Book ,'Serenity'
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
I know I have it somewhere in my romance bookshelf (I have all of my romances crammed into a 1-yard-square bookshelf in my bedroom--double-stacked two deep and with more books on top, and that was after I weeded out about 3/4ths of my romances before I moved two years ago).
I can see the cover in my head, and I'm pretty sure I have more books by the same author, but I'm damned if I remember who that is. Oh, well, I'll find out when I get home tonight.
I have a heckuva reading list for the summer. I just found out that I'm definitely teaching a 12th grade non-AP class, and I'm inheriting a summer reading list from the teacher who was supposed to have the class originally. The students can choose two books from a list of about ten. I've read only a few of those ten, and I should probably re-read them as well since they aren't fresh in my mind.
Here's my list, in case anyone would like to chat with me about any of these books as I read or re-read them this summer:
They all have to read A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers.
Then they have to choose at least ONE other non-fiction OR fiction selection from this list:
FICTION:
Tender is the Night
– F. Scott Fitzgerald
A Confederacy of Dunces
– John Kennedy O’Toole
Neuromancer
– William Gibson
Beloved
- Toni Morrison
The Passion
– Jeanette Winterson
The Poisonwood Bible
– Barbara Kingslover
NON-FICTION:
Naked
or
Me Talk Pretty One Day
- David Sedaris
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
- Jon Krakauer
Running with Scissors: A Memoir
- Augusten Burroughs
Wow, this is a *non* honors class, Kristin? A Heartbreaking Work... isn't exactly a quickie.
I would love to reread Beloved with you. It's been so long, and I adored that book. Broke. My. Heart.
I have to read The Poisonwood Bible, too. Or at least I've been meaning to.
Sounds great! I'm going to start once classes are done and my grades are in--first week in June sometime. I started The Poisonwood Bible earlier this year and then never went back to it, so I might start there.
And yes--this is not the list I would have put down for a non-Honors class, motivated students or not. My colleague who was going to teach it may have been reaching a bit.
If I wre one of your students, and I were lazy, I'd read the Krakauer: it's a fast, easy read with a compelling narrative. Also very well-written (even if to this day I think he should have waited longer before writing it...).
Huh, that's a fascinating list, Kristin! I've read most of those, but I'm a little surprised to see the Jeanette Winterson title on there. The Passion is my favorite of her books, or was when I went through my huge Jeanette Winterson phase -- which, actually, was in high school, now that I think about it -- but I'm pretty sure it has a fair amount of explicit sex. I'd have to reread it to be sure I'm remembering it correctly, though.
I mean, obviously I think there's nothing wrong with high school students being exposed to books with some sexual content, but it still surprises me to see a school recommending the book, as opposed to a teenager just picking it up on their own at the library.
Anyway, there are some great books on that list. The Poisonwood Bible is another of my favorites. Have fun!
A Confederacy of Dunces is still one of my favorite comic novels.
I just unpacked the booty from the $1 friends of the Austin library sale my wife and I hit on Saturday:
Interesting list Kristin. I've read about half of them. Also interesting that two of the non-fiction authors have had some press for being less than non-fictional, and Eggers also played with the line between fiction and non-fiction. You know, I always read Sedaris as fictional, even though I know it's mostly non-fiction.
The word fiction has lost all meaning.
I may tried to read Confederacy of Dunces this summer. I have not been reading much at all lately, and I've been feeling a bit illiterate.
The Passion is my favorite of her books, or was when I went through my huge Jeanette Winterson phase -- which, actually, was in high school, now that I think about it -- but I'm pretty sure it has a fair amount of explicit sex. I'd have to reread it to be sure I'm remembering it correctly, though.
I mean, obviously I think there's nothing wrong with high school students being exposed to books with some sexual content, but it still surprises me to see a school recommending the book, as opposed to a teenager just picking it up on their own at the library.
Well we teach our seniors Angels in America, and that's pretty darned explicit, too. One of the benefits of a liberal LA independent girls school, I guess. I haven't read The Passion, so thanks for the warning.
I will be revising the list before the next school year regardless. And this is just summer reading--I've barely started to design the actual curriculum for the school year yet. I'm pretty excited since this is a singleton class. I have complete freedom and can move at any pace without having to worry about staying in sync with other classes. I haven't had that luxury in years.
So far I think I'm going to be teaching Hamlet, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Angels in America, and possibly Kindred and Death of a Salesman. I have a lot of other ideas, but that's where I'm starting.