Today's Top Ten Tuesday question actually had two different options....and I went with neither of them. Sorry! Instead of the suggested "Books That Should Be Taught in Schools", I went with Books I Should have Read in High School. Because let's face it, I have no idea what should be taught in schools these days. An most likely if it is being taught in school, I am not reading it. I will read the classics, but I just don't want other people's political statements pushed on me when I am trying to relax; that is what a lot of 'teaching' books seem to be these days.
So...here is my list of books that I wish we had read in Honors English classes. Now I feel like the dumbest honors english class student ever, but my classes just skipped over these ones. Reading them now would make me feel 'behind'...or something..
1. The Great Gatsby. I have a chance to read this one now and look 'normal' because of the new movie that just came out.
2. Lord of the Flies. William Golding.
3. Streetcar Named Desire. Tennessee Williams.
4. Catch 22. Joesph Heller.
5. The Giver. Lois Lowry. Did someone tell me there was a sequel??
6. A Tale of Two Cities. Charles Dickens.
7. Anna Karenina. Leo Tolstoy.
8. Poisonwood Bible. Barbara Kingsolver. I think this was an option for my Intro to Lit college class senior year, but I choose something else.
9. Beloved. Toni Morrison.
10. Their Eyes Were Watching God. Zora Neale Hurston.
Let's establish that I did read some great books in HS including Mice and Men, Martian Chronicles, all of Shakespeare, Snow Falling on Cedars, Cold Mountain, Into Thin Air, To Kill a Mockingbird, Animal Farm, 1984, Catcher in the Rye, and Fahrenheit 451 to name a few! So I am not completely dorky. Every now and then I get on a classics kick. I read all of the Hunchback of Notre Dame (snore), Austen, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights (more snores), Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for funsies.
List the classics you have read! Which ones did you love? Which ones did you loathe??
The combinations are endless. It will be interesting to see what everybody comes up with. kelley—the road goes ever ever on Nice list today.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great list, and I have to say I am a little shocked you didn't read some of them! But I know how many great "classics" there are, and don't ever think you are behind when it comes to reading... not possible!
ReplyDeleteThanks it was good to remind myself of all these classics I have yet to read!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement. I think a lot of people are shocked when I tell them I was in honors english classes and never read the Great Gatsby!!
ReplyDeleteWhile I can understand the shock, it was not an easy book to read, and I could see why teachers would just leave it off!
ReplyDeleteI think we read Gatsby in my 10th grade honors english class. But I didn't enjoy it until I re-read it as an adult, so don't feel bad! :) Never read Lord of the Flies in school either (did it on my own), same with Their Eyes Were Watching God. The Giver was middle school for me, but it's such a classic I feel it crosses any possible age gap. Great list! :)
ReplyDeleteMy TTT:
http://metineleven.blogspot.sg/2013/09/top-ten-tuesday-20.html
School lit is so hard to enjoy IN school. Something about forced readings and essays... :) The Giver is one I have been told I NEED to read. And it's actually a series??
ReplyDelete