Best book that you HAD to read

[Igloo]

I also liked Montana 1948. Read it in year 11. Nearly everyone in my year hated it, but I quite enjoyed it.

The only other books I remember having to read were The Soldier on the Hill, Macbeth and Romulus, my father.

I liked Macbeth, and didn't mind Romulus.

 

[dude316]

Animal Farm was the most memorable book I read in High School, and the only one I've re-read since.

 

[grizzlym]

Washington Square and Jane Eyre.

Both books I wouldn't normally have chosen to read, but did as part of a course. Enjoyed them both and studying them immensely.

 

[SpaceCow]

I quite enjoyed Northern Lights that I had to read in Year 8 (I think?). So much so I went out and bought the other two books in the trilogy too.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

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.'

Yep, I read it in yr 10. I went to school in Brisbane.

 

[Scooter#10]

To Kill a Mockingbird

Had to read it in year 10. Probably wouldn't have otherwise. Sure glad I did. Brilliant book

 

[raskolnikov]

I studied literature at university so there are a number of books that I had to read but loved. Crime and Punishment was the best and I ended up writing my Masters thesis on it. I also loved Jane Eyre, Hard Times by Charles Dickens and Germinal by Emile Zola. Our lecturer was fantastic. Used to make the books come alive when he was talking about them.

 

[dales.girl38]

Jeez, I had some shockers at school. My favourites were Looking for Alibrandi, A Passage to India (would not re-read though) and Hamlet. For somebody that loves to read and enjoyed English for the most part, I really wasn't a fan of the books.

The worst:
The Gathering - Isobelle Carmody. Just a ****ed up book, terrible. (Year 8)
The Great Gatsby - Extremely overrated. (Year 11)
The Divine Wind - Garry Disher. Just awful. (Year 9)
The Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger. Hated it, so so much. (Year 10)
Under Milkwood - Dylan Thomas. Did not understand a word of it, but it was kind of fun to study. (Year 12)

My school liked books with racism as major themes, eg. Dougy (James Moloney), Deadly Unna (Phillip Gwynne) etc. They were pretty awful too..

My brother studied Jane Eyre in VCE, my friend's school did Pride and Prejudice, the English class (I did Literature instead) did to Kill a Mockingbird...so jealous.

 

[Poetic Justice]

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

I read that. Did you go to Box Hill Senior?

 

[Poseidon]

The Book Thief

Had to read it in year 11 and it's become my favourite book of all time.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Jeez, I had some shockers at school. My favourites were Looking for Alibrandi, A Passage to India (would not re-read though) and Hamlet. For somebody that loves to read and enjoyed English for the most part, I really wasn't a fan of the books.

The worst:
The Gathering - Isobelle Carmody. Just a ****ed up book, terrible. (Year 8)
The Great Gatsby - Extremely overrated. (Year 11)
The Divine Wind - Garry Disher. Just awful. (Year 9)
The Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger. Hated it, so so much. (Year 10)
Under Milkwood - Dylan Thomas. Did not understand a word of it, but it was kind of fun to study. (Year 12)

My school liked books with racism as major themes, eg. Dougy (James Moloney), Deadly Unna (Phillip Gwynne) etc. They were pretty awful too..

My brother studied Jane Eyre in VCE, my friend's school did Pride and Prejudice, the English class (I did Literature instead) did to Kill a Mockingbird...so jealous.

Agree that The Great Gatsby is overrated. I have read it a few times, but still don't rate it. However, I really enjoy The Catcher in the Rye.

 

[grizzlym]

Agree that The Great Gatsby is overrated. I have read it a few times, but still don't rate it. However, I really enjoy The Catcher in the Rye.

I love the Great Gatsby... one of my favourite books. Catcher in the Rye is also great. Ever read much about Sallinger? He was a strange cat. Rumour has it after he died they found a safe with like 9 manuscripts in it.

 

[dales.girl38]

Agree that The Great Gatsby is overrated. I have read it a few times, but still don't rate it. However, I really enjoy The Catcher in the Rye.

