Michelle Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 Do you have any memories of books you read at school.. the ones you loved, or hated? I have a memory from my first year at secondary school.. we had an English teacher who was really scarey (she was deputy head too), but really good. We read The Hobbit, and she would often read it out to us. She used different voices and such, but not in a silly way.. iykwim. I've always loved that book because of it. I also have memories of reading Brave New World and 1984. Plus, I can remember looking at Shakespeare (Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth), and thinking "huh?".. but then as we studied it, it all made sense. 8) The book we all hated, and persuaded our teacher to drop was 'An Inspector Calls'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilmissmolly Posted September 8, 2005 Share Posted September 8, 2005 we read Romeo and Juliet in school last year, and I read Macbeth and another book thing that explained it. my teacher made me read Ivanhoe, it is the worst book I've read. I read this really good book a few years ago but I can't remember the name! its bugging the crap out of me. Its about an orphan girl living at an orphange and her best friends name is Susan. she climbs this wall and finds a little cottage thing, and makes it her own. and there is this really well described room called the shell room. and I can't remember the girls name or the books name . does that ever happen to you guys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 When I was eight, I remember the teacher reading a story to us about some children who went into the sea and found another world beyond the 'white horses' of the waves, a bit like the Water Babies but the sea not a river. I was ill the day she finished it and never got to the end, and now I can't remember anything else about it. It is really frustrating, and even now I would love to know what happened at the end! Other than that we did the usual at school - I remember Animal Farm and Lord of the Flies in the lower years; Romeo & Juliet, Great Expectations and poems by Tennyson for O' level (yes, I am that old!) and Hamlet and Chaucer among others for A level. Debbie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Posted September 9, 2005 Share Posted September 9, 2005 My school memories are poor here We read Whitefang, Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus, but never read shakespeare............. we did watch it on video though In my younger years we read things like Bogwoppit by Ursula Moray Williams and the Hobbit too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 One of the books that made a big impression on me at the time was A Wrinkle In Time by Madeline Engle. I read this in elementary school basically because I had to do it for reading points. After reading the book I found that reading was not a chore but could be fun and I havent stopped. I dont remember much about the book but if I could find a copy I think it may be worth a re-read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 I think the thing I was forced to read at school that I'm most pleased they made me read was To Kill A Mockingbird I still haven't forgiven them for making me put up with the first world war poetry, nor with the awful A Merchant of Venice, which is amongst the worst of Shakey's plays (and we didn't even get to see it as a play, only read the script). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 In school we read all the usual suspects like romeo and Juliet but the book that had the biggest impact was a book called Z for Zaccariah and it was all to do with nuclear warfare and the aftermath, it got me really interested in the events of hiroshima and I went on to read many other books of a similar nature. We also read of Mice and Men which I really enjoyed. Out of school I read almost everything by enid blyton - that lady was a saint! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted September 10, 2005 Author Share Posted September 10, 2005 Z for Zaccariah and it was all to do with nuclear warfare and the aftermath, it got me really interested in the events of hiroshima and I went on to read many other books of a similar nature. Ooh, ooh... I read that too! In fact, I wrote an essay comparing 1984 and Brave New World with Z for Zaccariah and another one.. can't remember the name. (I've just bought Brave New World after starting this thread.. I may have to go look for Z for Zaccariah!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louise Posted September 10, 2005 Share Posted September 10, 2005 Ive got it if you want to borrow it, I liked it that much I never returned the copy I got from school :oops: They did say I could keep it though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pageturner30 Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 My first introduction to English litteratur were Alice through wonderland and (help) Thomas Hardy as a cartoon!!!. I am please to say that my sense and pride has been restored through your extreme cheap book stores and book clubs. My shelveles are bent with the weight of Stephen King and female litteratur where my first real english pleasure read arise and sadly has now died: Patricia Highsmith - A woman on the edge of time. A science fiction with a twist. Try it if you dare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Wizard Of Oz Posted September 18, 2005 Share Posted September 18, 2005 There are just 2 which stick out in my mind from school and they are "To Kill A Mocking Bird" which I really hated, had to do an essay on it and only got a C because I hated it, I don't really like writing about a book I don't