Best book that you HAD to read

[Uncle Steve]

On the various book-related threads currently running here, some people have mentioned books which they were made to read in school. My memory of school reading is that it was mostly fairly mundane stuff, but there was the occasional gem thrown in.

For instance, in year 10 English we got to read "The Hitchhikers' Guide To The Galaxy". I could probably have recited the entire trilogy in my sleep by that point, but I didn't mind being forced to read it again. We also had to read Orwell's "Animal Farm" that year, another good one. Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" was another.

As for the most memorable... just the other day I was thinking about a book I'd read in year 9, titled "Bridge to Terabithia". I don't remember this one as being especially good; it was just your typical late-primary-early-high school novel. What made this memorable was the nasty plot twist towards the end. Very unusual for a novel aimed at pre-teens.

I entered the title into a search engine, and discovered that the entire text of the book is on the world wide web. So I got to re-live my year 9 English class all over again.

So let's hear it folks: What are the best or most memorable books you've ever been made to read, in school or otherwise?

 

[aggels]

In year 12 - Dostoyevski's Crime and Punishment - a heavy read, but well worth it.

This year - Margaret Atwood's Cat's Eye. If I hadn't read it I would never have discovered her. Also Isabel Allende's Eva Luna.

 

[BW]

The book about a young jews holocaust "Elli" was a fair read.

 

[pedrothelioness]

The worst thing i was put thru in yr 12 literature was having to evaluate a series called *THE SINGING DETECTIVE* I dont know if anyone one else has seen it, but its one freaky series. Its all about a detective who is covered head to toe in a horrible skin disease, its quite unpleasant to watch, who has all these flashbacks. We ended up having to watch it 50 times, once was disturbing enough.
I think it may have been shown on the abc a few yrs back

 

[bunsen burner]

There were only three books that I read past the first chapter in school - the rest I put down and rented out the video.

The Outsiders by SE Hinton great book for teenagers

Catcher in the Rye by JD salinger not bad, but over rated

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee one of the best books I have ever read.

 

[Grendel]

Where the Wild Things are. No idea who wrote it but I read it.... hmmm say.. grade two/three something like that. Got mum and dad to buy me a copy.

Forgot about it for years until I went into an Angus and Robertson's and saw the book on sale along with figurines of the illustrations (at a hefty price too I might add). Really brought back memories of how I loved this book as a kid.

For high school reading it is a bit harder. All quiet on the Western Front was a good read, very moving. A Catcher in the Rye was so far American to me at that time I didn't understand it at all. Re-read it in my twenty's and enjoyed it much more second time around.

Most other books read at school became a chore simply through the teachers forcing, rather than encouraging the students to read any book.

 

[Zombie]

Funny we read Animal Farm in primary school, kids these days

The most memorable school reading:

To Kill a Mockingbird
The Merchant of Venice
Macbeth
All Quiet on the Western Front

Since then the best books I have read have been It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong and The One That Got Away by Chris Ryan.

 

[naughty monkey]

Without a doubt, the best was "The Superroo of Mungalongaloo"
(Well it had the best title anyway!)
All about a kangaroo that could jump a kilometre in one leap whist being ridden by a Scotsman called McGurk.

Also good was "Bottersnikes and Gumbles" by S.A. Wakefield

 

[Captain Random]

In Year 8 we had to read "The Chrysalids" by John Wyndham, which I really enjoyed. Prolly my favourite school read, though, was "Great Expectations" by Dickens.

Worst book I had to read at school was "Pride and Prejudice" - so help me, I would rather repeatedly poke myself in the eye with a biro than read it again.

These days, the books they make them read at school seem to be a bit more varied. Kids these days. (waves cane)

PS: aggels - if you're into Isabel Allende, check out anything by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

 

[Rusty Brookes]

Obviously some shared experiences here. Loved the Chrysalids, as well as Whyndam's other books (Chocky, the Day of the Triffids, the Kraken Awakes). Like Grendel, I'm also a big fan of All Quiet on the Western Front.

Some others I read at school and still enjoy are: David Copperfield by Dickens, My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok and The Plague by Albert Camus.

I also enjoyed the violent Shakespear tragedies, namely Macbeth and Hamlet.

 

[Pornstar]

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier was pretty good.

Anyone do yr 12 in 1989 and have to read Fly Away Peter? ughhhh, worst book i've ever read cover to cover.

 

[xBinny]

The Outsiders by SE Hinton great book for teenagers

Great movie! Blue Mash Potatoe! hehe!

To Kill a Mocking Bird
A Handmaids Tale
Hamlet
Romeo and Juliet
The Longest Memory

I think they're the only books that I read all the way through.

