FRANKLY
Free, as in beer.
“Easy A” is A-OK OCTOBER 2010
Celeste Maisel
Staff Writer
Instead of a
difficult home
situation
SPEAKING
Olin’s unofficial, student-run, news source. FranklySpeakingNews.com
that could be
Going to see this movie, used to ex-
I had zero expectations.
I had heard several con-
flicting plot summaries
plain away
her behavior
(divorced par-
A Textbook Manifesto For publishers, the primary Easy, it’s the opposite of eve-
and really had no idewhat ents, absent Allen Downey
virtue is coverage. They want rything I just said. Authors
it was about. father, or the Guest Writer books that can be used for need to write books students
So for those of you in like), she has
many classes, so they encour- can read and understand.
the same boat, here’s the two parents
Michael Pollan has generated age authors to include all the That means 10 pages a week,
gist of it: Olive is a typi- who obvious-
a lot of attention lately with his material for all possible class- or 140 pages for a semes-
cal high school student ly love each
Eater’s Manifesto: Eat Food. es. The result is a 1000-page ter long class. And it means
flying under the radar other very
Not too much. Mostly plants. book with no personality. writing for actual students,
of just about everyone at much, trust
It’s so simple it sounds stu- For most professors, the not the imaginary ones from
her southern California her, treat her
pid, especially the “Eat food” cardinal virtue is course ma- 50 years ago who were “well
high school, much to her like an adult
part. But there is some sub- terials; they want a course- prepared.” Actual students.
chagrin. and support Courtesy of Screen Gems
stance there. You don’t have in-a-box. And when I get Publishers: I don’t know what
A small lie to get out her through everything.
to agree with him; my point email from professors at to tell you. Your role in develop-
of a weekend camping She also has an ador- Olive why she was not
is just that his manifesto is other schools, it seems like ing and distributing textbooks
trip escalates into a cover able adopted younger totally in love with the
not as stupid as it sounds. all they really want is solu- is no longer required. You are
story about losing her vir- brother who looks up to imaginary guy she sup-
My textbook manifesto tions to the exercises. Un- now in the publicity business.
ginity, and soon she is the her, and an annoying best posedly lost her virginity
is also so simple it sounds fortunately, price is usu- Professors: choose books
talk of the school. friend. to, Olive replies “I don’t
stupid. Here it is: Students ally not an issue. The result your students can read and un-
Olive loves the atten- Another thing that sets know, I guess I’m not
should read and under- is an expensive 1000-page derstand. If you can’t find one,
tion, and agrees to pre- it apart is its humor. I some gossip girl in the
stand textbooks. That’s it. book with no personality. write one. It’s not that hard. And
tend to sleep with a best can’t stand the cringing- sweet valley of the trave-
It’s hard to imagine that any- For students, these vir- then expect and require stu-
friend, who is gay. Word ly awkward moments in ling pants!”
one would disagree, but here’s tues are irrelevant because dents to read and understand.
spreads, and soon she is some teen comedies and Overall, I would see this
the part I find infuriating: textbooks are unread- How? Among other things,
being paid by others to lie there is none of that in movie again, and I would
the vast majority of textbook able and, usually, unread. reading quizzes. Ask your
about hook ups. this movie. recommend it to anyone
authors, publishers, profes- Here’s what happens. students to read a chapter
As in any good movie of Olive’s parents have who wants a laugh and a
sors and students behave as if The professor chooses a and then ask them questions
its type, the consequences some great lines (for ex- happy ending.
they do not expect students to 1000-page book and as- about it. If a few students
soon pile up, and she has ample: her dad sitting
read or understand textbooks. sign students to read 50 don’t understand, blame the
to try and dig herself out down at the table with her Showtimes for & info
Here’s how it works. Most pages a week. They can’t, students. If more than a few
before getting in too deep. adopted younger brother, for “Easy A”:
textbook authors sit down and they don’t, so the pro- don’t understand, fix the book.
Although this movie saying “So, where are
with the goal writing the “bi- fessor spends class time ex- Students: You should go
struck a very similar note you from, originally?”), 1hr 32min, Rated PG-13
ble” of their field. Since it is plaining what the students on strike. If your textbook
to other teen comedies and the overall tone of AMC Framingham 16
meant to be authoritative, they couldn’t read. Before long, costs more than $50, don’t
(Mean Girls comes to the movie is self aware, (near Shoppers World):
usually stick to well-estab- the students learn that they buy it. If it has more than 500
mind), a few things really which adds to the come- 11:10am 1:35 4:00 6:40
lished ideas and avoid opinion shouldn’t even try. The re- pages, don’t read it. There’s
set it apart. One thing dic effect. 9:10pm and controversy. The result is sult is a 1000-page doorstop. just no excuse for bad books.
was Olive’s home life. When Rhiannon asks
a book with no personality. What’s the solution?