If you Could choose one book as a mandatory read for high schoolers, what book would you...

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If you Could choose one book as a mandatory read for high schoolers, what book would you choose?

Of Mice and Men I think. Reading it then and reading it now is kinda interesting on how my views on it has changed over the years

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OogieBoogie · F

A dictionary, bad plot, but heaps of meaning.😏

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NativePortlander1970 ·

@OogieBoogie My Grandfather was the opposite, he wasn't afraid to lose a debate when he knew he was outmatched, and he loved to teach others what he loved, which included photography and baking.

OogieBoogie · F

@NativePortlander1970 that sounds like a wonderful environment to grow up in.

NativePortlander1970 ·

@OogieBoogie It was, sadly my mother took my older brothers and myself away from it for a number of years, 5.5 for my oldest brother, 7 for my other one, and 8 for me, from ten to eighteen.

Silentpleasure · 31-35, F

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Silentpleasure · 31-35, F

@BarbossasHusband Maybe it on amazon?

BarbossasHusband · 36-40, M

@Silentpleasure maybe. I'm broke for another 12 days tho. Will have to check when payday comes

ninalanyon · 61-69, T

@BarbossasHusband
https://annas-archive.org/md5/fc4dc7caecbe180ab2febdee5a129e33

deadgerbil · 22-25

The Bible 🙂

HannahSky · F

@deadgerbil ✝️ pray for your soul

Bexsy

@deadgerbil you need it.

SW-User

Iwillwait · M

@SW-User That's Sexeh!

PhilDeep · 51-55, M

@SW-User Where has this book been all my life?!

Degbeme · 70-79, M

The little engine that could.

Yeah, okay... I`m off to bed.

Bexsy

@Degbeme go bed Deg lol

Pfuzylogic · M

@Bexsy @Degbeme

I feel you man! 🥹

PhilDeep · 51-55, M

I think every adult should read 1984 at least once. Given the kind of things that are given to teens to read now at school (I know because I've taught English Literature to that age group) I'd say 1984 is milder than some of those books, so maybe that; or at least Animal Farm.

Baremine · 70-79, C

@PhilDeep 1984 is what the democrats are doing to the USA.

Queendragonfly · 31-35, F

@PhilDeep Every adults yes but the question was what high school kids should read. I personally think it's too boring for a teenage attention span. Too much politics.

tenente · 100+, M

@PhilDeep nice

Pfuzylogic · M

John Steinbeck “Of mice and men” was a great read until the last 3 pages and then it got downright “interesting”.
Maybe Flowers for Algernon or Robert Heinlein’s “Stranger in a Strange Land” where the 60s learned what grok meant.

tenente · 100+, M

@Pfuzylogic nice

Jeephikelove · 46-50, F

A Thesaurus

NudasPriest · 46-50, M

@Jeephikelove I love dinosaurs.

WonderGirl · 36-40

The Jungle.

Adogslife · 61-69, M

Catcher in the Rye - Salinger
Of Mice and Men - Steinbeck
Lord of the Flies - Golding
Animal Farm - Orwell
A Tale of Two Cities - Dickens
Make your Bed - McRaven

tenente · 100+, M

@Adogslife nice

DragonFruit · 61-69, M

To Kill a Mockingbird

tenente · 100+, M

@DragonFruit nice

Nitedoc · 51-55, M

Animal Farm

OldBrit · 61-69, M

I remember Of Mice and Men and To Kill A Mockingbird (that was very powerful). Sadly now both removed from the UK curriculum by our jingoistic government.
Animal Farm would be my vote.

ServantOfTheGoddess · 61-69, M

Dostoevsky, [i]The Brothers Karamazov[/i]. I think that is the right time to read it, when one is full of big questions and desires.

tenente · 100+, M

@ServantOfTheGoddess nice

Barny52 · 56-60, M

Raggeged trousered philanthropist,, don’t get on at me if I spelt or got name wrong its 4 30 am here !!

HannahSky · F

Of Mice and Men or To Kill a Mockingbird come to mind for classics.

Bexsy

@HannahSky to kill a mockingbird was a good one

HannahSky · F

@Bexsy I'd like to reread these classics

HannibalAteMeOut · 22-25, F

The book thief I think would be amongst the ones I'd choose.

SW-User

none, I don't like mandatory reading.

Bexsy

@SW-User I never did either, but there was several that was mandatory when I was in school.

Piper · 61-69, F

The Jungle, by Upton Sinclair.

WonderGirl · 36-40

@Piper I love that book.

Piper · 61-69, F

@WonderGirl It's a disturbing but really thought-provoking book, I think.

Iwillwait · M

Rich Dad, Poor Dad.

NativePortlander1970 ·

@Iwillwait I read that when it came out and was thoroughly disgusted with how the author denigrated his own father.

Jeephikelove · 46-50, F

@Iwillwait that’s a good one too

Livingwell · 61-69, M

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Bexsy

@Livingwell oh good one

SW-User

Oh also
I know why the cage bird sings

originnone · 61-69, M

Outstanding question. I would pick a lot of the ones on college reading lists. For one that isn't, I'll say.....Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert. Obviously it didn't work for me, but a great book about human tendencies related to happiness...

Penny · 46-50, F

not the Scarlet Letter and it's tired ass Puritanical view or the Catcher in the Rye which was so dull I cant remember what it was about both of which I had to read in school. if i had to pick a book it'd be introductory spanish or the dictionary

thepreposterouspanda · 36-40, M

1984

Queendragonfly · 31-35, F

@thepreposterouspanda Currently reading that one.

thepreposterouspanda · 36-40, M

@Queendragonfly I need to re-read it. It's been a while now and it's probably pretty relevant these days.

DearAmbellina2113 · 41-45, F

What a difficult question!!

I'd choose [i]Les Miserables[/i], [i]Bleak House,[/i] or [i]The Good Earth Trilogy[/i]. All of those books teach a clear lesson about the dangers of the love of money, and how much more noble it is to be a good person.

bijouxbroussard · F

In the U.S., this book. At age 12, it changed my perspective on many things.

NerdyPotato · M

Mandatory books put me off reading anything for over a decade while I loved it before. So I would probably let kids keep choosing their own, with recommendations about anything that's a critical reflection of society.

NudasPriest · 46-50, M

A dictionary.

Bexsy

@NudasPriest smart

HannahSky · F

@NudasPriest start with the basics

Jeephikelove · 46-50, F

@NudasPriest ahh you beat me to it.

Baremine · 70-79, C

How about the Holy Bible, God's word and instruction for a successful life through faith by grace. The message of the Cross.

Thodsis · 51-55, M

God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens might be a good one. Even though it might not fit with the idea that everybody must read one particular book.

CheekyBadger · M

I found a copy of that the other day and put it aside to read again. Been many years since I last read it.

Queendragonfly · 31-35, F

The Alchemist

I think I'd love it as much if I read it in high school.

Neoerectus · M

(1) Ishmael by Quinn (2) the Chalice and the Blade

tenente · 100+, M

@Neoerectus nice

Livingwell · 61-69, M

Another I'd recommend is "Merle's Door". Profound and enlightening.

NightsWatch · M

Really how so?

Bexsy

@NightsWatch when I was young I didn't quite grasp Lennies disability. As the mom of an adult Autistic daughter who also has other disabilities, i am more aware