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Family and Friends is my everyday journal. Captain's Log is where I pontificate on religion and politics.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Wednesday challenge

Wednesday Weekly Blogging Challenge

Today's challenge is books we read in school that we didn't like.
Having taught English the number one reason students don't like a book is that they have to read it.
1. The Biological Basis for Human Freedom by Theodosius Dobzhenski  -- My sophomore English teacher made us read this to blend with our biology class. I re-read it after graduating college. It was way too difficult at that age.
2. Don Quixote by Cervantes -- Had to translate it in Spanish class and then read it for World Literature. Bombed both tests and it kept me from getting an A in WL. Grrr.
3. A Separate Peace by John Knowles -- I could suffer no more than ten pages. 
4. Silas Marner by George Elliot -- I read after college and grew to like it.
5. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens -- I was in 9th grade and was out with strep throat when the teacher showed the movie. When I got back I had to read it and take a different test. That would ruin any book.
6. Pilgrims Progress by Paul Bunyan -- My mother made me read it as punishment when I was suspended from school (8th grade) my one and only time.




8 comments:

Lydia said...

I wasn't a big fan of A Separate Peace either. And Pilgrims Progress made me too sad to finish reading it. I no longer remember why, though. :)

My post.

Michael Mock said...

Don Quixote and A Separate Peace are the only two of these that I've read. I actually enjoyed Don Quixote, but like so many of these I think it's because I had my expectations properly set before I started reading.

A Separate Peace, on the other hand, is one of those books that seemed designed less to interest young readers, and more to traumatize them.

Wendi Zwaduk and Megan Slayer said...

I thought I'd read A Separate Peace, but I'm confusing it with Across Five Aprils (Thinking I read them during the same year). I liked AFA, but not ASP. Good post.

P M Prescott said...

I don't think I've ever found someone who liked ASP, Lydia. I understand Bunyan better now, an allegory was a little beyond me back then.

P M Prescott said...

Michael, The only way I can take Don Quixote is the musical Man of La Mancha.

P M Prescott said...

Thanks for your post Wendy and Megan

Tanith Davenport said...

I liked Great Expectations, but I didn't have to study it, which probably helped.

P M Prescott said...

So true, Tanith.