5 Books I'm Glad My Teachers Made Me Read

I like reading. I really do and I have since I was a bobble-headed little boy. But back in school, I loathed the days when a teacher would force us to read a book/play. Nothing against my teachers, they were great, but my rebellious human nature wanted more say in that part of my education.  I wasn’t alone either, I remember the collective sigh from my classmates when the books were passed out. Fortunately, only a few of the books/plays were duds (I’m looking at you The Glass Menagerie). For the most part, they were pretty good, but there were some that really stood out.

So without further ado, here's five books that I'm glad my teachers made me read.

#5

Orwell uses a scant 112 pages to deconstruct and satirize the rise of Communism using farm animals. As a fan of history and a rural Ohioan, this one really resonated with me.

#4 

A survivor of the holocaust, Eli Wiesel, recounts his time in multiple concentration camps. Straightforward and tragic, this staple of Holocaust literature was one the first books that I can remember having a deeply emotional impact on me.

#3 

Not one of my favorite books by any means, but the story of the Creighton family’s plight during the American Civil War sparked my interest in the great conflict which still lasts to this day.

#2

No joke, when my teacher first passed out this book to us, I thought it was about killing mocking birds. What I soon learned was that Harper Lee’s novel is something much different (and something much more).

#1

The first time I cried while reading a book (and again when I watched the movie).

So that’s my list.  Have you read any of these? If so, did you have a similar reaction? Let me know in the comments and list some of your favorites as well.

If you liked this article, please share it with others.

Thanks and God bless!