Prompt 25: A book you were supposed to read in school but didn't

[Ann]

What books are you reading in this category?

[Amii]

I feel like I read all of my books in high school but the one I always wanted to read that never got assigned to me was Lord of the Flies, so I'm picking that one.

[Amii]

I feel like I read all of my books in high school but the one I always wanted to read that never got assigned to me was Lord of the Flies, so I'm picking that one.

[Ann]

Ann wrote: "What books are you reading in this category?"

Great book! I was assigned that one in school and we did a special class project on it that I still remember blew my mind.

[Hailey Magstadt]

Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

[Heidi]

I read all the books I was supposed to read. I think I'll use this challenge to re-read one instead. I've been wanting to re-read 1984 for a while.

[Meryl]

The only assigned books I can remember not reading are The Odyssey and a short story by Faulkner. I've never had any desire to go back to these but this is called a challenge for a reason, so I guess it's the Odyssey.

[Anne]

This is a struggle for me because I not only willingly read every book assigned I usually went for more. I'll have to figure out what to do with this one. Anyone have suggestions?

I'm also wondering about "a book your mom loves" because she was not much of a reader and she is long gone so I can't ask what she might suggest.

[Daneil]

Hailey wrote: "Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck"

Well, I was able to struggle through Grapes of Wrath, but I couldn't make it through The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn to save my soul. Since it's the only book I was ever assigned but didn't read (unless we're counting textbooks in college), I guess it will be the one.

[Martta]

Amii wrote: "I feel like I read all of my books in high school but the one I always wanted to read that never got assigned to me was Lord of the Flies, so I'm picking that one."

I also read all my books - I even used a list provided by school to a different class to find books to read. I guess I'll read Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck since I really loved it.

[Lauri]

Amii wrote: "I feel like I read all of my books in high school but the one I always wanted to read that never got assigned to me was Lord of the Flies, so I'm picking that one."

I am going to read Lord of the Flies. I was assigned to read it in High School, but I remember skimming through it. I could not get into it, maybe as an adult I will enjoy it.

[Carey]

My problem is that I can't really remember if I didn't read something I was supposed to read in school. I know there are a few books I've tried to read and never was able to finish - Moby Dick and The Hobbit. I'm debating about these. I think I may try The Hobbit. I'm just not sure I'd make it through Moby Dick.

[Ann]

Maarten wrote: "Amii wrote: "I feel like I read all of my books in high school but the one I always wanted to read that never got assigned to me was Lord of the Flies, so I'm picking that one."

I also read all my..."

Oh I LOVE Of Mice and Men. One of my favorite books. I think rereading one is a good strategy since you were a good student and finished all your books in school! Looks like we have quite a few who read all the books assigned.

This might be one of the more troublesome prompts as for people who like to read if a book that was assigned was left unread there was probably a good reason. Good luck to everyone on this one!!

[Julia]

I read "Schindler's List" by Thomas Keneally. And I'm now upset I didn't read it earlier; what a brilliant novel, and fantastic story about humanity.

[Martta]

I might just read If This Is a Man by Primo Levi instead - we were supposed to start reading it weeks ago but I haven't started yet because otherwise I'd finish it too fast and not remember any details at the test. I'll read it for the challenge now!

[Michelle]

I read all the books I was assigned! New my good behaviour would come back to haunt me. I think I'll reread "The Catcher in the Rye."

[Laura]

During my undergrad work for special education, I was required to read "Retarded Isn't Stupid, Mom!" by Sandra Z. Kaufman. I choose not to read it at the time, but think I will use it for this prompt!

[Katherine]

I never thought about using a book from undergrad/grad school to fulfill this prompt. Thank you so much, Laura, for mentioning that! Now I can successfully avoid reading A Tale of Two Cities for a second time!

[Gabriella]

Since I am from Italy I know I haven't read what an average American student has to read in school. So what would you say is a book I must absolutely read ? Also, if any of you are at a loss why don't you look at what people in other countries have to read in school ? I am willing to give suggestions on what we have to read in Italy and I know there are a few other members from other countries ....

