In my gifted class, the senior summer reading list was one out of a list like Remembrance of Things Past, The Faery Queen, Ulysses (James Joyce)--not really thoughts that stick with you. More helpful were relatable stories like The Catcher in the Rye and Lord of the Flies (10th grade). If religion is allowed, The Screwtape Letters. Everyone knows LOTR, they could read the backstory, The Silmarillion. Great for an example of how hard it is to invent a whole cosmology. In sci-fi, The Ringworld is quite an epic.
Maybe save that for the gifted and talented class.... I did not have any trouble getting through it in my mid 20's. But then again, I can Read better/faster than most ppl.
THE GULAG ARCHIPELAGO, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Nothing ever came as close to lifting the veil on oppression before or since. It absolutely rips the bandaid off of totalitarian regimes.
I'd teach a couple years of Latin. Gives you the structure of language and the source and meaning of much vocabulary. I never studied Greek; though I know that would be useful too. It's just a matter of eliminating one or two of the classes students attend now. Easier said than done; though, I'm sure. It all depends on what language people will be using for the next generations. English is a wonderful language - as precise or vague as you want it to be.
I lived in Vancouver, Canada for most of my teen years. Compulsory. Even though Ottawa was more distant than Seattle. Learning another language is always beneficial, even though I didn't realize it at the time.
Harper Lee was an enigma, when asked why she didn't write more novels she replied,"Two reasons: one, I wouldn't go through the pressure and publicity I went through with To Kill a Mockingbird for any amount of money. Second, I have said what I wanted to say, and I will not say it again."
I suppose High School me felt they had a bunch in common with Holdon Caulfield. I can understand why one might not enjoy it, but I feel the story has a lot of relatable content for a younger person trying to find themselves. Plus, it was on the scandalous list of reads at the time and reading it felt like I was rebelling. I also loved the Great Gatsby, but I feel differently about that book now considering all I've learned about the wealthy societies that influence our world.
Edit: I should probably re-read Catcher in the Rye to see how older me feels about that one, too.
Holden Caulfield is such a teenager--we could see him in others, and we could also feel like we could get a grip on things better than him. Plus, his simple desire to save people is admirable a a start for discussion.
I'd start with Dorothy Sayers' 1947 essay, "The Lost Tools of Learning," to begin teaching children HOW to learn. Using any of The Great Books would be beneficial to that curriculum, though the books chosen are of lesser importance than the discussions of them. By teaching our children HOW to find the truth, goodness, and beauty in God's creation through the linguistic and mathematical arts, we can produce a citizenry which is capable of thinking logically, debating honestly, researching with integrity, and reasoning well.
High Treason: The Assassination of JFK and the Case for Conspiracy by Harris Edward Livingstone and Robert J. Groden
I was in high school when I found a copy of this book on my dad's nightstand. The autopsy imagery was very impactful and even then, I knew something was rotten in our country. It is an eye-opening read.
Indeed. I have a copy of The Day Kennedy was Shot, too, but it isn't as good as High Treason. I will say that it is disturbing to a virgin mind, but very thought-provoking.
The Real Lincoln, Thomas DiLorenzo ;
The Art of War, Sun Tzu ;
Rebelfire : Out of the Grey Zone, Claire Wolfe ;
The Federalist and The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates ;
Founding Brothers, Joseph J. Ellis ;
Out of the Crisis, W. Edwards Deming ;
Hamiltons Curse, Thomas DiLorenzo ;
1421: The Year China Discovered America, Gavin Menzies ;
The Theory of Money and Credit , Ludwig von Mises ;
The Road to Serfdom , Friedrich A. Hayek
1421, the year China discovered America was eye opening. What a wonderful read! Really make you question what you were taught in school. Those folks who don't read books are at a loss for what makes this world wonderful.
I read that also. Gets my inquisitive nature spinning about our ancient forefathers and the devices they invented. We're the pyramids built for a protective layer against the great floods which occur every 6k years or are they some sort of electric storage capacitor? Questions which don't have immediate answers, but they were built all over the world for some reason.
After reading all these suggestions, I see a lot of consensus, and also a lot of things that would be real blackpills for HS students. Counterproductive to cut off love of reading with too much grimness. The best books teach hope along with the facts of life, imo.
