Top 10 Books I Was Required to Read for School But Ended Up Loving
Top Ten Tuesday is a fun weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s topic is Back To School Freebie: anything “back to school” related like 10 favorite books I read in school, books I think should be required reading, Required Reading For All Fantasy Fans, required reading for every college freshman, Books to Pair With Classics or Books To Complement A History Lesson, books that would be on my classroom shelf if I were a teacher, etc.
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When I think of back-to-school, the first thing that comes to mind are Required Reading Lists. I don’t know about you guys, but even though I’m a lifelong bookworm, I still hate it when someone tells me what I HAVE to read. Even if they were books I probably would have read at some point myself, making it a requirement instead of a choice just irritated me. I was a good student though so of course I always completed my required reading assignments. And yes, there were quite a few times where I actually ended up loving the books even though I was annoyed that I was forced to read them in the first place. So that’s what I’m focusing on this week – Top 10 Books I Was Required to Read for School But Ended Up Loving.
In some cases like Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice, I loved them for their feisty heroines. In other cases like 1984, Fahrenheit 451, and Lord of the Flies resonated with me because they were a reminder that no matter how bad I thought my life was at any given moment, things could really be a lot worse. Books like To Kill a Mockingbird and Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl remain some of the most powerful and eye-opening books I’ve ever read. Shakespeare’s tragedies spoke to me in that even though they’re hundreds of years old, their themes are still just as relevant today as they were when originally penned. And the list goes on…All of these books went from required readings to all-time favorites so I’ll send out a huge thanks to every English teacher who ever made me read a book.
Top 10 Books I Was Required to Read for School But Ended Up Loving
1. JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte
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2. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee
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3. THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL by Anne Frank
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4. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen
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5. 1984 by George Orwell
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6. OF MICE AND MEN by John Steinbeck
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7. FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury
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8. THE LORDS OF DISCIPLINE by Pat Conroy
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9. LORD OF THE FLIES by William Golding
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10. THE TRAGEDIES OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (Basically All of Them!)
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Definitely To Kill a Mockingbird, 1984 (though I liked Animal Farm better), Lord of the Flies, and I have always been a die hard romantic, so Romeo and Juliet. I took American Lit my junior year, and I actually enjoyed many of the books. One that stands out is The Assistant by Bernard Malamud.
I actually haven’t read The Assistant so I’ll have to check that one out.
Great list, most of these are my faves as well. “To Kill A Mockingbird” remains my favourite modern classic, I try to read it every year.
Same here. I just love everything about it.
To Kill a Mockingbird and The Diary of a Young Girl were two I enjoyed in school too. I also loved Catcher in the Rye and The Color Purple from required reading. Great list!
Oh yes, I loved The Color Purple as well. I think I might have actually voluntarily read that one, lol.
I completely agree with you. There is something about requiring me to read a book that instantly makes me dislike it! Though I can change my mind…
Here’s my list of stories about teaching in tough schools. I hope you will stop by!
Yeah, I’m just stubborn and don’t like to be told what to do even when it comes to books, lol.
This is such a fun post! I loved TKAM as well. Every time I read it, I discover more details that I missed in previous reads. I would love to reread a few others that you have listed here and see where they take me. 🙂
Same here. I love to re-read that one every year or so and I think I come across something new every time. Books like that are just so amazing.
The Lord of the Flies bothered me so much.
Also, I’d like to point out I was homeschooled and my dad told me that’s how public school was.
It bothered me too but it was the first book I can remember feeling very passionately about.
Yo Kill A Mockingbird is my all time favorite book thanks to required reading. 🙂
Same here!
I have read and enjoyed the first five books. the diary of Anne Frank breaks my heart every single time.
Same here. I think it’s one of the most heart-wrenching books I’ve ever read.
I remember having to read The Scarlet Letter and A Farewell to Arms and I loved both of them! We also read The Princess Bride which I’m sure everyone loved. Great list! Most of your list I read after high school on my own.
Crystal Book Snob
I can’t believe I forgot to mention The Scarlet Letter. I loved that one too.
So many great book on this list! My favourite here is Jane Eyre.
My TTT for this week.
Such a great read. Thanks for stopping by!
Jane Eyre + Pride & Prejudice are two all time favourites.
They’re so good!
Lord of the Flies and To Kill a Mockingbird were not my favorites. I loved Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice! I also had to read Wuthering Heights, which I loved!! I sometimes wonder if more kids would enjoy the required reading if they had a choice between several books that fit the lesson plan instead of being forced to read just one.
Ooh, I forgot about Wuthering Heights. I loved that one too!
I’ve never read To Kill A Mockingbird, oddly enough. Lord of the Flies we read but I don’t remember a lot of it. Fahrenheit 451 is another one I’ve never read! Hmm… I always kinda thought our English curriculum wasn’t the strongest, because it seemed like other schools read a lot more classics than we did. We did do some Shakespeare though, thank goodness,
Fahrenheit 451 is pretty great. I’d definitely recommend it.
“The Pearl” by John Steinbeck was something I was surprised to love.
As far as books on your list go, To Kill a Mockingbird was incredible. I’m so glad I was introduced to it.
Here is our TTT
Oh, I remember loving The Pearl as well. Great book.
Great list and yes to Anne Frank and Shakespeare. Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet too. I also really enjoyed The Odyssey when we read it in high school as a class, something about reading it aloud together made it better. I also ended up loving Catcher in the Rye and also enjoyed Animal Farm.
Like you say some books just really resonate. Enjoy your week!
I forgot all about The Odyssey but I really liked that one too.