

Reading my way through history


Some of the books on my list. Photo by Brigid Heslin.

As you probably know, there are a lot of classic books out there! Our society grows up with concepts and references to these books, even though most of us haven’t read them. I can quote books that I haven’t even heard of just because my parents like to make literary references and I’ve heard some of them a lot. Also, we learn a lot about the plot of these novels in history classes because they are such a significant part of our worldly heritage.

My question is: If these books are so fundamental to the foundation of our nation (in some cases) and our society (certainly), why haven’t we read them? If nothing better has been written in all this time, maybe there is something to them! Some of my favorite books, like “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck and “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee, are considered classics, and after reading them I realized that the small description that I normally would’ve gotten would never do the novels justice.

Therefore, I am challenging myself. I am challenging myself to compile a list containing all the books no one should die without reading, and gradually I will work my way through the list. So far the list is pretty long, but the first few books are “The Princess Bride,” “A Tale of Two Cities,” and “Great Expectations.”

Because this endeavor is pretty challenging, I’m taking it on with my friend, Sarah, so we can support and push each other to keep working. I’m really excited about it, because my typical genre is teen-angst, romance, fiction and I want to expand my horizons! If you have any suggestions for what I should read, please let me know!

Categories: General
Brigid Heslin

3 Responses

  1. Anonymous says:

    In my opinion, the curriculum provided by the English department during my junior year in High School was insufficient in preparing my classmates and me for the upcoming English Regents Exam. As a result of this curriculum, I comprised a list of books which I felt possessed significant literary merit in contrast to those chosen to “best” prepare me for my English Regents. Although I have already taken the English Regents I feel that the list retains its practical purpose. I am sure you can deduce that I have by no means completed this list; I have however discussed these literary works with individuals who have.

    Catcher in the Rye
    The Great Gatsby
    Lord of the Flies
    The Kite Runner
    Grapes of Wrath
    The Complete Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (Vol. 1 and 2)
    Slaughter House 5
    A Thousand Splendid Suns
    The Things They Carried
    The Road
    The Old Man and the Sea
    The Scarlet Letter
    The Metamorphosis
    One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
    How to Win Friends and Influence People
    The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
    Animal Farm
    Moby Dick
    Pride and Prejudice
    The Red Badge of Courage
    The Invisible Man
    The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
    The Handmaid’s Tale
    Things Fall Apart
    On The Road

    This list has, since its creation, had many additions. I am sure it will grow even more before I reach my goal. I hope this helps.

  2. Lilly says:

    They may not be on the “literary greats” lists, but three of the books that meant something to me while in my school age years (I base it on remembering them almost word for word now, almost 25 years later) were

    Where the Red Fern Grows
    A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
    A Wrinkle in Time

  3. Zack Kilmer says:

    Wait, you haven’t read Harry Potter?