Bad Men Do What Good Men Dream
What Would Machiavelli Do?
Aikido in Everyday Life
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, A Toltec Wisdom Book
Autobiography of a Yogi
A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume
I shut down my calculus teacher in tenth grade on the spelling of computor. Whipped out a dictionary and proved it. She admitted she was wrong in front of my classmates. She also helped me get into Hamline. I have receipts. Donna Forbes. Nationally awarded mathematician. TLDR: computer is spelled computor.
Animal Farm, Orwell
1984, Orwell
Gulag Archipelago, Solzhenitsyn
Atlas Shrugged, Ann Rand
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
Any Good Critical Thinking / Logical Thinking Book.
The audiobook is excellent. Read by Edward Herrmann.
In my gifted class, the senior summer reading list was one out of a list like Remembrance of Things Past, The Faery Queen, Ulysses (James Joyce)--not really thoughts that stick with you. More helpful were relatable stories like The Catcher in the Rye and Lord of the Flies (10th grade). If religion is allowed, The Screwtape Letters. Everyone knows LOTR, they could read the backstory, The Silmarillion. Great for an example of how hard it is to invent a whole cosmology. In sci-fi, The Ringworld is quite an epic.
Yes....for H.S, reading.
Ask them to stretch.
Read it in chapters, or even sections of chapters with discussions over each section read. It is extremely thought provoking.
If you think of how we digest the bible, it is concept by concept. So many books could be read this way.
Dune, by Frank Herbert is a prime example in the fiction genre.
John Steinbeck, in order of my favorites
The Grapes of Wrath
Of Mice and Men [This one will shock the socks off them]
East of Eden
Maybe save that for the gifted and talented class.... I did not have any trouble getting through it in my mid 20's. But then again, I can Read better/faster than most ppl.
On the Beach by Nevil Shute. Because this is how the world ends if we nuke ourselves.
The Art of the Deal by Donald J Trump.
This is actually excellent. Also anything by Thomas Sowell.
THE GULAG ARCHIPELAGO, by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn. Nothing ever came as close to lifting the veil on oppression before or since. It absolutely rips the bandaid off of totalitarian regimes.
I'd teach a couple years of Latin. Gives you the structure of language and the source and meaning of much vocabulary. I never studied Greek; though I know that would be useful too. It's just a matter of eliminating one or two of the classes students attend now. Easier said than done; though, I'm sure. It all depends on what language people will be using for the next generations. English is a wonderful language - as precise or vague as you want it to be.
Latin and Greek was valuable...
...but French was my favorite...
...les filles adorent le français....
I lived in Vancouver, Canada for most of my teen years. Compulsory. Even though Ottawa was more distant than Seattle. Learning another language is always beneficial, even though I didn't realize it at the time.
Latin is used in medicine, but also in "law." Why teach a dead language?
...I want you for lit class....
For the Vonnegut novel I propose Harrison Bergeron. So appropriate for these upside-down times.
Why Dune?
I tried listening to the audiobook, but dropped it after learning that Dune was full of saracens.
Catch 22
Slaughter House 5
Brave New World/BNW Revisited
Lord of the Flies (added)
Catcher in the Rye (added)
Grapes of Wrath (added)
Dante's Inferno
Pilgrims Progress
Man Without a Country
The Bible
...doggy winks....
Harper Lee was an enigma, when asked why she didn't write more novels she replied,"Two reasons: one, I wouldn't go through the pressure and publicity I went through with To Kill a Mockingbird for any amount of money. Second, I have said what I wanted to say, and I will not say it again."
I love Catcher in the Rye. The Cay is one I'd add to this, too.
... and Ethan Fromm
..and Born on the 4th of July
I suppose High School me felt they had a bunch in common with Holdon Caulfield. I can understand why one might not enjoy it, but I feel the story has a lot of relatable content for a younger person trying to find themselves. Plus, it was on the scandalous list of reads at the time and reading it felt like I was rebelling. I also loved the Great Gatsby, but I feel differently about that book now considering all I've learned about the wealthy societies that influence our world.
Edit: I should probably re-read Catcher in the Rye to see how older me feels about that one, too.