[Kerri]

The only thing I didn't read in high school that the rest of the class did was Hamlet. My family went on a trip during most of the time the class was studying it and when we came back the teacher told me not to worry about it, so I didn't. I have a copy sitting on my bookshelf, maybe I'll finally read it.

[Mary-jo]

The only Hemingway I ever read was "Old Man and the Sea. " For Whom the Bells Toll" had also been assigned, so that's my choice for this category.

[Angela]

I think i will go with the lord of the flies by William Golding. We had to read it last year but i didn´t even started so i will with this one.

[Ann]

Angela wrote: "I think i will go with the lord of the flies by William Golding. We had to read it last year but i didn´t even started so i will with this one."

Definitely worth the read!

[Sandy]

I wasn't real fond of Lord of the Flies! At least not when I read in school about 50 years ago!
I did find a book set in Kalispell that I wanted to tell you about. I just downloaded it so I'll let you know if it is worth it. It is called Shadow Dragon.

[Clare]

I can't remember anything from school that I didn't read! However, my engłish teacher was called Mr Iggulden. He is now a well known author Conn Iggulden. Maybe I'll read one of his books!

[Brandy]

I think I read every lit book assigned in high school. And I'm not tracking down my bio textbook to read it, although I can assure you I didn't read it (and my bio grade suffered for it). But there were three different classes for 12th grade English. And I remember my best friend (at the time) was in one of the other classes. They read different books from what we did. I think we're Facebook friends. Maybe I'll see if she remembers anything her class read that year.

[SabrinaJaleesa]

We never had assigned reads. We had a certain number of books we were expected to read, but no specific titles. Basically anything from the school library was acceptable. I therefore decided to reread a book that I last read when I was in high school: Martyn Pig by Kevin Brooks.

[Lara Ruark]

I read The Scarlet Letter and I really enjoyed it. I'm not surprised my 15 year old self hated it enough to ditch it. I couldn't relate to it at all. I think with books like that, you need a very talented teacher to help make connections when a student can't do it on their own. I'm so glad I gave this book another try. 23 years later, I got so much out if the story.

[Brandy]

I got in trouble for "spoiling" The Scarlet Letter for the class. I hadn't read ahead, I'd just made a really, really obvious inference about Pearl's father.

[Melanie]

Anne wrote: "This is a struggle for me because I not only willingly read every book assigned I usually went for more. I'll have to figure out what to do with this one. Anyone have suggestions?

I'm also wonde..."

I never had to read a book for school but my niece was assigned this year to read Night by Elie Wiesel. I'm going to read that. Also isn't 1984 assigned a lot? I know they are pretty popular so chances are you've probably read them both but my niece and nephew are both in high school so I could get more suggestions from them :)

As for a favorite book of my mom's, my mom is gone as well so I'm going to read one of my sister's favs.

[TheCarmanita]

In the 11th grade, my teacher assigned us The Hobbit. I read the the first 75 pages and couldn't do it, so I lied and wrote an essay based on Sparknotes. And don't remember any details. So this sounds like the perfect book. Starting it tonight!

[Ann]

Here are some helpful links for this prompt:

http://entertainment.time.com/2010/07...

http://entertainment.time.com/2010/07...

[Gabriella]

I ended up reading "to kill a mockingbird" and really enjoyed it. I am currently reading Moby Dick for another prompt but I guess it would work for this one too.

[Hilary]

I am reading SLaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut right now. I detest his writing. Thankfully we did not have to read it in H.S. but some of the other English classes did so I figured I'd give it a try as an adult. Nope. Still hate it. I also read everything I was supposed to in h.s. so this is the best I could do. But- OH MY GOSH- I am really struggling. blech!~

[Nikki]

I read Song for Night by Chris Abani for this prompt.

