Must Reads for High School

[Miss Marple]

I thought it might be fun, insightful, and helpful if we all post the books that we consider essential for our children to read before they leave home. I would love to hear what others consider "essential". It might make me change a few - or it might just add to the list :D

 

Here are my "essentials":

 

1. The Law by Bastiat

2. The Prince by Machiavelli

3. Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

4. The Constitution of the United States of America

 

Of course we do a lot of other reading :001_smile:, but I find that the other books change a bit according to the child/student. But the 4 above do not change.

 

What are your "essentials"?

[Faithr]

1. A good chunk of the Bible

2. The Odyssey

3. Shakespeare (a tragedy, a history and a comedy)

4. A Victorian novelist - Dickens probably

5. U.S. Constitution makes my list too!

[galtgrl]

3. Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

4. The Constitution of the United States of America

1. A good chunk of the Bible

2. The Odyssey

3. Shakespeare (a tragedy, a history and a comedy

 

These, plus:

 

Atlas Shrugged (Rand)

The Underground History of American Education (Gatto)

Christianity and the Constitution -at least parts

The Hiding Place

To Kill a Mockingbird

 

I'm sure the list will grow... :tongue_smilie:

[newbie]

Great thread, I dont have any off top of my head. Mush today.

 

But Atlas Shrugged is awesome book, but a little mature for my hsers.

[Guest]

This might seem like a really weird list because it has nothing whatever to do with "classics" or literature in the conventional sense; but I'd like my child to have read at least one good trade book, recently published, on:

 

--media awareness and the advertising business, particularly how it shapes our identities and spending habits

--what goes on behind the scenes in college admissions

--the testing industry

--school inequalities and adult illiteracy

--where our food comes from

--the dangers of believing that science can solve everything and that technological advances are always, inherently, a good thing

--cultural differences between "Eastern" and "Western" ideas, and what happens when we export cultural ideas

--climate change

--evolution and its role in science overall

--the psychological and cultural consequences of war

--resources (oil and water particularly) and what some have called the coming resource wars

--something on brain science (my daughter has Asperger's Syndrome and I'd like her to begin to build towards an adult-level understanding of her neural wiring)

--animals and their relationships to people (i.e. their role in the world, how we treat them, etc.)

--chapters, at least, from books written about government by both Republicans and Democrats

--the state of religious debate or conflicts in the U.S. and abroad

--a book similar to Nicholas Kristof's latest book about women's issues in the developing world, and one about these issues in the U.S.

--the working class and those living below the poverty level, here and around the world

 

I have an idea about this reading forming the basis of a two-year course, junior and senior years. Has anyone done, or is anyone considering, anything similar?

[Mrs Mungo]

Drive through posting to remind myself to post to this later. Am on the run.

[FairProspects]

Mine are no where near this age, but 1984 is on my list.

[Guest]

Dang -- just had almost everything listed and hit the wrong button. List now floating forever in cyberspace. I am so pleased that you thought this was an interesting idea! If you have anything at all to add to it please let me know, as it is definitely an idea in the loading stage.

 

Anyway, I have some titles in mind, while in other areas I have no clue, or there is so much being published (for instance, on Asperger's Syndrome and the brain) that I'll wait a year or two to see what is available. But as of now I have these in mind as books I have read, found fascinating, and think a good reader of high school age could handle all or part of:

 

Media/advertising -- I have no idea. Looking; would love suggestions. because I think this is of absolutely top importance in today's world.

College admissions -- The Price of Admission by Daniel Golden

Testing industry -- The Big Test by Nicholas Lemann (long book, some tough going, so perhaps a few selected chapters)

School inequalities -- Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol

Adult illiteracy -- Illiterate America by Jonathan Kozol (an older book, but I really like his writing)

Food -- In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan; Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser

Science/technology -- currently wading through books, looking for one I think will work best; there are suggestions in the latest edition of TWTM for the sort of thing I have in mind, but I haven't read any yet.

East/West modes of thought: The Geography of Thought by Richard Nisbett is good but quite a hard read, so I don't know whether a chapter or two from this one would work; Crazy Like Us by Ethan Watters (again, a harder go, but riveting, so perhaps a chapter or two?). I would love other suggestions.

