My friend, K.K. Sierra, pointed me to this article this morning while I was trying to figure out exactly WHAT I was going to blog about. The only things happening in my world consist of huge amounts of homework, and intense writing sessions where I try to continually make my writing goals (while not going crazy). November is a stressful month.
Anyway, after reading the article, I decided it was important for me to post my own version of it.
1. Because I've read only about six of the works on here, and I did in fact graduate from high school with no ill effects.
2. Because I'll be the first to tell you, I'm not a fan of the 'Classics'
2b. Except I did enjoy the original Robin Hood, the Count of Monte Cristo, and Little Women
3. As K.K. and I discussed, I see very little reason a teen needs to read the 25 books listed, because really they have little to do with the way the world is now. There is probably a reason why very few high schools are requiring those books to be read anymore.
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm a huge, huge, huge-- did I mention HUGE advocate for reading. I've had an intense love affair with the written word since I was four years old and successfully read the I Can Read book, Frog and Toad Together.
I'm also a HUGE advocate for reading what you want as long as there are words in it (though I must include here that I still have a major issue with Comic Books and Graphic Novels because the word count tends to be less than most short stories--but that's just me).
Here is my list of 'must read' books that you'll probably never find on the 'Classics' list or in a school.
Any of the original 'Fairy Tales' by the Brothers Grimm
One For the Money by Janet Evanovich
Twelve Sharp by Janet Evanovich
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Series (all Four Books) by Ann Brashares
The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot
He's Just Not That Into You by Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo
L.A. Requim by Robert Crais
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max (For a lesson in what NOT to do to be a productive member of society--and to laugh.)
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
The Root Cellar by Janet Lunn
Mirror Image by Danielle Steel
In Her Shoes by Jennier Weiner
A Time to Kill by John Grisham
The Client by John Grisham
The Warrior Ethos by Steven Pressfield
Doonesbury.com's The Sandbox: Dispatches from Troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
Hot Ice by Nora Roberts
Hot Rocks by Nora Roberts
While My Sister Sleeps by Barbara Delinsky
What are some must reads on your list? I'd love to know. I'm always looking for more novels to read. I've read some other great novels as well, but if I listed everything I've read this post would never get out. :)
And if you're interested, the blog K.K. Sierra wrote about this topic can be found here.
R.S.
Awesome...I've read seven on your list and actually recommended one of them to you. ;)
ReplyDeleteAs we also discussed, I think everyone should read With the Old Breed by EB Sledge, the Hunger Game series, and anything by David Baldacci, but specifically the Camel Club series.
Awesome, as soon as I have time to read again, I'll add those to my electronic to be read pile. :)
ReplyDeleteThe age of a story is not what determines its relevance. The number of words between the front cover and back cover doesn't determine a book's relevance. Content and the perception of that content determine relevance.
ReplyDeleteI came here via a tweet.