You'll Thank Me Later (5 Books My Teachers Made Me Read in High School)

 

Mrs. Graves was my ninth grade language arts teacher and she was tough as nails. I can still clearly remember sitting in her class and being handed the synopsis of the school year. We were to write a term theme and pick a book from the list she presented. It was going to take six weeks to write and then type (pre computers people, typewriters!) We had to learn how to research using the card catalog in the school library (I can hear kids today asking, what is a card catalog?) and document our information on index cards. It sounded terrible. 

I chose To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Thirty years later, I still have that term paper. It is in the attic in a box somewhere because it was special enough to keep. Students simultaneously hated and loved Mrs. Graves. She made us read and work and read and work and write and write and write. It was terrible. And fun. And rewarding. It prepared me for the rest of high school and beyond. And introduced me to a classic book I love to this day. My husband mentioned this topic for my post this week (thanks honey!). He said, "You should write about books we were required to read in high school." I wonder how many of us were reading these books, still read these books, and if kids now are reading them. I know my own boys have read a few from my list. Hopefully they will continue being presented to kids because they are timeless and wonderful even if we don't thank our teachers for making us read them at the time. What books did you have to read and do you still love them today?

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee 

I loved this book because of the beautiful and complicated relationships presented between Scout, her lawyer father, Atticus, brother Jem, and Boo Radley, the town recluse. The dynamic courtroom drama as her father defends a black man accused of rape by a white woman are as memorable as you will find in a novel. Being from Texas, it resonated with me in many ways, showing the prejudice of the time while also maintaining the pride in being Southern. It highlights the best and worst attitudes of the time. A classic for sure. 

2. Lord of the Flies by William Golding 

I'm pleased that this is still required reading at my sons' high school. I wasn't too sure about this book, being a girl, but ended up loving it and have re-read it over the years. You can't help but feel desperate for the stranded boys and the spiral into chaos that results in tragedy. As a parent, I have even more appreciation now for the situation they find themselves in. It is also a timeless lesson for all of us as to what can happen without law and order in society. 

3. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 

I'll admit I didn't really understand the point of this book at the time. It still is the shortest classic I've ever read and is quite depressing. But something about George and Lenny's life and the Great Depression era stuck with me. It was realistic and raw and when you are a teen that kind of thing usually speaks to you. Not exactly my favorite required read but one I'm glad I was made to tackle. 

4. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Another book I didn't fully appreciate or understand until I was older, it still was great to be introduced to it as a teen. Hester's predicament and the community's reaction both angered and annoyed me but was also an intriguing look into Puritan society. It fueled my love of historical fiction from that era. 

5. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Sad to say this book is still relevant. Though Orwell was mocking the leaders of the Russian Revolution, the underlying themes of dictators, utopian dreams, and arrogance of the elites still happens in our current world. I've returned to this book more than once as it is timeless, humorous, and clever. As a teen it was way over my head historically but I got the gist of how people's true nature can overtake them and cause them to slide into tyranny. And the animals were a cute way to represent it.

Gracelin O'Malley by Ann Moore

Publication Date:  January 1, 2001

Length:  400 pages

My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆  4 out of 5 stars

WHY I CHOSE THIS BOOK:

This is one of my favorite eras to read about. The struggles of the Irish during the 1840's potato famine is a subject I never tire of learning new things about and it provides such amazing stories of heroic people living through heartbreaking conditions. Throw in the nasty English overlord and you've got a great historical fiction novel. I'm not crazy about books that are named after the main character, but that didn't stop me from trying it. 

SUMMARY:

Grace is a typical country Irish girl living with her father and brothers on their family farm. Losing her mother at the age of fifteen has taken its toll on the family although they try to make the best of things. Due to difficult circumstances, Grace is forced to marry an English squire, Bram Donnelly, but her young, girlish innocence leads her to believe love will bring them a happy and fruitful marriage. Grace thinks Donnelly will save her family from ruin and is optimistic about the future. Ignoring his past and stories of his violent behavior she plunges headlong into disaster. When the potato famine arrives and threatens her beloved county and the people she's grown to know and love, Grace attempts to save them in any way she can, feeding and tending to them with concern and devotion. Her husband is not pleased and as she defies him, her safety is at risk. Dramatic events ensue as her brother and childhood friend involve themselves in the political machinations of the time and she is forced to choose between saving her family or the new life she thought she was dedicated to. Throughout it all, the famine is taking its toll on everyone and everything around them and Grace is helpless to stop it.