Evolution -- Monkey Girl by Edward Humes

War -- War Is... and Unsettled (Israeli-Palestine conflict) by Marc Aronson

Resource Wars -- The Prize, by Daniel Yergin (although there are new books on this topic coming out pretty regularly)

Brain science -- waiting on new publications to see what's around...

Animals and people -- No idea. Some of the books I've seen that look good also look devastatingly sad and I've been afraid to read them.

Government from both sides -- No idea again.

Religious conflicts -- Instead of a book, I'm thinking of using some of the lesson plans on religion and conflict from the National Geographic website. Again, soliciting ideas...

Women -- Half the Sky by Nicholas Kristoff (some chapters are explicit in matters of sex and childbirth, so not for everyone); The Body Project by Joan Jacobs Brumberg

Working class/poor -- We've read Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich; perhaps part of The Working Poor by David Shipler? This is also a book about poor Americans, so I'm looking for books with a larger, different cultural context as well.

[FairProspects]

Working class/poor -- We've read Nickel and Dimed, by Barbara Ehrenreich; perhaps part of The Working Poor by David Shipler? This is also a book about poor Americans, so I'm looking for books with a larger, different cultural context as well.

 

What about Banker to the Poor: Micro-lending and the Battle Against World Poverty? It is a great read about world poverty, with the hope of a creative solution (although somewhat maligned recently by the Kiva scandal).

[Guest]

What about Banker to the Poor: Micro-lending and the Battle Against World Poverty? It is a great read about world poverty, with the hope of a creative solution (although somewhat maligned recently by the Kiva scandal).

 

Thanks -- will order from the library right away.

[DarlaS]

Oh, this is a great list!! I'm saving it immediately. Do you have specific titles in mind? I'd love to see them.

 

:iagree:

 

I think the idea of reading based on those topics is an excellent one. One I've kicked around but you put it into categories--making it an actual do-able possibility. THANK YOU!!

 

Off to start an outline...

 

Now what would you call that course?

[lllll]

...

Edited December 17, 2012 by ksva

[Angie in VA]

Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal by Joel Salatin. :)

[Liza Q]

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

The Communist Manifesto

[Guest]

My son's read Ehrenrich, and we absolutely love all of Marc Aronson's works. Israel Unsettled and Race were his favorites.

 

I'm so pleased to find another Aronson fan. My daughter thought Salem Witch Trials was the best history book she'd ever read. My favorite so far is also Unsettled; glad to hear you liked Race, too. I haven't yet broken down and bought that one but now I will!

[Miss Marple]

The Communist Manifesto

 

I go back and forth on this one. I think it could well be #5 on my "essential" list. Bastiat's book, though, does a pretty good job covering some of the ideas in CM so...I waffle on it :-)

[Corraleno]

I'm so pleased to find another Aronson fan.

I recently ordered Aronson's The Real Revolution from Amazon, and had to laugh at this line in a reader's review:

The book could of had alot more potential if it wasn't so full of knowledge.

:lol:

 

Jackie

[Miss Marple]

The book could of had alot more potential if it wasn't so full of knowledge.

:lol:lol:lol:

[Mejane]

Daughter's currently working through dystopian novels, so she'd say:

Brave New World

Farenheit 451

The Handmaid's Tale

1984

Animal Farm

 

I'd add Dante, Milton, Beowulf, The Aeneid, The Jungle, The Grapes of Wrath... so many good books!

[Sarah CB]

For Christians, I would recommend Discipling this Generation for a Digital World by Greg Bitgood (http://www.christianthinker.org). Dd is reading it for the first time and I've already read it a couple of times. It really gets you thinking about how fast technology is changing, where it's possibly headed and how we need to start thinking about what all of it means to us. He talks about a lot of bioethics issues - one of the most profound (for me) was the issue of clones. He thinks that it's only a matter of time before we are able to clone humans, but then what? Should we clone humans? What happens if someone does? Is that clone a human? Does it have a soul? Can it be saved?

