of them. I decided a while ago that I want to read and own all the Newbery Winners, and as many honors as I can. It's hard to find a good copy of TSoM, because his son and grandson updated the book after he died, putting in more about the later developments, because we've obviously come a long way since 1920. I wanted the original, not the revised edition, so when I saw it, I bought it. It's a really great looking copy too, which is, sadly, about the only positive thing I can say about it. :/