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"Book club" selections for 9th and 11th graders


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I've been working on this list and I just feel like sharing it with somebody!  This is for next year.  This year has been a mess. Not that we haven't been learning and reading, but I am hoping to be a little more on top of things next year.  

 

These are the book selections I've picked to read together next year.  We'll meet once a week to discuss them and the kids will write an essay (draft and then rewrite for final draft) once a month.  They'll also have other writing assignments as well but probably not in connection with these books.  I am doing mostly 20th century except every year we read a Shakespeare play.

 

Lord of the World – Robert Hugh Benson (September - 4 weeks) If you know anything about Pope Francis, this is his favorite novel.  It's a dystopian written around the turn of the last century.  Brilliant, dark, weirdly prophetic and very Catholic.

 

My Family and Other Animals – Gerald Durrell (3 weeks – 1st part of Oct)  I have not read this for a while but I remember thinking it was really funny and well written.  20th century stuff gets so dark.

 

Animal Farm – George Orwell (2 weeks – last part of Oct.)

 

Shakespeare Pick – (4 weeks – all of November)

 

The Man Born to be King -radio play by Dorothy L. Sayers (Advent/Christmas season)  I wanted to read this this year but we had a sudden family death that swallowed up December, sadly.  

 

P.G. Wodehouse pick (January - 2 weeks)  Which one?

 

Lord of the Flies – William Golding (Finish up January -2 weeks)

 

The Man Who Was Thursday – G. K. Chesterton (February - 3 weeks)

 

Our Man in Havana – Graham Greene (Feb/March - 3 weeks)  I haven't read this for a while.  I don't think there is sex in it, unlike most of Greene's other novels.  

 

A biography of a 20th century saint – (Last two weeks of Lent/Easter week) Perhaps Edith Stein?  Need to hunt a short bio up.

 

Ray Bradbury pick – (April - 3 weeks)  Just because I have a fondness for Bradbury.

 

Til We Have Faces – C. S. Lewis (May - 4 weeks)

 

Agatha Christie pick (end by mid June)  Which one?

 

I am kind of pleased with myself.  Our literature and history are out of sync.  Long story that, but I think this list makes an interesting line up and will be favorably received by the kids.

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