Top Ten Books I Was Assigned to Read in School
Today's Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by ThatArtsyReaderGirl, is all about Books I Was Assigned to Read in School. I've been a lifelong avid reader, but I was always that student that once a story was assigned, I was unlikely to want to read it. Like accidental reverse psychology, I can count on one hand the number of books assigned that I actually liked... three of which made today's list.
1. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck - I've read 2 Steinbeck novels, this one, and The Red Pony and I hated them both. I don't get the fascination with him.2. Animal Farm by George Orwell - This is about communist pigs, if you like that sort of thing which I didn't.
3. The Outsiders by SE Hinton - I know a lot of people absolutely love this book, I'm just not one of them.
4. The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings - I was too young to be reading a story this upsetting.
5. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls - This was also upsetting.
6. The Eye in the Door by Pat Barker - Now this one I liked.
7. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - I also liked this one.
8. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - But this one brought us right back to upsetting.
9. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain - Honestly, I found it kind of blah, and largely forgettable.
10. The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle - I remember enjoying it while I was reading it, but I can't remember enough to tell you what it was about.
Did you have to read any of these as a student?
I love your little comments about each book. I had to read several upsetting books for school as well! Those are the worst, because you can't put them down. It's funny you mentioned The Last Unicorn, because a friend just loaned it to me! I have so many library books that I'm not sure when I'll get to it, though ...
ReplyDeleteAnd the teachers must know they're upsetting before they assign them...
DeleteThere's just something about being told you HAVE to read something that makes you NOT want to do it! LOL. I'm glad TKAM was assigned reading in a college class I took because it's my favorite novel of all time. I'm not sure I would have picked it up on my own and that would have been tragic!
ReplyDeleteHappy TTT!
Truth be told I wouldn't have picked it up for myself either.
DeleteI read a few of these as well. The Outsiders was one...didn't care for it either! I think I blocked out most of these books that I didn't enjoy. Lol! I remember Of Mice and Men, didn't like it either. I didn't catch onto a few things...I think I was daydreaming about reading a book from my shelf! Lol. I might have read Where the Red Fern Grows...but I really can't remember to be honest...obviously, if I did, it didn't leave an impression!
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my TTT!
I didn't understand the importance of some of the books being chosen. Like Animal Farm is fairly on the nose, so you can't miss the point of that...But The Outsiders was over my head. I couldn't figure out why these boys were important.
DeleteI haven't read one of these (and have seen these being THE recommended ones) and I'm glad that I didn't. Loved seeing your thoughts on them :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for checking out my TTT !!!
You aren't missing out on a whole lot.
DeleteI liked Animal Farm, but a lot of it flew over my head the first time I read it. I can see how other readers would be put off by it, though.
ReplyDeleteI watched the movie too, and when they load the workhorse onto the slaughter truck and the dog is chasing it down the street...It gave me a knot in my stomach.
DeleteIn Junior High, we read Of Mice and Men and The Pearl by John Steinbeck. Good writer, who makes you want to die. Just no! Enjoyed To Kill A Mocking Bird, but it wasn’t assigned for me. I have always been an avid reader.
ReplyDelete