This week’s Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and The Bookish is a freebie! It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to post but once I did, it came easily. I want to start off this post with a little story:
Back when I was still in high school, I actually didn’t read that much (GASP) It’s not that I didn’t enjoy reading, it’s that my teachers just drained all the desire to read right out of me.
For example, in order to read a book for class you had to have it approved by the teacher. Well, when that little book called Twilight was popular, I wanted to read it. I got the first book approved on a Friday, went home to read it and finished it that night. I couldn’t wait to know what happened, so I read the next 2 over the weekend. That’s over 1,500 pages in 3 days! Feeling great I went into my English class, told my teacher about my accomplishment expecting a “Great job!” from her. Instead, I got told that because I didn’t get all the books approved I had to write a formal apology for not following the rules. Frustrating, right?
Without that desire to read, I just lost interest. Now that I’m older and look back, I realize there are many books I regret not actually reading. I feel like I missed out on a lot of literary classics, I’m not familiar with a lot of authors that everyone should know and I don’t understand some references made in other media. I know it’s not too late to read them and I will someday but for now, here is my Top Ten Tuesday!
Top Ten Books I Wish I Actually Read in School
So there you have it. All of those books were required reading in school that I either 1. watched the movie, 2. read the sparknotes, 3. skipped entirely, or 4. only read when it was required IN class. I will eventually read all of them in their entirety, no cheating, but it will be a daunting endeavor. Which one do you think I should read first?
Great topic!! 😀 Noway, you had to get a book approved before you could read it? and you had to write an apology for reading?! *gasp*. Goodness, I understand why you lost your desire to read after that! I haven’t read many classics because I always felt afraid of them LOL! but now I feel the same as you – like I missed out! Well, I’ve heard that Pride and Prejudice is a good place to start for newbies 😀 Maybe we could buddy read one of these classics, so it doesn’t feel as daunting?! I’d love to read more.
So sorry for the late response! Some comments were going to the spam folder and I didn’t even realize this. Buddy reading/readalongs definitely make intimidating books less intimidating! SO that would be fun!
Sometimes I really hate English teachers. Neither of these books are required for class in Hungary (at least not in my school) because they mostly concentrate on Hungarian literature – even when there are other authors who would deserve to be read more. Anyhow, that may only be my opinion. I also have this crazy fear of classics because in class we always over-analysed classics and in some cases it was super-hard to find the message our teacher wanted us to find. Honestly, I’ve never seen any point in forcing kids to think one way – I mean, shouldn’t a good book, a really outstandingly well-written book, make all of us feel different? Shouldn’t it awaken different thoughts in everyone? Anyhow, I read To Kill A Mockingbird a few weeks ago and it was SO GOOD. Pride and Prejudice is also one of my favorite classics, I was actually surprised by how easily I got invested in the story.Unfortunately, I didn’t really like Wuthering Heights but my friend loved it so I guess it was just me. I really want to read Orwell’s Animal Farm and 1984, Great Expectations, Frankenstein and Dracula. I tried the latter when I was around 12 but really couldn’t get into it. I guess I was just too young – or at least I hope so because I really want to give it another go.
Great list. Hope you’ll get around reading these novels. 🙂 My TTT
Almost all of my English teachers were horrible. They really took the joy out of reading. I agree with you about the analyzing. They really focus on that in school, but it can’t be your own analysis, it has to be what they want. Of course, that is sometimes impossible because we all read and interpret things differently.
I tried Frankenstein and Dracula as well. I couldn’t really get into them either but like you said, I may have been too young at the time. All of the other ones I’m looking forward to 🙂
To Kill a Mockingbird is probably my mom’s favorite. I mean, she almost named me Scout! So it’s kind of embarrassing I haven’t read it yet 😀 And I read East of Eden, I loved that book so I really want to read Grapes of Wrath.
To Kill a Mockingbird was fantastic!!! I actually read Wuthering Heights last year and enjoyed it! But I agree with you – sometimes school ruins the fun of reading! Great list!
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To Kill a Mockingbird and 1984 are absolutely amazing! Never too late to start reading them. 🙂
Absolutely! I did just buy 1984 a couple months ago too!
Gotta love the classics!! Nice list of books and theme for this week’s TTT post!!
Here’s a link to my TTT post for this week: http://captivatedreader.blogspot.com/2015/09/top-ten-tuesday-my-list-of-favorite.html
Yes, I definitely need to catch up on my reading of them though! And thank you so much 🙂
Great topic!! 😀 Noway, you had to get a book approved before you could read it? and you had to write an apology for reading?! *gasp*. Goodness, I understand why you lost your desire to read after that! I haven’t read many classics because I always felt afraid of them LOL! but now I feel the same as you – like I missed out! Well, I’ve heard that Pride and Prejudice is a good place to start for newbies 😀 Maybe we could buddy read one of these classics, so it doesn’t feel as daunting?! I’d love to read more.
So sorry for the late response! Some comments were going to the spam folder and I didn’t even realize this. Buddy reading/readalongs definitely make intimidating books less intimidating! SO that would be fun!
Sometimes I really hate English teachers. Neither of these books are required for class in Hungary (at least not in my school) because they mostly concentrate on Hungarian literature – even when there are other authors who would deserve to be read more. Anyhow, that may only be my opinion. I also have this crazy fear of classics because in class we always over-analysed classics and in some cases it was super-hard to find the message our teacher wanted us to find. Honestly, I’ve never seen any point in forcing kids to think one way – I mean, shouldn’t a good book, a really outstandingly well-written book, make all of us feel different? Shouldn’t it awaken different thoughts in everyone? Anyhow, I read To Kill A Mockingbird a few weeks ago and it was SO GOOD. Pride and Prejudice is also one of my favorite classics, I was actually surprised by how easily I got invested in the story.Unfortunately, I didn’t really like Wuthering Heights but my friend loved it so I guess it was just me. I really want to read Orwell’s Animal Farm and 1984, Great Expectations, Frankenstein and Dracula. I tried the latter when I was around 12 but really couldn’t get into it. I guess I was just too young – or at least I hope so because I really want to give it another go.
Great list. Hope you’ll get around reading these novels. 🙂
My TTT
Almost all of my English teachers were horrible. They really took the joy out of reading. I agree with you about the analyzing. They really focus on that in school, but it can’t be your own analysis, it has to be what they want. Of course, that is sometimes impossible because we all read and interpret things differently.
I tried Frankenstein and Dracula as well. I couldn’t really get into them either but like you said, I may have been too young at the time. All of the other ones I’m looking forward to 🙂
Grapes of Wrath is one of my favorites! And To Kill a Mockingbird is a MUST. Great Expectations is the only book I DIDN’T read! 😉
To Kill a Mockingbird is probably my mom’s favorite. I mean, she almost named me Scout! So it’s kind of embarrassing I haven’t read it yet 😀 And I read East of Eden, I loved that book so I really want to read Grapes of Wrath.
To Kill a Mockingbird was fantastic!!! I actually read Wuthering Heights last year and enjoyed it! But I agree with you – sometimes school ruins the fun of reading! Great list!
Yes, at least in high school it was ruined for me. I didn’t even start reading the amount I do now until I was out of college!
Oh you MUST read P&P!! It’s like a requirement for every book worm 😉 My TTT
I know! I think Jane Austen in general is an author every book worm should read!