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clare__emm's review against another edition
5.0
I have loved this movie for years, and have always wanted to read the play (this was one of the first books on my ‘to read’ list all those years ago). I’ve finally managed to do it, and was not disappointed. I found I understand it very differently now that I am closer to the teachers in experience than the students, but it is still so wonderful. Would share my highlights but I think I managed to highlight at least 80%.
kathryngreen28's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars - This play was quite good. I liked the underlying messages about teaching and politics and the final message at the end. I didn't find it that funny but i'm looking forward to studying this one
kathryngreen28's review against another edition
3.0
Didn't actually read this particular book, I was actually just rereading the History Boys but wanted it to count for my reading challenge.
Possibly maybe a 3.5 stars - I enjoyed this a lot more the second time round because i was annotating as i went along, which is good i guess.
Possibly maybe a 3.5 stars - I enjoyed this a lot more the second time round because i was annotating as i went along, which is good i guess.
nunuseli's review against another edition
5.0
'The History Boys' es una obra ambientada en el Sheffield de principios de los años 80 y los protagonistas son un grupo de adolescentes que se tienen que preparar para hacer un examen para poder entrar en Oxford o Cambridge. Es verdad que estos jovencitos parten de unas personalidades arquetípicas, pero consiguen ser únicos y reales gracias a los diálogos (frescos, rapidísimos y vivos). Es una obra sobre crecer, enamorarse, dejar atrás la adolescencia, intentar construir tu personalidad... Es una película sobre aquellos breves meses (o semanas) que tú sabes que van a ser los últimos de una etapa, porque dentro de una fecha concreta (una fecha que tienes perfectamente marcada en el calendario) todo va a cambiar. Y empiezas a mirar el futuro con optimismo (pero también algo de miedo) y también incluso empiezas a mirar ya el presente con nostalgia.
Pero sobretodo es una película sobre aprender. Los chicos básicamente tienen dos profesores, opuestos pero complementarios. Uno es un humanista caótico que cree en la verdad y que puede hacer una clase acerca de temas tan variopintos como el uso del subjuntivo en un burdel francés. Otro es un jovencito estirado y cínico que no cree en nada, o como mucho en el relativismo absoluto, y que intenta que los chicos enfoquen las cosas desde un punto de vista distinto, lejos de los tópicos manidos. Al final la obra acaba hablando de lo maravilloso que es aprender; de que todo conocimiento es valioso, incluso el más trivial; de que la memorización de datos por si sola es absurda pero que memorizar datos también es importante; de que el conocimiento por sí sólo no es útil, que todo depende de cómo lo utilices; de que lo único que podemos hacer con el conocimiento es retenerlo un tiempo y luego pasarlo...
Pero sobretodo es una película sobre aprender. Los chicos básicamente tienen dos profesores, opuestos pero complementarios. Uno es un humanista caótico que cree en la verdad y que puede hacer una clase acerca de temas tan variopintos como el uso del subjuntivo en un burdel francés. Otro es un jovencito estirado y cínico que no cree en nada, o como mucho en el relativismo absoluto, y que intenta que los chicos enfoquen las cosas desde un punto de vista distinto, lejos de los tópicos manidos. Al final la obra acaba hablando de lo maravilloso que es aprender; de que todo conocimiento es valioso, incluso el más trivial; de que la memorización de datos por si sola es absurda pero que memorizar datos también es importante; de que el conocimiento por sí sólo no es útil, que todo depende de cómo lo utilices; de que lo único que podemos hacer con el conocimiento es retenerlo un tiempo y luego pasarlo...
absent_o_minded's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
readingisadoingword's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I loved this play!
It's the mid 80s and a group of history students from a regional grammar school are trying to get into Oxford. Their eccentric English teacher Hector is filling their brains with quotes from plays, films, poetry - anything! He's erratic and unconventional but somehow has an aspiration to enrich the boys' souls rather than just getting them through an exam.
"I count examinations even for Oxford and Cambridge as the enemy of education. Which is not to say that I don’t regard education as the enemy of education, too."
His counterparts are Mrs Lintott and Mr Irwin.
