Adult textbooks + cartoons . . . WHY????

I am so keen on next semester that today I went out and bought a textbook that should cover the topic for the next few weeks, and is a "Crash Course" review book for students rather than a full-on medical textbook.

Summarising is now my friend, whilst massive tomes with 1000+ pages are the enemy.

However, I can't say that I am a fan of books with cartoons next to their bullet points. I know they are trying to make the book more "fun", but seriously, no student using it is going to be younger than 18 or 19 in the most extreme case, and most will be in their mid-twenties. I grew out of cartoons a good fifteen years ago in language classes. I can only imagine how ridiculous this must seem to a medical student in their fifties, if I find it painful at my age.

Yet textbooks aimed at adult learners STILL have cartoons. And not funny ones. They are pictures of a strange-looking person looking happy and pointing his finger in the air, as if he is elucidating some brilliant point.

However, the fact that I can actually understand it forces me to forgive the inclusion of these annoying little figures. I would rather understand the subject, pass the exams and be a good doctor than be put of by zany cartoon figures.

Hmm, now I'm sounding even more odd than usual. I'm blaming boredom. I am getting to that point in the holidays (even though I have been working) where I am bored and ready to study again. Bring it on, baby!