We watched "All Quiet on the Western Front" and I absolutely loved it. Brilliant/sad stuff. History class was definately huge for the movies that we watched. "Gallipoli", "Nicholas & Alexandra", and all the documentaries.

Worst book I had to read at school was "Pride and Prejudice" - so help me, I would rather repeatedly poke myself in the eye with a biro than read it again.

Can't agree on that one. Found out we have a copy of that, bought in 1911, and made Mum buy a new copy so I wouldn't wreck the old one. I liked it, but then I got sucked in when I saw the ABC series with Colin Firth in it! Tragic I know! It's just an olden days "Bridget Jones' Diary". It's exactly the same......even "Mr Darcy"! Colin Firth in both films, EXACT same story line! BJ's Diary also a great read!

 

[GOALden Hawk]

Originally posted by bunsen burner
There were only three books that I read past the first chapter in school - the rest I put down and rented out the video.

The Outsiders by SE Hinton great book for teenagers

Damn straight! Great book.

 

[aggels]

Originally posted by Pornstar
Anyone do yr 12 in 1989 and have to read Fly Away Peter? ughhhh, worst book i've ever read cover to cover.

No, but in year 11, I had to do "Johnno" by the same author. It was absolutely terrible. The most boring crap I have ever read in my life. I don't know why schools insist on making students read thse books. what could they possibly get out of it?

 

[TigerCraig]

The Hobbit in 6th grade

The Outsiders in about Year 9 or 10

Worst were Catcher in the Rye, The Great Gatsby and the winner is .... The Return of the Native (I threw it at the teacher and walked out of class. Went from 3rd in the form in English to 28th in Year 12)

 

[SonOfScray]

the best books that i HAD to read, other wise i probably wouldnt have gone near them were:

Looking for ALibrandi
The Outsiders
Montana 1948
Sparring With Shadows

 

[King_Henry]

Originally posted by Pornstar


Anyone do yr 12 in 1989 and have to read Fly Away Peter? ughhhh, worst book i've ever read cover to cover.

Yep that was my yr 12 book...

Actually i didn't think it was that bad

 

[Falchoon]

Originally posted by Pornstar
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier was pretty good.

Anyone do yr 12 in 1989 and have to read Fly Away Peter? ughhhh, worst book i've ever read cover to cover.

I did it in year 12 1989, bored the crap out of me too. Wasn't it set on the Gold Coast prior to it being the Gold Coast if you know what I mean. I
t was one of those books with many apparent meanings that I couldn't quite grasp. I remember crapping on in my exam something about a bird that is a metaphor for blah blah blah, sounded good but never quite believed it myself.

 

[Falchoon]

Originally posted by Zombie
Funny we read Animal Farm in primary school, kids these days

The most memorable school reading:

To Kill a Mockingbird
The Merchant of Venice
Macbeth
All Quiet on the Western Front

Did all those!!
+ The Chrysalids + Fly Away Poxy Peter

Discovered my problem in English was my inability to finish most of the books, AQOTWF and Mockingbird excluded, they being half decent reads.

 

[Blue'n'Gold]

Macbeth ugggh what horrible memories *shudders*

Best book I had to read was a poetry book by bruce dawes I can't remember what the actual name of the book was, but it had some really good stuff in it

 

[Diego]

We studied The Club in Yr10. We even got to watch the play and the movie. Pretty weird considering the school was based in Sydney and Aussie Rules was what they played in Victoria.

I cant remember many memorable books apart from the compulsive crap we had to read.
The Great Gatsby..

 

[Goldenblue]

February's Dragon.

Yes, it was a long long time ago back in Primary school, but it is the best book I have remembered. It was a typical Australian story about bushfires. I thought I would have hated it, but in the end, I loved the book.

Just not have seen it about anymore.

 

[GoEagles]

A lot of the books mentioned were books the school I went to made us read.

Looking for Alibrandi
The Outsiders
To Kill a Mockingbird
Romeo and Juliet
The Merchant of Venice
Macbeth
All Quiet on the Western Front

My favorite book that we did was One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest which we did in Yr 12.

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Year 10 English.
"The Bridge to Wiseman's Cove"
I really enjoyed it.
Anyone else read it? (except clucas91, I know you have read it. )

As for Shakespeare,
My favourite is 'Julius Caeser' and I didn't mind 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.'

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

Originally posted by Diego
We studied The Club in Yr10. We even got to watch the play and the movie. Pretty weird considering the school was based in Sydney and Aussie Rules was what they played in Victoria.

I love 'The Club.'
I used it for 2 assesment pieces this year (Year 12) in Senior Drama. In fact, I was directing/acting the House Play and I chose to do it. We got 5th out of 12 and I got a Goblet for Dramatic Excellence playing Ted Parker. I was very happy with the result.

Great Play.