 

And more generally, I'll tentatively recommend The Ascent of Money. I am only partway through right now, but it's an interesting and informative read.

[Miss Marple]

I would recommend Discipling this Generation for a Digital World by Greg Bitgood

 

This sounds fascinating. I'll definitely check it out.

[Sarah CB]

This has been fun. I took the initial list and a few of the suggestions and then plugged in my own topics and books as well.

 

Media Awareness – I have an mp3 of a talk on this from a Christian perspective, but I’d also like a book with a focus on advertising.

 

Education – The Global Achievement Gap by Tony Wagner, Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto

 

Food – Mindless Eating by Brian Wansink, In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

 

Resources – Canadian Water Politics: Conflicts and Institutions, as well as Carbon Shift: How Peak Oil and the Climate Change will Change Canada (And Our Lives), I’m still looking for one with a more global outlook.

 

Environment -

 

Poverty – Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich, I’d like to add a book on poverty in Canada. Abbie’s already reading two books on life in Sudan which do a good job covering poverty in a third world country.

 

Consequences/causes of war – War Is… by Marc Aronson, still looking for more titles here.

 

Middle East – Unsettled: The Problem with Loving Israel by Marc Aronson

 

Taking Action – Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations by Alex Harris and Brett Harris – dd's already read this and it has inspired her and her friends to devote a lot of time and energy to raising money for orphans in Sudan. But…I haven’t read it yet. Now it’s on the list.

 

Globalization - The World is Flat (? I'm not sure...)

 

Economics – The Ascent of Money by Niall Ferguson, possibly Freakonomics (does anyone recommend this?)

 

Technology and ethics – I’d like to find a good book on bioethics. For starters, we’ve got Discipling this Generation for a Digital World by Greg Bitgood which talks about how fast technology is moving and encourages Christians to be aware of what’s happening and really think through the ramifications of it and our own role in shaping the future.

 

Leadership – Maybe just a good biography in here?

[Ester Maria]

Regarding literary must-reads, a lot of it is really dependent on your specific cultural context, so my list would include some works which would you consider rather obscure, yet they're fundamental to Italian literature and culture on the whole, and vice versa (as I'm incapable of understanding the broader cultural significance of certain American classics); so I'd say one needs to be rather careful with any "definite" lists.

 

Regarding non-literary must-reads, the situation is even more complex. So what I list here are only some of my own recommendations, rather than "prescriptions", of what might be read by a high school student to further the study of some areas:

 

 

• Erich Auerbach - Mimesis: The Representation of Reality in Western literature
  This work is basically a must-read for anyone attempting to deal even remotely seriously with the Western literature, even if you disagree with the author's approach.
  
• Eric A. Havelock - The Muse Learns to Write: The Reflections on Orality and Literacy from Antiquity to the Present
  An excellent one: short, concise, clear, and dealing with a very important topic, especially in the context of classical education.
  
• Karl Popper - The Open Society and its Enemies
  Quite influential, and bringing up some interesting points; also a great reading if you study philosophy and/or sociology.
  
• Konrad Paul Liessmann - Theorie der Unbildung: Die Irrtümer der Wissengesellschaft
  I know I'm boring already with this one (probably to the extent I'm boring with Wheelock's :D), but if you speak German or any language it was translated to, go for it. Short, simple, yet one of the best analyses of what's wrong with the modern education.
  
• George Steiner - Errata: An Examined Life
  A fascinating one. Read it. Seriously.
  As a matter of fact, I might add it to the list of "books I mentioned all the time on TWTM boards". That's right, from now on I'll hint to it whenever possible. :D
  
• Terry Eagleton - anything, Literary Theory: An Introduction is a good one for example, and rather tied to high school studies, but also his less known and less "serious" works are a good choice (The Idea of Culture is also often studied, and I also found Holy Terror to be surprisingly interesting).
  
• Yuri Lotman - The Structure of the Artistic Text
  Another one to add on "hint whenever you can on TWTM boards" list :D. Read it. Read it. Read it. Just trust me and read it. Make notes, you'll want to discuss it.
  
• Erich Fromm - The Art of Loving
  A classic, I know, but still a good one.
  