The Catcher in the Rye was an odd one, a fair number of the guys seemed to enjoy it, from memory all of the girls hated it. My class isn't a very big sample, but it definitely seems like more of a 'guys' book.

All I remember from it are the ducks and him not wanting to pay a prostitute or something. Man, I hated it.

Edit: About Salinger - I remember my teacher telling us about how extremely private he was. There was a story about how some teenagers took a photo of him and he sued the hell out of them and his house had some sort of secret entrance or something. Very strange man.

 

[Thistle]

Had to read "The road" in year 12. One of the strangest books I've read but really is a great book.

 

[Starlin Castro]

Had to read "The road" in year 12. One of the strangest books I've read but really is a great book.

Was about to post this, The Road and TKAM for me, both really good novels.

 

[Selective Retention]

I read that. Did you go to Box Hill Senior?

10 year old post there mate.

There are state wide reading lists that a school has to pick from anyway and having discussed this topic with people that went through high school in vic the books seem to be pretty standardised across states as well.

Angelas Ashes would be the best book I had to read through school.

I did read the whole series of Tomorrow When the War Began after reading the first one in year 8 or 9 english.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

I love the Great Gatsby... one of my favourite books. Catcher in the Rye is also great. Ever read much about Sallinger? He was a strange cat. Rumour has it after he died they found a safe with like 9 manuscripts in it.

I have only read The Catcher in the Rye. Any suggestions as Sallinger's books I should read?

The Catcher in the Rye was an odd one, a fair number of the guys seemed to enjoy it, from memory all of the girls hated it. My class isn't a very big sample, but it definitely seems like more of a 'guys' book.

All I remember from it are the ducks and him not wanting to pay a prostitute or something. Man, I hated it.

Edit: About Salinger - I remember my teacher telling us about how extremely private he was. There was a story about how some teenagers took a photo of him and he sued the hell out of them and his house had some sort of secret entrance or something. Very strange man.

I have heard this a few times. I just really enjoy the rambling nature of the book and the language is way ahead of its time.

 

[Tex_21]

Can't believe the amount of love "The Outsiders" is getting, I thought it was horrible.

Montana 1948 wasn't too bad. Favourite was undoubtedly Animal Farm, loved it, love Orwell. Also really enjoyed "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time" by Mark Hammond, but I'm guessing I'm not exactly one of a crowd here, jus tloved the different levels the story was told on.

The two books that were just utter crap were Taronga (can't remember who by, but its about a post-apocalyptic Australia, and just shithouse), and the worst, "The Wife of Martin Guerre". I literally put bullets through that one.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

I also enjoyed The Outsiders. The Crucible was also very, very good. I have read it multiple times since school.

 

[Hellgood]

Had to read "The road" in year 12. One of the strangest books I've read but really is a great book.

We did this in year 11. At first I hated it, but got used to it and ended up thinking it was OK. Year 12 we read The Secret River, that wasn't too bad either, not sure of it's factual accuracy, but it was an interesting read.

 

[BlueDozer]

To Kill a Mockingbird (as for many others) - Just hated all the follow up work on it. Picked up a copy for my daughters at the Easter book fair this year for $3 - bargain. Will be reading again shortly myself, also got the movie which is a great adaption of the book. Unbelievable that it was her only book.

Also really enjoyed Archer's Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. And since read more of his classics such as Kane & Abel.

One that I hated was Lord of the Flies.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs Basil E. Frankweiler

 

[Cruyff14]

Night by Elie Wiesel. Read it in Year 7. Highly recommended.
A Lesson Before Dying - Ernest J. Gaines. Year 12. Amazing.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Harold and Maude

Flowers For Algernon

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

To Kill a Mockingbird (as for many others) - Just hated all the follow up work on it. Picked up a copy for my daughters at the Easter book fair this year for $3 - bargain. Will be reading again shortly myself, also got the movie which is a great adaption of the book. Unbelievable that it was her only book.

Also really enjoyed Archer's Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. And since read more of his classics such as Kane & Abel.

One that I hated was Lord of the Flies.

Fairly disturbing and unsettling, but I enjoyed it. Has been on reading lists since the 1960's.