So many books, so little time

I’m a big fan of book choice all the way through secondary school, but I know most of us don’t get that luxury.

So if you were forced to read certain books, which ones did you actually love?

Mine are:

Invisible Man - my first book read from the perspective of someone of another skin color. It was wild to read about thoughts that I’d never have, because I didn’t have to have them. It hit me hard.

Slaughterhouse Five - Taught me that fiction can be goofy, and goofy is still literature, even if it includes being put in an alien zoo with a pinup star. This was my gateway to Philip K Dick…

Flowers for Algernon - I think this was the first truly tragic book I was ever given that didn’t involve war. I had loved All Quiet but that’s obviously tragic. This was just a different kind of slow sad.

No Exit - This was my first “cool” play.

Sylvia Plath Poetry - First poetry that related to depression at my age in HS

E. E. Cummings poetry - First blatantly beautiful poetry that wasn’t soft. It was harshly beautiful. Aggressively beautiful. Blood red, painful love.

But that’s all through school…6-12.