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please share TOP 5 must-read novels for World Literature


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I am homeschooling my children, and I am trying to put together a World Literature reading list for next year. My son will be 16 and in 10th grade, and my daughter will be turning 18 and in 12th grade.

 

I would be so grateful if you would share with me your TOP 5 must-read novels for World Literature for high school students, a brief explanation of your reasoning behind the list, and, of course, anything else that you think would be helpful to me.

 

Some information that might help you to refine the list:

1. I am especially interested in novels that will bring a part of history to life.

2. Our reading comprehension is average to above average, so I would rather not try to read a book that is off the charts in difficulty level.

3. We are Christians. I believe it is important to make my children aware of the realities of our world, but I do not want to over-educate them in the details of sinful practices. It is one thing to read a book in which we are told that one of the characters has committed adultery, but it is quite another thing to read a scene that describes in detail a sexual encounter.

 

Thank you so much for your help!

Adriane

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I am finishing teaching a World Lit class at co-op.

 

I used:

 

The Death of Ivan Ilych

An Artist of the Floating World

Cry, the Beloved Country

The Old Man and the Sea

 

We also read an Irish play and poetry from around the world.

 

Cry, the Beloved Country is the only novel that dealt with any mature issues, but it is a strongly Christian book to begin with, so I was okay with it. There are no details, and the point is that the characters made immoral choices.

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Bumping this up for you.. I'm getting ready to read Cien Anos de Soledad by Gabriel Garcia Marquez in its original language, Spanish. It's translated into "100 Years of Solitude" and is one of the 100 best books of all time list. My mom gave me her old copy. I like this author, and I've read his short stories. Aside from some violence and a blunter way to explain things than Anglo literature tends to do, I don't remember anything objectionable in the other stories. I read the others in my teens. I'm in my mid thirties now, and excited to be reading a novel in Spanish again.

 

War and Peace, Crime and Punishment, and The Brothers Karamasov come highly recommended by my parents. I think I will pick up the latter after 100 Years.

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Crime and Punishment for sure. I'm percolating on others but I have questions:

 

Do you want only works written in languages other than English because you'll cover English written novels elsewhere?

 

Also, are you covering other literary forms like drama and poetry elsewhere, too?

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Thank you to everyone for your help!

 

Candid,

My daughter has taken two semesters of British Literature, and both children have taken two semesters of American Literature. They were exposed to some poetry and drama in those courses. My specific goal on this thread is to gather input regarding novels (which is my personal preference), but I will happily receive input regarding poetry and drama.

 

Thank you,

Adriane

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Thank you to everyone for your help!

 

Candid,

My daughter has taken two semesters of British Literature, and both children have taken two semesters of American Literature. They were exposed to some poetry and drama in those courses. My specific goal on this thread is to gather input regarding novels (which is my personal preference), but I will happily receive input regarding poetry and drama.

 

Thank you,

Adriane

 

This would require a bit of digging on your part, but look at what's available on bookshelfcentral.com. They are the TOG vendor for books. If you look under rhetoric and literature all year plans, you should get an extensive list of books. Anyone can look at the site, it's not the book list that is copy written, it's the what to read when part that can't be reproduced. Anyway, they also have the same view as you as to vetting books. I can't say I've read them all, but I can say I have so far trusted their judgement.

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Thank you to everyone for your help!

 

Candid,

My daughter has taken two semesters of British Literature, and both children have taken two semesters of American Literature. They were exposed to some poetry and drama in those courses. My specific goal on this thread is to gather input regarding novels (which is my personal preference), but I will happily receive input regarding poetry and drama.

 

Thank you,

Adriane

 

Okay, then no English or American works!

 

But for poetry I'll suggest Dante's Divine Comedy or at least the Inferno.

 

For drama there is lots of good stuff out there. I love Racine and the two "Greek" tragedy he wrote are wonderful. Tartuffe, The Good Woman of Setzuan, The Doll House, The Cherry Orchard.

 

If you haven't done anything ancient then The Odyssey in poetry and pick up at least some Greek Tragedy. If you do Euripides's Orestes series you get the only set of Greek plays written to be done together. (Greek plays were written in sets of four to be done together. The historical/mythical topics were usually not related but there was some overall theme.)

 

Novels: Heart of Darkness, Metamorphis, maybe Don Quixote (or some part of him).

 

Okay, maybe more later. I feel my novels have too many modern ones, so I'm trying to think of some less modern but still readable ones.

Edited by Candid
two for too, yeah really.
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