Posted by Mike Dennis on December 10, 2005 at 10:26:57 from 81.77.6.158 user MTD.
In Reply to: Reading AR dangerous? Volunteer projects. posted by Peter H on December 09, 2005 at 20:49:01:
Firstly, all the books are well written. I can remember having problems with reading as a child and how pleased with myself I was after reading an entire Enid Blyton 'Famous Five' on a long car journey. But I soon moved on to other authors (thought I now see why EB can be criticised I am grateful to her for providing that stepping stone). When I started reading S&A I knew it was different.
After reading that I read them all, and as well as enjoying them as you should for reading for pleasure there were other elements too - these were children with friends and ones that they didn't have petty squabbles with, they had siblings (my only one - a brother - was killed in our childhoods), their parents went along with their adventures and for the most part left them to it, they were never bullied, laughed at, ridiculed or patronised by the adults they come across in their lives and certainly not by any other children they encountered. For me these aspects were particularly a pleasure to read and took me to a much pleasanter world.
Ransome also explained things, everything I know about sailing is from AR, everything I know about signalling is from AR and many other things.
Has it damaged me? Who knows? I cannot imagine what 'damage' such an activity would do, as it helped me through my childhood I think it did the opposite.
Do I still read them? Of course, I am currently on WH spurred on by a heavy frost last week. Does it matter that a middle-aged man is reading children's books? No - what does it matter what you read at least I am still reading and there books all over the house. There is nothing worse than visiting someone's house and there is not a book, magazine or newspaper to be seen - a house without a soul.