I’ve been looking for a mildly creative way to advertise that I’m hosting September’s Bookworm Carnival (deadline September 14th). Not having come up with one, I thought I’d just give it out as an assignment. Consider yourself assigned. The theme? Since it’s back to school time for most everyone, I thought classics would be interesting. Anything on any classic, old or new. It would also be worth exploring the merits reading classics. Who decides what are “classics” anyway? Your thoughts and posts, people, are more than welcome!
Which leads me to the Back-to-School contest being hosted by Book Binge.
The Assignment:
Tell us what your favorite read in school was. What book was required reading that you just loved? Something you completely devoured. Or, if you can’t think of one, what was the WORST read you had in school?
The Prize:
Leave your answer in the comments or on your own blog with a link and in honor of this being a Back To School contest, we’re giving one lucky winner:
The entire Susan Elizabeth Phillips Stars/Bonner Brothers Football Series (Who didn’t love a jock in HS? Even if he was an ass, he was still good to look at, right?)
or
Perfect and Paradise by Judith McNaught (A teacher, in keeping with our theme, and an old High School Flame)
Or
if you’re not interested in any of those…2 books of your choice.
The Homework:
We’re asking that you do a guest review for Book Binge for at least one of the books (or all of them, if you prefer).
Deadline:
The contest ends Friday, August 31st and the winner will be announced Saturday, September 1st.
Due Date:
Homework review is due no later than two weeks after you receive your package of books (We’ll be flexible about this, however, because we know real life intrudes on reading time now and again).
Kick the school year off right. Enter today!
My Answer:
This is a hard one. (Mostly because I’m having a hard time remembering the books I read in high school!) The Red Badge of Courage, by Stephen Crane was quite powerful, and I loved Huckleberry Finn. But my favorite for years and years was Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. I think I must have read it for my AP History class (I don’t remember, but it seems to fit), and I remember being shaken and moved by the stories told in it. The highlight, though, was when we went as a family to the Badlands on my way out to college. I loved that book. Now that I think about it, it’s been much too long since I’ve read it.
The worst read, hands down, was The Scarlett Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne. I hated it. (I re-read it a few years back and hated it less, but I still think it would have made a much better short story.)
The Book Nut 
I submitted kind of an odd choice to the classics carnival. But then, I always like to interpret guidelines in as strange a manner as I possibly can. *grin*
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I loved Catch 22 when I had to read it in high school. I read it several times during that year because I enjoyed it so. As one who was born during the Vietnam War, I had a lot to learn about that period in history (and we never seemed to get to that point in history classes).
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Oh, darn. I meant to ask you to explain the Bookworm Carnival to me when we visited. If I understand correctly you just want us to submit book reviews, commentary, etc. to you about ‘classics’. Do we have to use the form on Dewey’s blog or just leave a comment on this blog? I’m sure I’m trying to make it more difficult than it is, but I’m feeling a bit foggy about the idea. So PLEASE help an old, dotty lady out.
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My least favorite book of all time is the same as yours. Ugh. It had to be annotated and I thought I would die before I got through it. ick.Favorite – Paradise Lost by John Milton. I love it to this day. The meter fascinates me to no end. I may never, ever, be able to speak it correctly, but I love it just the same.
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Ah, booklogged, it is simple. Post something on your blog about classics. Either use the form at Dewey’s site, or email your link to me directly. That’s it. Easy as pie (which I don’t find to be easy at all, but that’s another story.):) I am SO glad I’m not the only one who hates Scarlett Letter, chronicler. Makes me feel better.
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I have to add my two cents in here. I loved reading the Scarlet Letter in high school, and I remember finishing it in two days (with a VERY late night in there because I just couldn’t put it down.) I’m not sure what that says about me… As for books that I didn’t like, Lord Jim tops the list. And to this day, when my family gets together, a topic of discussion that ALWAYS comes up is whether Lord Jim is really a classic or not (my dad’s argument being no, because no one really likes or understands it anyway…)
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Pie’s easy to eat, though, right?That contest looks like a lot of fun. And I wonder what I should send you for the carnival? The only classicish sort of book I’ve read recently is Doctor Dolittle.
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