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I used to read all the time when I was younger. Unfortunately, being forced to read for school took the fun out of it. I graduated high school a couple of years ago, and of all the books we had to read there were a few that I actually enjoyed.
Frankenstein, the Crucible, Hamlet, anything by Washington Irving, Thoreau. I really enjoyed Iron and Silk, which is about an American English language teacher learning martial arts in China and his experience with the culture. But my favorite novels (I wish we had read these in high school) are Tolkien’s Middle Earth works.
Frankenstein, the Crucible, Hamlet, anything by Washington Irving, Thoreau. I really enjoyed Iron and Silk, which is about an American English language teacher learning martial arts in China and his experience with the culture. But my favorite novels (I wish we had read these in high school) are Tolkien’s Middle Earth works.
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if Lord of the Rings was a set text for high school students it might ruin their enjoyment of it!
ALthough I loved LOTR and did read it in high school becauses of a friends recommendation. I think I got more into it than the Dragons of Pern, that were popular at the time. I also remember Clan of the Cave Bear.
Fantasy and prehistoric romance arent taken seriously enough I reckon.
ALthough I loved LOTR and did read it in high school becauses of a friends recommendation. I think I got more into it than the Dragons of Pern, that were popular at the time. I also remember Clan of the Cave Bear.
Fantasy and prehistoric romance arent taken seriously enough I reckon.
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You're an interesting man. Your list gives me a mixture of jubilation and revulsion 
Frankenstein was painful to read because I wanted to jump in there and slap the sense into Frankenstein the whole time. I didn't relate to any of the characters but I had opinions about what they were doing, and none of them were listening to my mental screams of frustration.
I liked the Crucible and Washington Irving because I like the idyllic setting of early colonial America - the close-knit small rural communities placed in the context of dangerous survival, hard work to get it done, and above all the thrill of the unknown frontier. More specifically, I think Irving is hilarious and I liked the main character of the Crucible for his principles.
I liked Thoreau because I like the outdoors and the idea of getting back to nature. Last fall I finally visited Walden Pond and walked around it, but I was sick as a dog the entire time because my stomach had a bad reaction to some wings and hot sauce I had eaten two days before, so I had to keep taking breaks or I would start to feel nauseous. XD We read Ralph Waldo Emerson with Thoreau, but I thought Emerson's worldview/philosophy was completely wrong and self-contradicting in several ways.
I think I enjoyed Iron and Silk more than it probably deserves, but I remember it fondly because it really opened my eyes to other cultures- something I missed in my tiny white town. That was the summer reading assignment heading into my freshman year and attending the county high school was a huge culture shock because (despite my hometown) my county is really diverse in regard to heritage. I also discovered I like the traditional Chinese/Japanese approach of simple and natural living reflected in the culture and architecture. Right now in college I'm sleeping on (what Amazon told me were) tatami floor mats (who wants to deal with a bed?)
Hobbit/LOTR speaks for itself. I first read the Hobbit in 2nd grade, but my sheltered mind was too narrow to even conceive or imagine a lot of the fantastical elements/ world building that Tolkien created, let alone understand the themes, so I was mostly just confused throughout the entire time. Took another look in 8th grade and was completely absorbed. Perfect grade to read it in my opinion and I think that's awesome about the classroom. I was 100% ready to move into the Shire back then. Though, now I've got my sights set on Heaven.
Anyway, this is not my list of favorite books (except for Tolkien). These are just the books that I enjoyed reading in high school because they got me to react instead of fall asleep or (worse) put it down and never think about it again.
And, sorry if I'm taking the thread off-topic.
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Yes, its an interesting story about lots of people living in the Cannery Row area. It is a beautiful area and I was blessed to hang out on the beaches there and surrounding areas growing up. It is still a gorgeous place and I only go back to visit my family, but I still like all the places i liked as a kid. I'll be going home for Christmas and plan to spend alot of time at the beach and the wharf. Did you know John Steinbeck's family home is a few minutes away in Salinas?
the Hobbit seems like a good choice for year 9s
also simpler than Lord of the Rings. Which they can then read later.
I dont think people even notice theres hardly any female characters in it. I guess its just one of those books where you dont question how they reproduce...like how there is only one girl smurf in the smurfs.
also simpler than Lord of the Rings. Which they can then read later.
I dont think people even notice theres hardly any female characters in it. I guess its just one of those books where you dont question how they reproduce...like how there is only one girl smurf in the smurfs.
Well the Hobbit teaches the morality of the Christian walk.and how we all stray from it.
As well as how when we begin to actually rely upon our faith after severe trials we become much more noble people.
The movie doesn't care about that theme in the book. It destroys it.
But the book is all about our morality and how we deal with those around us.
Of course many people only see the creatures, wizards, elves, dwarves, and dragon...but that doesn't really take away from the central theme of maturing in your Christian walk.
And where that might fly in a private school...the public school system would have a fit if the truth were known and realized.
As well as how when we begin to actually rely upon our faith after severe trials we become much more noble people.
The movie doesn't care about that theme in the book. It destroys it.
But the book is all about our morality and how we deal with those around us.
Of course many people only see the creatures, wizards, elves, dwarves, and dragon...but that doesn't really take away from the central theme of maturing in your Christian walk.
And where that might fly in a private school...the public school system would have a fit if the truth were known and realized.