Number 1: Beowulf by Anonymous
I was a senior in high school when I took British Literature, and was introduced to this book. In my class we only read about the first monster, so a couple years later I bought this book and read it in full. Beowulf is the story of a hero, named Beowulf, whom encounters three different monsters throughout the story. A couple different things in this book appeal to me. First of all, Beowulf is set in sixth century Scandinavia. I love this setting; it's really easy to get immersed in the atmosphere and feel like you are in the mead hall too! Secondly, the whole book is written as a poem, and even though it was written approximately in 1025 it's an easy read. I read the edition translated by Seamus Heaney which is what my high school English teacher recommended.
-Sarah Number 2: The Odyssey by Homer
My freshman english class read bits and pieces of this book, and I intend to read it in full this year. The Odyssey is about a man name Odysseus who is trying to come home from fighting in the Trojan war. Is journey takes him ten years, and in those ten years he faces everything from monsters to greek gods, to mere mortals. This book is also written as a poem, and is also relatively easy to read even though it was written (or spoken) in the eighth century.
-Sarah Number 3: Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
I'm now realizing I read most of these in high school. I read Grapes of Wrath in my junior year of high school, and remember having a lot of mixed feelings going into it. However, by the end of the book I knew it would always be one of my favorites. Grapes of Wrath is a book about a family during the great depression and the dust bowl. They leave their home with only what they can fit in their jalopy to make it to California with hopes of finding work in order to keep their family afloat. I felt a lot of emotions with this book, and should probably leave it at that. This book is also a pretty easy read, even though the subject matter isn't.
-Sarah Number 4: Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
I just read this book this year, and loved it! Journey to the Center of the Earth is about a young man named Axel and his Uncle, a scientist, who find the location to the entrance to the center of the earth. They embark on a long journey, begrudgingly on Axel's part, to seek fame. This book is also an easy read, and is only 211 pages, so it's a good book to start with if you are new to classics. I loved reading from Axel's perspective as he was unwilling to be on the trip, and he gave it an almost comical aspect.
-Sarah Number 5: Night by Elie Wiesel
Night is a super quick read, it's just over 100 pages and I would recommend it to everyone. It can be a hard book to read due to the heaviness of the topic; however, I think it is important to read. It is important to remember the past and it's intriguing to see it through the eyes of one who lived through it. Ellie Wiesel, the author, writes about his time as a teenager when him and his family were taken to Auschwitz concentration camp.
-Shannon Number 6: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is one of those books I think almost everyone reads in high school, I know I did. I was not always one to enjoy books I was required to read, but I did love To Kill A Mockingbird. The story is told by 6 year old, Scout Finch. I really liked that the story was told from the perspective of a child, because the book deals with a lot of serious topics and I thought it was refreshing to see those topics through the eyes of a child who has much less bias than an adult. This story was a fairly easy read, and I want to find time to read it again as an adult.
-Shannon Number 7: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Whether you have read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or not, many know the story of Frankenstein. When I started this book in high school, I went in thinking I knew what to expect: a mad scientist and a terrifying monster. This book, has much more to the story than just those two things however. As I read this story I actually started to feel bad for Frankenstein's monster, known as the creature, because he was lonely and only just wanted a companion. This story unfolded in a way I did not expect, but I did enjoy it.
-Shannon Number 8: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
I read Of Mice and Men in high school and instantly fell in love with it. I have always felt a passion to work with children with disabilities and so I quickly fell in love with Lennie. Lennie is a strong and large man but he has a mental disability. He has a love of soft things which paired with his size causes problems throughout the story. Lennie's friend and protector George, is a very likable character because despite not needing too, he sticks by Lennie's side and tries to help them both accomplish their dream of one day having their own piece of land.
-Shannon Number 9: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
One of the best things about The Great Gatsby was the detailed descriptions of the lavish parties that took place throughout the story. This is also a pretty short book for those who are new to classics. We are both partial to love stories and The Great Gatsby is a great example of a tragic love.
-Shannon and Sarah Number 10: The Crucible by Arthur Miller
We both enjoyed that The Crucible was a classic with a different format. The Crucible was written in a play format and this made it super easy to read. Also, we liked the time period in which the story took place, it was during the seventeenth-century and the Salem witch trials. This book is also less than 200 pages, which makes it a quick read especially if you are new to classics.
-Shannon and Sarah
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