[Tatiana]

I read all the books I was assigned in school so maybe I'll re-read one of those. Maybe Chronicle of a Death Foretold, I don't think I quite appreciated that one back then.

[Phyllis]

An age ago, in college, I took a class on "the modern novel." There wasn't enough time in the day to read everything I needed to, and I didn't have to read all the novels. Later, I read two for fun and wished I'd read them for class: A Passage to India and the French Lieutenant's Woman. Now, I don't know what to read--but I might have some lonely nonfiction.
As for the Mom challenge, mine has been gone for many years, too. But while she was ill and unable to read for herself, I read several books aloud to her. I think I'll reread The Clan of the Cave Bear.

[Luella]

I'm also doing Lord of the Flies.

[Jackie]

I too was at least a dutiful student when it came to reading for school. I was at a loss until I remembered that in one of my college classes, we were assigned several plays at the beginning of the semester but ultimately didn't get through all of them. Thus I had Our Country's Good for "a book you were supposed to read in school but didn't".

Also I'd like to point out that the prompt just says "school" so that could mean any point in your education. Another thought, most libraries/bookstores will put out a table of "summer reading" books assigned by the local schools so that could be a good way to find a book for this topic.

[Belinda]

This is one of the hardest prompts to me. I read everything we were assigned because we read in class mostly. I remember going over The Scarlet Letter and maybe even watching the movie but I don't remember actually reading it so I may try that if I can't think of something else.

[Jh]

Here's a source for some ideas: http://www.buzzfeed.com/spenceralthou...

[Chris]

I was assigned Island of the Blue Dolphins in fourth grade. It was way over my eight year old head so my mom read it to me. I got bumped into a lower reading group shortly after that as I recall. Skipping third grade was such a bad thing for me. So I think maybe I am finally ready to give it a try.

[Ray]

Finished "All Quiet on the Western Front". Great read.

[Emily]

I'm thinking I'll finally read Of Mice and Men.

[Kirsten]

I plan on reading Great Expectations by Charles Dickens for this one.

[Jazs]

Oh man, no idea for this one! I was also one of those students that read everything I was ever assigned and also read extra. And I also had a slightly less conventional education in that I spent the first 8 years of my education home schooling where we were allowed to read whatever we wanted as long as we were reading before moving to a really isolated mining town in Australia that also didn't chose those kinda texts so I haven't read a lot of those run of the mill novels you'd expect for an American (in particular) high school reading list. However, I really like the idea that a few other users have had of using their college/uni reading lists and I might just dig up the one from my Victorian Lit class because I loved that class and we had the option for part of the semester that class went for of choosing what we wanted to read and I hadn't read a lot of what else was on that list. So I might chose something from that I haven't already read during/since finishing that class.

[Tori]

I read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Don't really remember why I didn't read it in school....

[Michelle]

Read The Scarlett Letter. I was so busy in high school being dumb, that I didnt have a chance to finish that one. I dont know how I passed English with an A without having finished htat book. LOL

[Melody]

I just finished The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, which had been assigned to me for my college course on British Domesticity. I had gotten maybe 60 pages in, but I was also working 3 jobs at the time and it just got lost in the shuffle and I didn't end up reading it.

I was unsurprised with how good it was. It was the only book for that course I was unable to finish, and the rest of our texts for that class were really outstanding, so I'm really glad I took my time to finally finish it.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a slow, unraveling, nostalgic story or is a fan of Ishiguro's other work. I would also strongly recommend this to Downton Abbey or other British Period drama fans. It's a great dissection of the popular upstairs/downstairs genre. It can also be used for the "Takes Place in another Country" (if you live outside the UK), "Became a Movie", and "Love Triangle" prompts.

[Jennifer]

I read The Scarlet Letter. I was not assigned this book in school, but I would have been had I not moved my sophomore year. My 16-year-old nephew is assigned to read it this summer, so I decided to read it in solidarity with him. He has yet to start it (of course). I was prepared to hate it. I didn't entirely, but I would have when I was 16.