OK, I’m convinced Mr. Sparky Sweets, PhD is brilliant. He’s the creator of Thug Notes, the quick YouTube video version of many classic novels. This guy is the Cliffs Notes of the YouTube generation.
If you’re a reader, you’re going to get lost inside the thirteen Thug Notes videos he’s put together. They’re short, to the point, and hilarious.
His explanation (and stick figures) of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice? Totally had me in stitches. Plus, what’s not to like about a rap version of Mr. Darcy?
Mark my words: This man will get an entire generation to read.
Here he is describing To Kill a Mocking Bird (in 4 mins or less):
Pure bloody genius. That’s all I’m saying. If you love to read, you’re going to want to watch them all, then hit up your bookshelf to revisit the classics.
I am bowing to Mr. Sweets. What about you?
What’s your favorite classic novel? Is there a Thug Notes video on it? What do you think of these video shorts, rather than the Cliffs Notes that many kids used to use in school? Enquiring minds always want to know these things here at More Cowbell!
~ Jenny
Jenny Hansen's Blog 
Oh come on, that’s like asking which of you kids is your favorite! Here are a couple of mine:
To Kill a Mockingbird
Anything by Mark Twain (yeah, I know that’s cheating – deal with it)
On the Beach
Animal Farm
Nineteen Eighty Four
Stranger in a Strange Land (that’s a classic, isn’t it?)
Lord of the Flies
Atlas Shrugged
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I know, it was a totally unfair question! However, this genius has ThugNoted a whole bunch of those, so I know you’ll have a great time on his site. 🙂
I too adore ANYTHING by Mark Twain. He’s the bombarino.
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Oh. My. GAWD! I am officially in love with this. And will be subscribing to Thug Notes after commenting. And I’ll be introducing the 14 year old (and the 25 yo) to this gold mine as well. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorites–but I’d like a Thug Notes on The Brothers Karamozov, another fave.
Thank you Jenny!
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That’s awesome, Amy! I was hoping this would help my pals who have kids. You should totally go onto his YouTube channel and suggest the books you want. I’ll bet he’s open to it. 🙂
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I love it,so cool! great post Jenny!
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Thanks, Cheri!!
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A great way to get young people enthused about the classics. Normally they see no reason to read about anything that isn’t current.
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I always loved to read. But something like this might have helped me to understand what I read much sooner.
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These are hilarious. I love his take on the classics and the graphics!
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The graphics slayed me, Susie. I couldn’t believe how creative he was about them.
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I got to get the Thug Notes into my favorites bar. Where do you find these gems? I’d love to see the doc take Joyce Carol Oates. She’s somebody you really don’t want inside your head. Though she’s out of Princeton NJ she writes like Southern Gothic. Oh yeah, for peirogi dough go to PBS.com/MarthaStewart. She has potato filling. If you want variety, I’ve got other fillings.
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I totally passed on your JCO request. 🙂
And pierogi dough!! You are making my day here, Tom!!
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Reblogged your post. It definitely needs to be passed on. If I had it I might have slowed down when I read them in school. Okay, I read them on my own later but it would have helped.
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It would have helped me a lot too, Tom. I totally get it.
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Totally subscribed to Thug Notes after watching this. Very clever way of disguising learning…fo sho! (Yeah, that’s about the extent of my ability to do thug speech besides errrbody <–had to be taught how to say that one properly.) Like many have said, I'm a big fan of anything Mark Twain. After that, probably Little Women, A Farewell To Arms and The Great Gatsby (which he did).
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I think he got 5-6 of us today, Kitt. I subscribed too. 🙂
And I adored ANYTHING Louisa May Alcott growing up. She had a pipeline straight into my heart.
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Love this!! He did a much better job of explaining the themes than my honors English teacher in high school! I have subscribed, fo sho.
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I thought the same thing, Kassandra. I mostly had great teachers, but a few of them…well, they couldn’t find a theme if you waved it under their nose. This guy is brilliant at it. 🙂
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Wow, what a great find, Jenny! I’ll have to remember this for when the youngest hits high school. 😉
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OH YEAH! I wish I’d had this back in the day. There were a few books I just couldn’t get into and this guy would have livened them right up.
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The two classics I just couldn’t get into in college (and I was an English major!): Moby Dick, and The Sound and the Fury. Oy.
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Moby Dick was absolutely brutal. I just couldn’t get into that book.
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Reblogged this on tomwisk and commented:
Okay, no excuses. Listen up and learn more than they can teach you in those education mills.
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Excellent, Tom!! Thanks for the re-blog. And I agree, the way this guy breaks down themes is brilliant. Enjoy. 🙂
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OMG. Lurve!!!
I really liked when Mrs. Bennett says “Try deez” and waves panties at Jane. Hahahahahaha
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There’s just nothing waving some panties around to liven up a skit, eh?
I knew you would like this. I thought of you the minute I saw them. 🙂
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Ha, ha, ha, that was a unique experience Jenny. Where do you find the time to find this stuff? The classics. Well, as hubby refers to it, I do love P & P. Anything Jane Austen actually. And then there’s To Kill a Mockingbird. It takes a little to get into it. But I can’t deny the brilliance in the writing. What are your favorites girl? 🙂
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I put up my two faves. 😉
Also, I rarely go looking for anything. However people SEND me the best stuff ev-ah! Lucky for all of us, right?
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What language was that in????????????????? LOL Where do you get these gems.
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People send me this stuff, Cate. I swear. 🙂
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I believe you.
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Hahaha! This is awesome! Wish we had this back when I was in school and studying off of boring cliff notes! His explanation of the classics should be made into full stick figure movies. Great find!
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No kidding. The kids would be INTO this guy. 🙂
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