Holden Caulfield is such a teenager--we could see him in others, and we could also feel like we could get a grip on things better than him. Plus, his simple desire to save people is admirable a a start for discussion.
all the banned books
1984
the tale of gengi <===first book penned by a woman
crime and punishment
anything tolstoy
thais <====most favorite book ever
penquin island
Wealth For All- Religion Politics and War, Economics. R. E. McMaster Jr.
These 2 books, and None Dare Call It Conspiracy V 1 - Gary Allen, 1972 are some of the books / things that happened, that helped wake me up in 1984.
Basic Economics (thomas sowell)
I'd start with Dorothy Sayers' 1947 essay, "The Lost Tools of Learning," to begin teaching children HOW to learn. Using any of The Great Books would be beneficial to that curriculum, though the books chosen are of lesser importance than the discussions of them. By teaching our children HOW to find the truth, goodness, and beauty in God's creation through the linguistic and mathematical arts, we can produce a citizenry which is capable of thinking logically, debating honestly, researching with integrity, and reasoning well.
Animal Farm, Gulag Archipelago, 1984, Libido Dominandi, The Black Book of Communism
High Treason: The Assassination of JFK and the Case for Conspiracy by Harris Edward Livingstone and Robert J. Groden
I was in high school when I found a copy of this book on my dad's nightstand. The autopsy imagery was very impactful and even then, I knew something was rotten in our country. It is an eye-opening read.
...that is a good one for all of us to read....
Indeed. I have a copy of The Day Kennedy was Shot, too, but it isn't as good as High Treason. I will say that it is disturbing to a virgin mind, but very thought-provoking.
The Real Lincoln, Thomas DiLorenzo ; The Art of War, Sun Tzu ; Rebelfire : Out of the Grey Zone, Claire Wolfe ; The Federalist and The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates ; Founding Brothers, Joseph J. Ellis ; Out of the Crisis, W. Edwards Deming ; Hamiltons Curse, Thomas DiLorenzo ; 1421: The Year China Discovered America, Gavin Menzies ; The Theory of Money and Credit , Ludwig von Mises ; The Road to Serfdom , Friedrich A. Hayek
Thanks, I have a whole library full of "alternative" reads. Also lots of homesteading and survival stuff , old and new.
1421, the year China discovered America was eye opening. What a wonderful read! Really make you question what you were taught in school. Those folks who don't read books are at a loss for what makes this world wonderful.
Yep then he followed up with 1434 after getting responses from folks with more info. Both where part of my awakening.
I read that also. Gets my inquisitive nature spinning about our ancient forefathers and the devices they invented. We're the pyramids built for a protective layer against the great floods which occur every 6k years or are they some sort of electric storage capacitor? Questions which don't have immediate answers, but they were built all over the world for some reason.
Basic Economics - Thomas Sowell
The Vision of the Anointed - Thomas Sowell
The rest of Thomas Sowell's books
It Works: The Famous Little Red Book That Makes Your Dreams Come True!
After reading all these suggestions, I see a lot of consensus, and also a lot of things that would be real blackpills for HS students. Counterproductive to cut off love of reading with too much grimness. The best books teach hope along with the facts of life, imo.
BASIC ECONOMICS by Thomas Sowell
Endurance The Shackleton Expedition. It's an inspiring story of leadership in a seemingly hopeless situation, and has a happy outcome.
William Faulkner
As I lay Dying
Absalom, Absalom!
Reading writing and arithmatic (you remember it was spelled this way, correct?). Stop at mathematical abuse. Computer. Computor.
American civics for dummies
Prometheus Rising, by Robert Anton Wilson
Call my son.
Stalking the Wild Pendulum von Itzhak Bentov
Bad Men Do What Good Men Dream What Would Machiavelli Do? Aikido in Everyday Life The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, A Toltec Wisdom Book Autobiography of a Yogi A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume
I shut down my calculus teacher in tenth grade on the spelling of computor. Whipped out a dictionary and proved it. She admitted she was wrong in front of my classmates. She also helped me get into Hamline. I have receipts. Donna Forbes. Nationally awarded mathematician. TLDR: computer is spelled computor.
Tire is tyre
I see a lot of frivolous titles here. Try The Holy Bible.
Also Entertainment means to enter and hold your mind. Be weary of all its forms.
End The Fed by Ron Paul