Heather in VA Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 My oldest will be a senior and we are doing Modern literature. I want to pair down and/or organize the my literature list. This list is pretty much what's "left" that I want her to read but this is our last year. She could handle reading it all but I kind of want a 'this has to happen' list and a list that would be nice to get to but if we end up with too much that's where we would cut first. So here's my list. Any input would be great. What do you consider 'absolute must' or 'nice but not necessary'. Also, if you know something that really should be on the list but isn't, that would be good too. She's read quite a bit so a lot of the 'typical' have already been read but I've probably missed stuff. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Up From Slavery The Jungle All Quiet on the Western Front The Chosen Our Town Their Eyes Were Watching God Crucible Glass Menagerie The Metamorphosis Walden Cry the Beloved Country Heart of Darkness Metamorphosis Grapes of Wrath Stranger The Importance of Being Earnest Lord of the Flies Brave New World Out of the Dust Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamarind Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Heather, I've read most of the books on your list, some when I was a kid, and some while homeschooling my high school age daughters. I've whittled your list down to the ones which I found most memorable: Uncle Tom’s Cabin Our Town Glass Menagerie The Metamorphosis Grapes of Wrath Lord of the Flies Brave New World Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harriet Vane Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 My oldest will be a senior and we are doing Modern literature. I want to pair down and/or organize the my literature list. This list is pretty much what's "left" that I want her to read but this is our last year. She could handle reading it all but I kind of want a 'this has to happen' list and a list that would be nice to get to but if we end up with too much that's where we would cut first. So here's my list. Any input would be great. What do you consider 'absolute must' or 'nice but not necessary'. Also, if you know something that really should be on the list but isn't, that would be good too. She's read quite a bit so a lot of the 'typical' have already been read but I've probably missed stuff. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Up From Slavery The Jungle All Quiet on the Western Front The Chosen Our Town Their Eyes Were Watching God Crucible Glass Menagerie The Metamorphosis Walden Cry the Beloved Country Heart of Darkness Metamorphosis Grapes of Wrath Stranger The Importance of Being Earnest Lord of the Flies Brave New World Out of the Dust Heather The ones I highlighted in blue are ones to KEEP, definitely. The only other thing I would add is that much of your list are unhappy or negative works. You might consider lightening it up a bit with a later Dickens novel, G.K.Chesterton (Father Brown stories are short and really well written), and some poets (Frost, Dickinson, Whitman, TS Eliot, Yeats). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caroline Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Could you do some of them as movies? (Don't crucify me.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I would be sure to read The Chosen and The Importance of Being Earnest; the first because it is a very interesting story, and the second is just funny. The rest of your list is kind of depressing, IMHO. Try to find some more humorous works to read, or at least some that are relatively positive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 Does anyone have an 'happier' recommendations? I'm not super worried about the depressing factor with this particular student. Her favorite literature are the greek tragedies and Russian lit so she's a fan of the depressing LOL. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 My son read most of those--and I looked at them...:D I like your list alot. I might add Night and some O.Henry stories--one really dark, the other pretty light. I might narrow it down by just watching Our Town and The Crucible, and The Glass Menagerie (since they are plays, anyway). You could go over the main characters, and then see them, and then go over the "text." It might take less time than reading it thru. But IDK, YMMV. I didn't like The Chosen, and I'd pick either Up From or Uncle Tom's. I also didn't like Their Eyes Were Watching God, and I'd sub Alas, Babylon for Brave New (it's less s3xual). Just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted July 27, 2012 Author Share Posted July 27, 2012 My son read most of those--and I looked at them...:D I like your list alot.I might add Night and some O.Henry stories--one really dark, the other pretty light. I might narrow it down by just watching Our Town and The Crucible, and The Glass Menagerie (since they are plays, anyway). You could go over the main characters, and then see them, and then go over the "text." It might take less time than reading it thru. But IDK, YMMV. I didn't like The Chosen, and I'd pick either Up From or Uncle Tom's. I also didn't like Their Eyes Were Watching God, and I'd sub Alas, Babylon for Brave New (it's less s3xual). Just my opinion. OOoooo... Night. I forgot about that one. Definitely a good choice. Her history program has Hiding Place scheduled but she read that already so I need a different option anyway. I have some stories and poems on a list but I don't remember what. I'll double check. I'll look for video versions. That's a good idea. I checked Netflix for Our Town and in the comments of the one they have streaming it says they changed the ending to be a 'happily ever after' ending. Going to have to find a different option!! Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted July 27, 2012 Author Share Posted July 27, 2012 I also didn't like Their Eyes Were Watching God, Also, what didn't you like about Their Eyes Were Watching God? I haven't read it myself (maybe I should) and I'm certainly not wedded to assigning it but I had thought about doing it because Bravewriter is doing an online book club this year that you can do by month and this one is on it so I considered having both my older girls (8th grader is doing modern too) read this and do the book club. But if the book isn't that great then I have plenty of other options. Thanks Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I'm sure it's a great book, but I don't like books written in "dialect." I actually have it on my nightstand right now--it's recommended in SWB's WEM, but I just couldn't get into it. I got impatient and skimmed it and said, "OK, done..." LOL! I did really like Beloved, by Toni Morrison, if you want a book with AA characters (that kinda sounds wrong--hopefully you know what I mean), but it's creepy. It does show the devastating effects of slavery--really opened my eyes re black culture and the impact of slavery. TEWWG is not about that, exactly, but IDK, I just didn't like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather in VA Posted July 27, 2012 Author Share Posted July 27, 2012 I'm sure it's a great book, but I don't like books written in "dialect." I actually have it on my nightstand right now--it's recommended in SWB's WEM, but I just couldn't get into it. I got impatient and skimmed it and said, "OK, done..." LOL!I did really like Beloved, by Toni Morrison, if you want a book with AA characters (that kinda sounds wrong--hopefully you know what I mean), but it's creepy. It does show the devastating effects of slavery--really opened my eyes re black culture and the impact of slavery. TEWWG is not about that, exactly, but IDK, I just didn't like it. Yes I know what you mean about a book with AA characters. :-). I don't like dialect either. Beloved is a good possibility too. I yanked out my WTM and she has both Their Eyes and Beloved on her 12th grade list. My daughter has different taste that I do so maybe I'll just let her choose. She likes a lot of stuff that bugs me LOL. This isn't going well... the more I try to pare down, the more I end up adding instead LOL. Heather Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.