• Pacal Bruckner - The Tyrrany of Guilt: An essay on Western Masochism
  Another seriously recommended one; I'm not a big fan of Bruckner, but this is a very insightful work.
  
• Thomas S. Kuhn - The Structure of Scientific Revolutions
  Get your kids read this one. Combined with Popper's Methodology, if possible. Some pretty good ideas in there.
  

 

Ok seeing that as usual I've gone out of control, I'll stop here. I'll just repeat Steiner and Lotman again. And Liessmann. :D

And more generally, I'll tentatively recommend The Ascent of Money. I am only partway through right now, but it's an interesting and informative read.

My in-laws agree with you on this one; as a matter of fact, they agree with you to the extent of sending it as a birthday gift for my just-turned 13 y.o. :lol:

But I do think it's a great book for high school aged children, it's rather clear and straightforward, yet interesting enough to follow, and talks about rather difficult concepts actually. Definitely recommended.

[Joan in GE]

I have an idea about this reading forming the basis of a two-year course, junior and senior years. Has anyone done, or is anyone considering, anything similar?

 

Some of the topics you listed are covered in the AP Human Geography course given by PA Homeschoolers. I find the course gives an interesting background about what is happening in the world these days, especially in relation to commercial interests globally. It is one of those windows on the world classes....It is not an economics class per se....but they go into resources, environment, globalization, poverty...

 

Joan

[Murphy101]

Some of the topics you listed are covered in the AP Human Geography course given by PA Homeschoolers. I find the course gives an interesting background about what is happening in the world these days, especially in relation to commercial interests globally. It is one of those windows on the world classes....It is not an economics class per se....but they go into resources, environment, globalization, poverty...

 

Joan

 

I will keep that in mind. I really want to do a world/human geography course with my son in 10th grade for all the reasons you point out. It's really a fascinating study.

 

Late to the thread, but it's an awesome one! Thanks!

[Samuel]

all of these are readable, such that I would consider assigning them to first semester college freshmen.

 

Media Awareness:

Bennet, WL News: The Politics of Illusion A standard text at the college level, but good

 

Resources/Environment

Diamond, Jered. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed

 

Globalization -I'm teaching a whole college class on this, so my head is full of stuff. But Benjamin Barber's Jihad vs. McWorld article in the Atlantic is a good place to start.

 

From a Christian perpective, Scott Waalks has written a very interesting work: The Fullness of Time in a Flat World

 

Afghanistan/Current Events: Rory Stewart, The Places in Between

 

One British man's walk through Afghanistan

 

On War in the developing world, Paul Collier, War, Guns, and Votes

 

Economics – Second the Ferguson, for advanced readers.

[treestarfae]

:bigear:

[Jenn in Mo]

Along the lines of KarenAnne's list, I want mine to read Good Calories, Bad Calories. It's NOT a diet book, like it sounds. Lots of great history of research in health and diet. Very eye-opening.

[AngelBee]

:lurk5:

[Nan in Mass]

Diet for a Small Planet

Don't Shoot the Dog

Getting a Grip

The Handbook of Civil Disobedience

Beating Celestial Drums

In the Footsteps of Gandhi

Material World

In the Shadow of a Rainbow

some distopian scifi

something about mediation

 

 

I, too, had a list for the older one. The younger one's list is a bit different. These are where they overlap. The emphasis of the list is on how-to, not on state-of-the-world, since they get quite a lot of state-of-the-world peacewalking. I will pick a few appropriate things for my youngest when he gets to the end of high school. I have a pretty long list of must-reads, but I just included here the weird ones that don't fit a particular catagory.

 

-Nan

[Miss Marple]

Don't Shoot the Dog

 

OK, this title has me intrigued - I've got to check it out. :001_smile:

[Kareni]

I read this years ago when it was recommended to me as a good parenting book ~ Don't Shoot the Dog!: The New Art of Teaching and Training by Karen Pryor. I recall it being a pretty good read.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Jenn in Mo]

LOL - I love that the product description for Don't Shoot Your Dog says the book will help me overcome my addiction to "overheating". I think it's time to break my habit. :D