Beverly Cleary has died • Hacker News Board

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#41

Post by e0 » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 3:03 AM UTC

enthdegree wrote: post #38

jimbob45 wrote: post #12

I hated those books. They read as if written like what an adult thinks kids are like instead of being what kids think kids are like. Every kid-character was a thoughtless menace to everyone else around them without a shred of empathy. That’s great if you’re an adult who hates kids but as a kid, I didn’t want to identify with the characters at all. I know Nancy Drew/the Hardy Boys were perhaps unrealistically intellig…

I have no idea why you are being downvoted. This is a valid and interesting opinion.

It is, indeed, a valid an interesting opinion; but, given the situation, this might not be the exact time and place to feel the need to express it.

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#42

Post by gwbas1c » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 3:16 AM UTC

This brought back memories of the lunch box alarm in "Dear Mr. Henshaw." Maybe if I read the book now I'd figure out who was stealing the poor boy's lunch.

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#43

Post by tombert » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 3:23 AM UTC

This makes me very sad.

While she will probably be more remembered for the Ramona and Henry books (and don't get me wrong, those are fun, and if I had kids I'd probably try and get them to read them), a favorite of mine (even to this day) is "Dear Mr Henshaw".

I think it holds a special place in my heart because it was one of the first books that I read where I understood the themes, and they are good themes. Understanding that the world will be unfair, and that there's not a lot that you can do about that, but also understanding that that shouldn't subtract from the good and beautiful things is a genuinely good, clever theme for any age, but especially for a book meant for children.

RIP Mrs. Cleary. Your books are provided the source for nearly all my book reports from grades 2-5, and you will sincerely be missed.

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#44

Post by mimixco » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 3:51 AM UTC

lr4444lr wrote: post #20

jimbob45 wrote: post #12

I hated those books. They read as if written like what an adult thinks kids are like instead of being what kids think kids are like. Every kid-character was a thoughtless menace to everyone else around them without a shred of empathy. That’s great if you’re an adult who hates kids but as a kid, I didn’t want to identify with the characters at all. I know Nancy Drew/the Hardy Boys were perhaps unrealistically intellig…

Because a lot of people are soothed by empathy, even as children.

The original comment is right. Cleary's books do often speak about children (and with children's voices) in a very adult manner. So do Roald Dahl's. For me this was fascinating as a kid, to see how we were viewed by adults and, wanting to be an adult, to see how that was viewed.

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#45

Post by mimixco » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 3:53 AM UTC

wrongdonf wrote: post #31

With respect, this does not belong on hackernews.

With 159 points and 40 comments, it does. Cleary was a person of intellectual interest and her life and works have had an impact on many people of accomplishment, including people in the HN audience.

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#46

Post by cortesoft » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 4:02 AM UTC

thenewwazoo wrote: post #40

cortesoft wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Were the Ramona books supposed to be for girls only? I loved them as a kid, too, never thought of them as girl books.

I truly don’t mean this to be provocative. The Ramona books weren’t “books for girls” per se, but the default perspective in literature, especially kids’ lit in that era, is male. That it’s a book which appeals to everyone, but is written from a girl’s perspective, causes male readers to wonder if it’s “for” them.

I got so much of my reading material as a kid from my older sister, which is probably why I never thought of books being gendered as a kid.

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#47

Post by paradox242 » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 4:16 AM UTC

AceyMan wrote: post #36

just dropped in this thread to say Beverly is a beautiful Anglo game and so rarely used anymore. My son's name appears [is the mode] the most on the United States Declaration of Independence. But it's rarely heard these days (in the States, certainly). Beverly is right there in the beauty / innovation (uniqueness) rario. /Acey

you are a strange individual

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#48

Post by Firehawke » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 4:35 AM UTC

It really is kind of.. nice.. to see that so many of you had the same kind of childhood experiences I did in regards to these books.

A lot of what many of you are saying is permanently engraved in my mind. You'd think that childhood experiences like this wouldn't really stick with you, but many of these books are just permanently glued into my psyche.

It's good to see you enjoyed them much as I did, and hopefully generations long after ours will be able to as well.

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#49

Post by Firehawke » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 4:39 AM UTC

snegu wrote: post #39

jimbob45 wrote: post #12

I hated those books. They read as if written like what an adult thinks kids are like instead of being what kids think kids are like. Every kid-character was a thoughtless menace to everyone else around them without a shred of empathy. That’s great if you’re an adult who hates kids but as a kid, I didn’t want to identify with the characters at all. I know Nancy Drew/the Hardy Boys were perhaps unrealistically intellig…

I hear you on this. I loved the Ramona books when I was a kid, but I also got so frustrated with Ramona because she acted so irrationally. My favorite was "Beezus and Ramona" because it was told from Beezus' point of view and I identified with her much better. I think maybe some kids are just Ramonas and some are Beezuses.

Honestly, when I look back at my childhood, I think most of the kids I knew were at least moderately irrational.

Irrational, prone to crumbling under peer pressure, struggling to find a way in a world they didn't understand well, and prone to random acts both good and bad..

Re: Beverly Cleary has died

#50

Post by stuart78 » Sat, Mar 27, 2021, 4:40 AM UTC

I read the Beezus as a Kid, but only had glimpses of memories of the books until I bought the collection on Audible a few years ago to listen to with the family on a long drive. We kept listening long after the trip. The books are true family entertainment, and it is remarkable to look at the timeline between them. One every few or so for decades, and yet they flow smoothly together, never quite bound by time or place.

Wonderful that she could live such a long and impactful life.