WHAT I LIKED:

This book incorporated a great balance of history and fiction. I learned a lot about the famine but also the politics of the Irish at the time. Using her brother, Sean, as the radical Irish revolutionary was a great contrast between Grace's more innocent, kind persona and Sean's fiery, unapologetic desire to change the status quo. When Grace is installed at Donnelly's estate I felt a sadness for her that the author invoked with the way he belittles her and kills her dreams for a happy future. The ending makes it obvious this is a sequel and it has the feel that the story is just beginning. I love that when a book can make you want to go out and immediately get the next one. The use of Irish Gaelic was a nice touch as well and phrases are sprinkled throughout the story. It is not as in depth as Outlander but it definitely has the same feel to it. 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

There aren't a lot of negatives except that the character development tended to be one sided and I'd have liked to have gotten more involved with Bram's background and some of the minor characters as well. Overall it is a solid well written story though so not a lot to add here!

RECOMMEND OR NOT? ABSOLUTELY!

I think most historical fiction lovers would enjoy this book. No, it's not a deep read but certainly not YA either. Especially if you love stories about the potato famine you'd want to read it. And the sequels look interesting. I've looked ahead but won't leave spoilers here. Enjoy!

 

Why I Dislike Audiobooks (But think they are great anyway!)

So this post might get me in hot water with some of my new bookish friends but I'm going to write it anyway....I'm not famous so who cares, right? Anyway, I was thinking about this topic after trying for the umpteenth time to listen to a book in the car and wondering why I wasn't feeling it. Was it the book? The narrator? My inability to drive? I absolutely love listening to podcasts....audiobooks....not so much. 

 Reason 1: The pacing

When I'm actually reading a book I can ponder it more. Go back and think about something that didn't make sense, re-read it, use the search button on my Kindle to look up a character or event I've forgotten about. With an audiobook it's full speed ahead. No chance to stop and think over what I'm hearing. Sure you can hit the back button but who has time for that, and especially if you are driving.

Reason 2: Cheesy Narration

The narration is a big one for me too. Some books are fine if the narrator basically reads the story with a few slight accent changes or tone employed. But others....wow.....some go all out and are so over dramatic I start to cringe. It's the anti-theater kid inside me I guess. I've never been much into acting or stagecraft so I probably don't relate. But I just want to hear the character I've created in MY head and when someone else is acting out their version of that dialogue I just can't get into it.

Reason 3: Not actually using reading skills

Another reason for my dislike of audiobooks is the lack of reading skills being acquired. You aren't really learning to read but rather to listen. That's all well and good but reading is its own special discipline. One of my big soapboxes with our era is that technology has made it possible for people to never ever pick up a book and actually read it. Videos, audio, etc. mean you can acquire lots of wonderful knowledge without ever reading a single word. I think that's a disservice to us. Sitting in the quiet, creating the story in your head, learning new vocabulary and spelling are all missed out on with audiobooks. It's greatly contributing to our attention deficit society.

Reason 4: They are costly

I don't know about you but I want to actually own the books I read. Sometimes I even get annoyed when they are on my Kindle only and I don't have the hard copy. That feels like cheating to me! So an audiobook, for the price, just doesn't cut it. And in some cases I've found they are more expensive than just buying the book. I know Audible has a membership that is relatively inexpensive but again, you still don't own the book. I just can't imagine paying for just the rights to hear it and not read it too as many times as I want. 

Reason 5: Abridged Versions Abound

This is a common complaint from those I've talked to who listen to a lot of audiobooks. You think you are getting the whole, original book only to listen and then think..."doesn't this seem kind of....short?" Well that's because they've cut out whole sections of the book in order to make it work for the audio. No way. Give me the whole story or you'd better make sure I know that up front!

Why audiobooks are still useful:

Okay, now that I've alienated many audio book lovers out there let me backtrack a little and say that they are useful for certain circumstances. If someone is dyslexic, or unable to read I am so happy there is something out there for them to use that works for them and allows them to read more quickly or hear stories that might otherwise be off limits to them. 

Also, for kids who haven't yet developed the stamina or phonics skills to read whole chapter books, audiobooks can be a great bridge to getting them to love reading. And of course you people whose jobs require hours upon hours of driving, I totally get it. My hat's off to you because I couldn't do it. And I'm glad you can keep your job and still enjoy a good book.

For the rest of you, if that is what you enjoy, we are still friends....to each his own and happy listening. But don't discount the satisfaction you'd get from giving yourself a little "me" time and enjoying the quiet, calm time of reading. For me there is no comparison.

What about you? Do you love audiobooks? Am I totally crazy and wrong? Let me know!