Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday: Books I Was "Forced" to Read


This is a meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish where each week bloggers share a list of books for the prompt given. So hopefully I'll have a new list to share with you all each week!

This Week's Topic: Top Ten Books I Was "Forced" to Read

Hmm, it's really really hard to force me to read something, because I'll probably want to read it anyways. But there were books I wouldn't have thought about reading if it weren't for school turning me on to those books. Some I picked up after a librarian or teacher commented on them, and others I read for class. So here they are! 


Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
I had to read this one for my AP Lit class in high school and I absolutely LOVED the story. I don't think I would have picked it up otherwise, so I'm incredibly happy that my class required us to read this one. 
Crime and Punishment by Fyoder Dostoevsky 
Another AP Lit read. There's something about the Russian authors that is so intimidating, but this book was so interesting! I ended up really liking the story and I couldn't put it down. 
1984 by George Orwell
Taking AP Lit was probably one of the best decisions I ever made for my literary life! I think this is the last one I read for that class, and it was definitely not what I was expecting at all. The world Orwell created was so bizarre and I loved reading it. 


Uglies by Scott Westerfeld 
I remember our librarian giving us a talk in middle school about books to pick for our free choice and she had Uglies in her hand and talked about the premise. After her little summary, she said whoever wanted any of the books she talked about to come on up to the front. Right when she finished, I raced to the front to check out that book for my free read. I ended up loving the book and Scott Westerfeld became one of my favorite authors. 
Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Yes, Twilight. My class had taken a trip to the Columbus Metropolitan Library where the librarians had tons of book on display to share with us. One of the librarians raved about Twilight, a couple of months before it became super popular. I was really intrigued by the book and once I got home, I went to my own library and checked out a copy. And I loved the book. The series went downhill from there, but it was really enjoyable before the movies ruined everything. 
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
At school I decided to start a Jane Austen book club because I loved Jane Austen but had no time to read her. There's no motivation to read a book like a book club. The second book we read was Pride and Prejudice and it is by far my favorite book by her. I'm so happy I finally took the time to read it!


Frankenstein by Marry Shelley
I took an English class on Romanticism and we had to read Frankenstein at the end of the semester. It was not at all what I was expecting, but definitely in a good way. Frankenstein's monster is such a complex creature and it was interesting following its story. 
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
I actually had to read this novel two different times for two different classes. I had to read it my sophomore year in high school and my freshman year in college. I definitely enjoyed it so much more the second time around, and really liked the book. If it wasn't for the second read, though, I probably wouldn't have the appreciation I have for it today. 
Persuasion by Jane Austen
Another Jane Austen for book club! This was the first book we ever read for the club and it was so much better than I was expecting. I loved Anne and Wentworth so much!


I had to read this one for my Victorian Literature class last semester, and it was so good! I had no idea what the story was going to be about, but boy that ending! I loved coming to class and talking about the novel. I didn't even mind that I had to take a final exam on it (okay, I did mind, but at least I liked the material I was being tested on!). I'm so happy I had a chance to read this one in that class. 



15 comments:

  1. I had to read Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice in high school, but it has honestly been so long I don't really remember the stories. I do, however, remember Twilight. I didn't start reading the series until after all 4 books were out. I ended up reading the entire series in less than a month.

    Here is my TTT: http://jacquesbooknook.blogspot.com/2013/10/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-was-forced-to.html

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  2. Great list! I loved Crime and Punishment and 1984 but was never required to read them.

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  3. I really liked the Uglies series too. I was recommended it by another blogger. Thank Goodness I went with it!

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  4. I just read Dorian Gray and I really liked it! I also agree with Twilight - I enjoyed the first book, but the rest weren't as good, and then the movies just ruined it. I had the Uglies when it first came out but couldn't get into it. Since then, I've broadened my reading genres and would like to pick it back up and start the series!

    I wish my AP English class had us read these novels! They're on my TBR list because I've heard so many things about them, but haven't gotten around to reading them yet.

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  5. I really really liked 1984 too, when I read it in high school. I was surprised to be so into it for a school book. I wonder if I would feel the same if I read it now.

    I never got into the Twilight series. I feel like that series just... missed my age group or something and so it was never an issue of having people around me reading it a lot. Harry Potter was more of the series for that, I think.

    Great list! I love your TTT graphic!

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  6. I love that your list is mostly classics! Awesome! I just adore Oscar Wilde and his writing! If you haven't, check out some of his plays. He's also really funny and witty! The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband are my favorites. The movies are great too!

    My TTT

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  7. Now I love Twilight more because of the terrible movies. It's a weird balance. Great list!

    Tsuki’s TTT

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  8. Oh the Uglies, that series is one of my favorites! There was nothing like it when it was first out. Now we are surrounded by dystopian. Great list!

    Here is our list.

    By the way, we are giving away a signed ARC of Wild Cards by Simone Elkeles on the blog. Make sure to stop by and enter! :)

    Andy @ Owl Always Be Reading

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  9. Dorian Gray is one of my favorites! My copy is scrawled over with notes by both me and my sister ^^'
    I read Wuthering Heights of my own free will and when my English was probably not quite up to par just yet (I'm no native speaker). Maybe I'd like it better now after studying English Literature but back then I kind of hated it... :/
    Persuasion and Frankenstein are great though :)

    My TTT

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  10. Ooh, 1984 is good! Have you read ANIMAL FARM? I liked that one, too. And ooh, I see you're a MV fan! I LOVE that series!

    Rachel @ Beauty and the Bookshelf

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  11. Ooh nice picks! I remember when Twilight first came out, I was curious about it. But that was when I didn't want to read YA. The last several books I read in the YA genre were too overly dramatic about stuff.

    Then a year or two later my friends online told me I had to read Vampire Academy and it was basically the book that brought me back to YA and loving all the paranormal goodness!

    I fell victim to Twilight and its books as well. Saw the first movie, went to see the second and somewhere down the line...at a serious moment where Bella was upset, after Edward left her, I wanted to burst out laughing! That's when I knew I was done with Twilight. I probably lasted longer that I should've although there were parts in the first movie that I thought were cheesy too. I just didn't know that I was done with it yet.

    On a plus side, the upside to having endured those 2 movies, I understood all the jokes from Vampires Suck! Which basically makes fun of those two movies storylines and other popular movies at the time! Love that movie!

    Here's my Tuesday Post

    Have a GREAT day!

    Old Follower :)

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  12. Some absolutely brilliant books here! I love classics so it's great to see so many others do too :D.

    My TTT

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  13. I can't believe I forgot to put Twilight on mine! My mom found out it was becoming a movie and she read it and fell in love! And then she forced it on me. Like everyday asking if I had read it. Finally I did! And I liked it as well too!

    Great list!
    Here's My TTT

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  14. I discovered Uglies whilst trying to feel the hole The Hunger Games book had left whilst I waited for the release of Catching Fire. I ended up loving it, and had to read all of the others. My TTT

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  15. I love P&P and Persuasion too. I have Uglies on my TBR shelf, but I haven't gotten around to it. Thanks for sharing!

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