like. The other is "Of Mice and Men" I really enjoyed this book and funnily enough I got an A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted September 18, 2005 Author Share Posted September 18, 2005 I enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freewheeling Andy Posted September 18, 2005 Share Posted September 18, 2005 To Kill A Mockingbird's great. Of Mice And Men is good, but there's much better Steinbeck, I think - although the stuff I read, I read when I was in my teens. I much preferred Cannery Row, Tortilla Flat and The Grapes of Wrath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted September 22, 2005 Share Posted September 22, 2005 I remember "The railway Children", "Macbeth" and "Julius Caesar" . I have to think hard to dredge up more names! I must say I forgot the railway children, but remember that it was not a boring book. The others everyone has read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loricat Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 When I was in fifth grade, I had a really horrible, abusive teacher. He was drunk almost every morning, and he did a lot of screaming and throwing chairs around the classroom. I'm still not sure how he got away with his behavior, but..........he did one pleasant thing that actually made me look forward to his class for a couple of weeks. He made the class read each day from a book called, Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. It was based on a true life incident involving a Native American girl living on an island that was evacuated after her tribe was threatened by another tribe. When a ship comes to rescue her people and take them to safety, her small brother is left behind on the island, and the young girl jumps ship to try to find him. The story is basically what happens to her after the ship sails without her, and she has to try to survive and make a life for herself on the island without her people. As a young girl myself, I found the story really inspiring! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superdad Posted October 1, 2005 Share Posted October 1, 2005 I remember reading 'of mice & men'. I think everyone in high school eventually ends up reading that one in some class. It was a stupid exercise too, something about comparing the book to the movie. As always, in my mind the book won out big time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted October 18, 2005 Share Posted October 18, 2005 We did Of Mice & Men, which I adored. We also did Sunset Song, which I thought was incredibly badly written & didn't deserve any of its critical acclaim or to be on the curriculum. My mother later sat her higher english & had to read the same text. She heartily agreed with me! We also studied Macbeth as well as Romeo & Juliet (I had the great honour of playing the leading lady in both these while at drama school) which I adored. We had to do a thing called an RPR which was an indepth review type of thing. I did Animal Farm & Dracula (both of which were, & still are, firm favourites of mine). I think those are the only ones I remember as being set-texts or study choices. I did a lot of reading on my own time & have lost track of all the things Ive read! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 I just remembered two more we had at school, " The nun's priest tale", and Silas Marner. Anyone had/read them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 I've just realised, i missed out The Great Gatsby, which I've only ever read that once, but I can never quite remember whether or not I actually enjoyed it. isn't that weird? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 I remember Macbeth, Fair Stood the Wind for France, Stig of the Dump, Jane Eyre, and Tess of the D'Urbevilles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Gosh, Macbeth was very popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inanna Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 In secondary school I remember having to read 'Romeo & Juliet', 'MacBeth', 'Hamlet', 'Midsummers Night Dream', 'Lord Of The Flies', 'Billy Liar' and 2 others that were quite weird but very good. One featured chocolate covered ants and the other was based after some kind of nuclear war where this young girl and older man survived!! When I was younger I read all the Famous Five books and I loved Nancy Drew too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Still have Lord of the Flies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tash Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 We studied: Of Mice and Men To Kill a Mockingbird Various Shakespeare Animal Farm I think there were more but I'm not 100% sure as I studied drama also and covered some there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernow_reader Posted November 4, 2006 Share Posted November 4, 2006 Oooh..I just joined the other day and I can write on this too, yes? In junior school I used to love Enid Blyton's Mallory Towers books. In senior school we read HG Wells "The History of Mr Polly" and Shakespeare's "Henry V for O-Level. For A-level we read Walter Scott's "Guy Mannering", Jane Austen's "Northanger Abbey" and Shakespeare's "Anthony and Cleopatra". I remember our English teacher making us read John Wyndham's "The Kracken Wakes" which I hated....yeuch. But he then wowed me by reading Alexander Pope's poem "The Rape of the Lock" so he was forgiven. I used to read my kids (now aged 17, 21 and 23) stories in silly voices, one to match each character in the tale. Their favourite was Roald Dahl's "The BFG". Even now they embarass me about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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