Who has read a book simply because everyone else you know read it in High School literature except you?

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 12:29:33 -0400

This has happened to me numerous times which in turn makes me wonder at the level of education my schools were offering. I went to school on base in Camp Lejeune from 1996-2001 for grades 6-10. I never had to read the classics and so sought them out as an adult. I believe I may appreciate them more now than I would have then anyhow. But still, why was it not even offered in the curriculum when other run down public school friends had to read them or "got" to read them maybe?

Response by SN Greg Wright made Sep 8 at 2015 12:33 PM

SN Greg Wright — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 12:33:48 -0400

Not I, I'm afraid.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Sep 8 at 2015 12:40 PM

Cpl Jeff N. — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 12:40:55 -0400

I am not sure how you define classics but here is my perspective on it.

You went to school in a politically charged environment where reading literature by dead, white Eurocentric writers was out of vogue. In some classes such as British Literature you would have read them but that would have been about it. I took one of those such classes and read a lot of British and European literature.

They good news is most book stores have a classics section so they are easy to find. They are also great reads.

Response by Col Joseph Lenertz made Sep 8 at 2015 1:01 PM

Col Joseph Lenertz — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 13:01:20 -0400

Well, you can't read them all. My schools had us read a few of the classics, as summer reading "options", and I got through a few more on SAC alert duty. Right now, I've almost finished "Catch 22", which some would consider a classic. I recommend it to anybody who has deployed and seen the insanity of war.

Response by SFC Joseph Weber made Sep 8 at 2015 1:30 PM

SFC Joseph Weber — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 13:30:19 -0400

I've read a bunch of books simply because my kids seemed so fascinated by them. Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Wicked, and yes I even read all of the Bella and Edward vampire books. I pretty much liked all of these except the vamps. I still read all 4 or 600 or whatever it was.

Response by Cpl James Waycasie made Sep 8 at 2015 10:39 PM

Cpl James Waycasie — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 22:39:37 -0400

I have. Everyone I knew had read Catcher in the rye except for me. I finally read it after watchin Mel Gibson in Conspiracy theory. When the comment was made that nearly all mentally disturbed killers read it or was fascinated by it, I finally decided to see why all my friends had took the time to read it. Kind of made me feel like I was the only sane one in my group of friends, lol. It was a good book, but the storyline was not what I expected, lol.

Response by PO1 Cameron Rhyne made Sep 8 at 2015 11:10 PM

PO1 Cameron Rhyne — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 23:10:31 -0400

I've sometimes read books either because they are brought up a lot as classics, though lately I read books because they sound interesting. Some of the classics are just really hard to get into(especially Russian books, which for some reason just fail to grab me. Maybe Crime and Punishment will change my mind...).