Books Everyone Else Has Read

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…but I haven’t. Stefanie posted about this topic today, and she inspired me. Here are the top ten books it seems like everyone has read that I haven’t read.

I know. I even work in a Jewish high school, but I somehow never read this book in school, and I haven’t read it yet. I keep meaning to, but somehow I never seem to get around to it.

1984

Yeah, I probably need my English teacher card revoked for this one. I have read its cousin, Brave New World. And the thing is, I actually really like dystopian literature. I’ve read most of the other dystopian classics I can think of. Just not the classic, most well known one. I may as well admit I never read Animal Farm either.

The Kite Runner

My daughter read this and said it was amazing. My former department head highly recommended it. I read a bit of it, but I never finished it. I think I will some time, but for whatever reason, it’s just slipped off my radar.

Little Women

So am I the only woman who has never read this book? I mean, even my husband has read this book. Of course, it was required school reading for him, but still. And furthermore, I have no desire to read it. Even though my husband says, “It wouldn’t hurt you.”

Catch-22

And I also haven’t read any Vonnegut aside from “Harrison Bergeron,” which I actually did like. I am still not sure how I feel about some of the postmodern literature. I do intend to read some it. Really.

Flowers for Algernon

This book seems to be a staple of middle school. It seems as if all my students have read it. I don’t really have much of a desire to read it, either, even though the students seem to like the book.

Tuesdays with Morrie

I think I may be the last person on earth not to read this. And I have no plans to read it. This kind of book is not really my thing. I also never watched The Last Lecture, and I haven’t bought any Chicken Soup books.

Of Mice and Men

This one I’m ashamed of, and I will change it. Soon. I actually have wanted to read it for a long time. I loved the movie with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich.

The Book Thief

My department head raves about this book. I haven’t read it, and I’m not sure I want to. I will keep thinking about it.

The Time Traveler's Wife

This one is on my TBR pile. One day. I am interested in it, and I’ve heard good things about it.

So which 10 books have you not read that it seems like everyone else has read? Sound off in the comments or post to your blog!


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19 thoughts on “Books Everyone Else Has Read

  1. Great post. From your list above I certainly recommend you read "The Book Thief" and "Catch 22", oh but this is about me.

    Books I am embarrassed to have not read include:

    1. Jane Eyre

    2. Grapes of Wrath

    3. Great Expectations

    4. One Hundred Years of Solitude

    5. Wuthering Heights

    6. Of Mice and Men

    7. Persuasion

    8. Little Women

    9. Beloved

    10. The Old Man and the Sea

    1. Hmm. All classics or modern classics. There are plenty of those I am embarrassed not to have read, but it just seems like the books in my list are books everyone but me has read. I have also not read The Grapes of Wrath, One Hundred Years of Solitude, or The Old Man and the Sea. Wuthering Heights is my favorite book. I actually have a sort of unhealthy obsession for that book.

  2. This could be a meme! Or a book club or something. Everyone could step up to the mic and say, "My name is ______ and I haven't read a single book by _______."

    I'd totally join in this! I have HUGE English teacher guilt about some of the classics that I've never read!

    Whatever you do, make time to read Of Mice and Men. It's a perfect novel, by my estimation.

    I love this idea!

  3. I'm really jealous you haven't read "Catch-22" or "Of Mice and Men." If only I could read those two again for the first time!

  4. At last, a list where I have read most of the books! The only one I haven't read is Catch-22 and I plan on reading it one day. You aren't missing out on Tuesdays with Morrie or Kite Runner. I read both because of a book group I was in at the time and liked neither of them, especially the syrupy Morrie. Love 1984, have read it a couple times and it never fails to give me chills. Animal Farm is good too.

  5. Okay, there are lots of good books on that list (and some less good ones – I agree you can totally live without Tuesdays with Morrie, and although I am generally a fan of dystopian fiction, I didn't care for Brave New World AT ALL), but if I had to pick one that you should read, I'd say The Book Thief. Or Little Women! Well, both. I'd have to pick two. The Book Thief and Little Women. They are both on my Special Books shelf at home.

  6. Hmm…well, since becoming an English teacher, I've learned that the list of books I have not read which others HAVE is quite extensive.

    1. Lord of the Flies

    2. Hamlet

    3. Julius Caesar (and I'm teaching it this fall!)

    4. Of Mice and Men

    5. The DaVinci Code (never plan to read this)

    6. My Sister's Keeper

    7. Cold Mountain

    8. Anthem (apparently required Sophomore reading for most)

    9. The Time Traveler's Wife

    10. Lord of the Rings

    1. I hear you, Emily. One of the first things I discovered as an English teacher is how little I'd read. On your list, I also haven't read My Sister's Keeper, Cold Mountain, or Anthem. Don't think I'd like Ayn Rand.

  7. As an English teacher myself, and this year diving into the unknown territory of AP Literature, I find this list very reassuring. I have not read three of the books on your list and will join you on the list of women who have not read Little Women. And unfortunately my list includes nearly all the books I am required to teach for AP Literature this year (which I am frantically reading and annotating during this now arduous summer):

    1. Scarlet Letter

    2. Brave New World

    3. Great Expectations

    4. The Namesake

    5. Ethan Frome

    6. Wuthering Heights

    1. I hadn't read any of those until I became a teacher. Do you know, I hadn't even read The Great Gatsby until I became a teacher. I don't remember reading much in English class when I was in high school.

  8. Actually, I haven't read any of your list either, except 1984, which I've taught. So I'll use The Grapes of Wrath to substitute for it. We must have much the same taste.

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