Classic Novels

[arkiewriter]

I'm working on some new classics for the boys to read, as they've plowed through the basic list for middle schoolers I had.  Anyone want to give me input on the "To Read" section of whether or not I'd be torturing the poor munchkins or if a book was just one of your youthful favorites?   (I have Jane Austen on there, but considering the boys hated

Comments

[aikoheiwa]

If your boys are mature enough, then I would suggest A Farewell To Arms for Hemingway.

Catcher in the Rye is good.

I hated Heart of Darkness.

Taming of the Shrew and A MidSummer Night's Dream were two of my favourite Shakespeare comedies.

[arkiewriter]

Catcher in the Rye seemed a long exercise in author profanity to me... I've never "got" why everyone likes it (feel free to share!)

Added a note about A Farewell to Arms. I haven't read Hemingway since high school, so I only have vague recollections of his plots. He's not one of my favorites (another "classic" that puzzles me as to his popularity).

I keep hearing on Heart of Darkness that it's a strong "hate it or love it" book. I haven't read it yet so I guess I need to do so and find out. ;-)

Taming of the Shrew might be funny for the boys. They weren't terribly impressed by A Midsummer Night's Dream - but I think it had to do with the terrible BBC play we watched.

[kay_brooke]

Wow, bringing back memories of school. :)

Books I enjoyed when I read them:
Pride and Prejudice
Don Quixote
My Antonia
Lord of the Flies!!!! <--highly recommend this one

[arkiewriter]

I actually own a copy of Pride and Prejudice, so I guess I need to break down and reread it to assess for the boys. Unfortunately, I am a fan of both Bronte sisters and was rather surprised to find the boys found the books sluggish and non-entertaining. Sheesh - they devoured Moby Dick of all things... after that, the rest are easy reading. ;-)

The boys like Verne, which is how we added 80 days (they helped with the list initially).

Not sure how much Shakespeare I'm going to heft at them, but if nothing else, this list will last me a few years! In high school, we had a Shakespeare play a year, so I got to cover Romeo & Juliet, The Tempest, Hamlet, and MacBeth. (I've read many of the others independently.)

Thanks!

[blood_of_winter]

Impressive lists! Some of the books they've already read I didnt read until high school or college.

short story anthologies of the classics are really good to pick up since they can get a taste of various writers

Looking at your to read list, I think you've started them off well. (and these are solely my opinions):
Austen beats out Bronte any day of the week

Tolkin, Poe, Stoker, Fitzgerald (his shorts are really good also) are all good picks

Hemingway's Old man and the sea is horrible although his other works and short stories rock

Hated George Eliot although Middlemarch is a classic and probably a must read

I think they'll like To Kill a Mockingbird. I liked the way Harper Lee wrote from a child's perspective without being condescending

I'll go over my bookcases and see what I have tonight that you dont have listed that they might like

[arkiewriter]

Short stories - good idea! I've got my literature books from college, and I don't see the boys having any problem with most of those considering they've tackled so many of the classics already. Although I shudder at making them read "The Lottery" because I got so sick of that darn short story while in school/college. Every year it seemed a teacher had to assign it and insist on an essay analysis!

Thanks on the rec's. Added to the list with commentary. I've found Hemingway is one of those hate him or love him authors... I hated him, but maybe the boys will like him. I figure I shouldn't deprive them of the experience of deciding for themselves, yanno?

[laozi]

When I was 10, I read The Giver, by Lois Lowry, and it completely changed my worldview. I guess it hasn't quite been around long enough yet to be considered a "classic", but it's certainly already a young-adult classic.

Another book that had a profound impact on me was The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier, which I read at the age of 14. I don't know how many unsettling themes you're willing to expose your kids to, so if you haven't already, you might want to read that one yourself before you give it to them. It's got quite a bit of violence and sexual content, and the good guy definitely does not win. However, it teaches some very valuable lessons.

Also, anything by James Baldwin comes highly recommended from me. Personally, my favorite work of his was Just Above My Head, but a more age-appropriate one would probably be Go Tell It On the Mountain. All of his books can be pretty emotionally painful things to read, but again, like the other recommendations I've given here, they can go a really long way towards instilling a social

[arkiewriter]

The boys *loved* The Giver (as well as Lowry's Number the Stars). Lowry has a gift for making you see things through new eyes, I think. I need to add more of her works to the list.

I'll add The Chocolate War and pre-read. Thanks for the tips on it. They are at an age where they need to start exploring more topics, so getting outside the standard comfort zone can be a good idea.

I've only read Go Tell It On the Mountain by Baldwin, so I'll check into the other one, which sounds interesting. Might be good to pair with Maya Angelou, which I can't believe I left off the list.

I also may start splitting the books off, since I think my older son's ready to tackle more of the issues than his younger brother (who tends to be more of an innocent in grasping strong concepts than his brother).

Thanks!

Oh, God- how could I forget this one?

[laozi]

I forgot to recommend Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe! It has a very accessible vocabulary and syntax, but it is also certainly a 20th-century classic. Another painful one, but again, one that deals with very, very important themes that everyone has to grapple with eventually.

Re: Oh, God- how could I forget this one?

[arkiewriter]

Haven't read Achebe, but that's a good rec. The book would go well with an African history unit too. Thanks!