Notes From My Journal
A Better High-School Reading List
JM sent me this article from the National Review… and I thought it was great.
“In their enthusiasm for children to read the classics,” say the editors, “school curricula often kill love of literature in students by requiring them to read difficult books without considering readability or purpose.” The article then goes on to make 9 suggestions “to better prepare students for a life of great books.”
The suggestions include:
* The Sun Also Rises instead of The Great Gatsby
* All the King’s Men instead of Ethan Frome
* Salem’s Lot instead of Dracula
* Benito Cereno instead of Moby Dick
* A Tale of Two Cities instead of David Copperfield
Click here to read the entire list, and the very good arguments for making these changes.