Thursday, September 6, 2012

Booking Through Thursday: School Books

BTT
Here's the Question:

We all had to read things in school that we didn’t like … but what about something you read for a class that you ended up liking (or loving)? An author you discovered that you might not have found? A genre you hadn’t thought about?

Here's the answer:

The book that changed my reading was part of an AP English assignment my senior year: Crime and Punishment. I had to read several books for a project and started with C&P. It took over a month to get through the first hundred pages. I hated it. But I forced myself to keep reading and something just clicked. I finished the last seven hundred pages in two days. It's my favorite book and I've read it more times than anything else.

It opened a different world of intellectual books (and the Russian greats in particular). It taught me how to appreciate the psychological aspects of a story. It rewarded me for my perseverance and showed me how complex and complete a novel can be. I don't write anything like it, but Dostoyevsky is still one of the authors I turn to when I want to be inspired. It is the writing I aspire to, even if I am doomed to fall short.

Anyone out there have a similar experience in school?

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2 comments:

  1. UnknownSeptember 6, 2012 at 9:36 AM

    I have the same answer! My AP Engish teacher assigned this and I just fell head over heels in love with it :)

    http://carabosseslibrary.blogspot.com/2012/09/booking-through-thursday.html

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  2. TamaraSeptember 10, 2012 at 9:14 PM

    YES! I loved both To Kill a Mockingbird and--even more so, Catcher in the Rye. Catcher in the Rye was written before there was a YA section and I think that was part of it's appeal for me. Even as an adult, I love reading YA and Holden Caufield was one of the best characters ever written. In my opinion.

    Anyway, I'm just stopping by to say hi from GUTGAA! I'd love it if you'd visit my blog too. I'm always looking for new writer friends, so you have a new follower. :)

    Nice to meet you and good luck with GUTGAA!

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