Mrs Lintott has taught the boys to succeed academically and Mr Irwin is brought in to teach them specifically, how to pass an Oxbridge entrance exam. They both contrast with Hector in their goal orientated ways of teaching.
"Mr. Hector’s stuff’s not meant for the exam, sir. It’s to make us more rounded human beings."
"Shall I tell you what is wrong with Hector as a teacher? It isn’t that he doesn’t produce results. He does. But they are unpredictable and unquantifiable and in the current educational climate that is no use."
I loved Hector's irreverence and his giving equal weight to long passages from popular films as to those from classical literature. Encouraging the boys to learn by heart, he's furnishing them with little jewels for future enjoyment but not for academic inspection.
“I don't always understand poetry!'
'You don't always understand it? Timms, I never understand it. But learn it now, know it now and you will understand it...whenever.'
'I don’t see how we can understand it. Most of the stuff poetry’s about
hasn’t happened to us yet.'
'But it will, Timms. It will. And then you will have the antidote ready!”
There's a lot of cynicism around how to spin answers for the exam. Irwin focuses on differentiating oneself rather than on being genuine or truthful. Despite his ability to get the boys through the exam he somewhat tarnished the magic of their random learnings with Hector.
As much as I enjoyed this play, and perhaps it's indicative "of its time", I felt uncomfortable with the off-hand way in which Hector's inappropriate sexual behaviour towards the boys was dealt with, also also other Senior/Staff relationships within the school. These are almost laughed off and little examination given to the impact on the victims. While this may not be what this play is "about", it's a significant element and one that lands differently in today's context.
All in all a thought-provoking read but perhaps not always for the reasons intended.
It did make me want to learn more poetry by heart though!
It's the mid 80s and a group of history students from a regional grammar school are trying to get into Oxford. Their eccentric English teacher Hector is filling their brains with quotes from plays, films, poetry - anything! He's erratic and unconventional but somehow has an aspiration to enrich the boys' souls rather than just getting them through an exam.
"I count examinations even for Oxford and Cambridge as the enemy of education. Which is not to say that I don’t regard education as the enemy of education, too."
His counterparts are Mrs Lintott and Mr Irwin.
Mrs Lintott has taught the boys to succeed academically and Mr Irwin is brought in to teach them specifically, how to pass an Oxbridge entrance exam. They both contrast with Hector in their goal orientated ways of teaching.
"Mr. Hector’s stuff’s not meant for the exam, sir. It’s to make us more rounded human beings."
"Shall I tell you what is wrong with Hector as a teacher? It isn’t that he doesn’t produce results. He does. But they are unpredictable and unquantifiable and in the current educational climate that is no use."
I loved Hector's irreverence and his giving equal weight to long passages from popular films as to those from classical literature. Encouraging the boys to learn by heart, he's furnishing them with little jewels for future enjoyment but not for academic inspection.
“I don't always understand poetry!'
'You don't always understand it? Timms, I never understand it. But learn it now, know it now and you will understand it...whenever.'
'I don’t see how we can understand it. Most of the stuff poetry’s about
hasn’t happened to us yet.'
'But it will, Timms. It will. And then you will have the antidote ready!”
There's a lot of cynicism around how to spin answers for the exam. Irwin focuses on differentiating oneself rather than on being genuine or truthful. Despite his ability to get the boys through the exam he somewhat tarnished the magic of their random learnings with Hector.
As much as I enjoyed this play, and perhaps it's indicative "of its time", I felt uncomfortable with the off-hand way in which Hector's inappropriate sexual behaviour towards the boys was dealt with, also also other Senior/Staff relationships within the school. These are almost laughed off and little examination given to the impact on the victims. While this may not be what this play is "about", it's a significant element and one that lands differently in today's context.
All in all a thought-provoking read but perhaps not always for the reasons intended.
It did make me want to learn more poetry by heart though!
martha_18's review against another edition
4.0
I read this book for my English Literature course work and at first I didn't understand it, by the time I got to the end I realised it doesn't matter what you learn or how you learn it, you will be what you will be.
apmatteo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0